The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1867-07-25
GENERAL NEWS.
TEE STATE PENITENTIARY:

tion of this long desired enterprise
would not be uninteresting to our
readers, We are enabled, through the
kindness of an esteemed correspond
cnt, to furnish an account of the pro-
posed building.
The grounds arc situated in the
corporate limits Of Columbia, at the
foot of Plain street, about twenty
minutes walk from the market, and
Immediately on the Canal, and are at
present enclosed by high wooden
wall twelve feet in height, with onl y
one entrance through which access is
gained to the works. All visitors are
required to enter through the Clerk S
Office, and there register before being
admitted to the prison. AS yet the
construction, of the cells alone occu-
pies the attention of the architect,
but by reference to the drawings a
good estimate can be formed OF the
arrangement of the structure. On
entering the main archway, large
stairways lead from the right and left
to the upper stories. TIE basement
is divided into rooms, which will be
used as laundry and storerooms, and
the large area in the centre will be
devoted to cooking, heating, and like
purposes. 10 the right and left are
the north. and south wings, where the
cells are located. These arc isolated,
having no connection with the walls
Of the building, aad arc accessible By
a. stairway and u balcony. There
are fifty cells on every floor in each
wing, and they arc five tiers high,
thus making two hundred and ttty
cells in each wing. Each ofthese are
five by eight feet in plan, and have a
height of seven feet, resting on a stone
paving eighteen inches thick, which
extends to tho outer walls, and would
render any escape by that direction
impossible. Each cell is provided
with all the modern appliances for
supplying air, water, &C., and on the
top in each wing, large cisterns will
be furnished; these will contain the
water from. the roof, but will be prin-
..cipally supplied from the river by
means of a large Turbine wheel
Sewers. drains and pipes are arranged
throughout the building, and every
attention paid to the hygiene Of the
establishment. There is a corridor
fourteen feet wide passing around the
cells and paved with eighteen inch
granite blocks, and extends to the
wall of the building. The central
-bu.ststrr;,, vvHrbirrrs- all the apartments
of dining rooms, guard rooms, dispcn-
sary, hospital, chapel, parlor, Offices,
&c.
The female Department is to the
right of the male, and combines all
the various divisions Of the latter,
with the addition of a large work.
room, and the cells on the upper floor
are somewhat larger than those used
by the male convicts, being 6xS and
7 feet high. They arc 4S in number,
which is a fair proportion of females
to males. This proportion is based
on the statistics of other prisons in
the, United States.
The pressing want Of a habitation
and employment for the convicts that
were waiting in every district Of the
State, rendered it necessary to COM
mence the construction Of the cells
first, and up to this time forty cells
have been completed and ready for
the reception of convicts. Each of
these cells will accommodate three
tonyicts, if the pressure require it.
The isolated condition of the cells
admits ofthc construction Of thcmain
building at any time.
The architect, Major T. B. Lee,
has devoted all OF his engineering
skill and ingenuity to the interest OF
the State, and will eventually sue
ceed in erecting a building whose
magnitude will compare with any
in our country, and for economy of
construction cannot be excelled by
any that has been erected.
The quarry has been located on
Broad river, one mile from this work
and Immediately on the canal. By
means Of an incline plane, OF 3O0
feet in length, and a chain passing
around drum, the stone is brought
into the yard. The water Of the ca
nal furnishes the motive power, and
by a skilful arrangement of machine
ry, rock is now removed that would
formerly have required the labor Of
twenty horses. At present 10000 Tbs.
Of rock are put into the yard with
l. l.