The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1869-11-29
TIE STATE pR1aoN.
Observations Of n VIAIt0r-The, style
OF the HuIldInE-The Character
ana Progress OF the Work.

ing 10 many OF your numerous readers,
The grounds on which the prison 10
erected, comprising ten acres In the
form OF q square, and lying immedIs
Ately east OF the tumulus or great
mound-fsom which Moundsvllle takes
It's name-are 10 be lnCloAed by O stone
wall % feet high, SIf OF the base, and 2
feet ut the top, averaging 5k feet in
thickness. The inside 10 10 be built
perpendicular, and the outside battered
Two and three.iourth feet; and Ia TO be
finished with coping Of heavy stone
pro- ecting over the inside face OF the
wall eighteen Inches, The necessity Of
this arrangement will appear obvious
to prevent the possibility OF scaling the
wall from the inside, thereby prevent
Ing the escape Of prisoners. There will
be also four towers, one situated at
each angle Of the wall, designed as
guard houses.
This portion Of the work ls only falr-
~ commenced, and II will be prose-
cuted Just as appropriations are made
Tor that purpose. It's early completion
Is matter OF necessity, Any one who
examines the present condition Of the
prison-and 1t Is the very best the cir
cumstances will permit-will not be
surprised that prisoners sometimes
make their escape; and II q greater
number do not succeed. Il Is owing
TO the unsleepinR vigilance OF Cap.
Williamson and his efficient guards.
The "cell house." or prison, now
nearly completed, Is 1874 feet long, 81
feet wide, and 80 feet high, with walls
three feet thick, the inside OF which Ia
Of cut stone, and the outside 10 built Of
what Is called "rock work"-a term we
Will not stop to explain, assuming that
the reader understands It's meaning.
The front and rear walls are beauti.
fed and strengthened by buttresses,
built also Of rock work, and capped
with massive blocks OF stone.
Two octagon towers, 6fty feet high,
are connected with the southeast and
the southwest corners OF the building,
ornamented with beautiful moulded
cornice and lements-ornaments II
may be proper TO remark, which also
decorate the front wall OF the prison. It
10 lighted by 10 windows. six feet wide
BY twenty-five high, and Ia ventilated
by sheet Iron Aues passing through the
roof.
Inside OF this building is another,
which constitutes the prison proper. Ii
is separated from the former by court
or hall, extending around II, lax feet
wide. and Is built on foundation ten
feet deep Of solid masonry, well Rrout-
ed, and will contain, when finished, 224
cells, the lower or ground tier OF which
are built entirely OF dressed stone. The
division walls In the three upper tiers
are made Of hard brick laid In cement,
and thoroughly sIushed between the
brick. To one not skilled In the art Of
prison breaking, escape from these cells
number 10 hold all the prisoners now
Cd hand will soon be finished.
It ls thought that al some future day
ltwillbs necessary TO enlarge the prison
by building a North Wing" 10 1t,
the counterpart OF the one we
have been describing. In that
case the Superintsndent's House,
now Joined TO the north end OF the
south wing, will occupy central posi-
ton on the entire line OF front. The
front wall Of this building will be
composed Of rubbed stone, and will be
united OF each corner with tower,
built In the same style OF finish, rs feet
high. The windows will be ornament
ed with moulded caps, and beautiful
portlco will adorn the main entrance.
1t will be a magnificent structure when
finished. This, however, will require
some time-perhaps the greater part OF
next year.
The work on these buildings was be-
gun by Mr.. G. s. McFadden, the pres
ent efficient superintendent. August,
1865, with only three convictS, and has
been brought TO lis present state Of
completion under hislmmedlate super.
vision and direction.
Brevity will not permit us 10 enter
further into detail. Enough, perhaps,
has been said 10 enable the render TO
form general idea OF what the build
lngs are 10 be when completed.
The materials employed are OF The
best quality; the workmanship, 1t Is
but just 10 sny, reflects merited praise
on the skill OF Mr.. David Warke, the
master mechanic. 1.-THE original design
Is carried out and the work chat Is yet
to be done equals that already perform
ed, these buildings will compare favo-
rably with similar work In any other
State In the Union, and will form
structure OF which the State Of West
Virginia may we'll feel proud.
Economy has been studied In con-
nectlon with beauty, strength, durabil-
ity and the health and comfort OF con-
vlcts. No one is employed to perform
any labor that can be done by the con-
Vtcts thus saying 10 the State thous-
Rnds Of dollars annually. When the
character OF the persons Generally con.
fined In q State prison, Is taken into
account, and tits remembered that thew
are conversaut with all the arts OF
prison breaking and that their con-
slant study IL 10 devise some method OF
escape, It Is evident that no ordinary
brick or stone wall Ia sufficient to con.
dne them. A wall sufficiently strong
constructed, must necessarily be costly.
Before close | must say a word
concerning
THE ooNvIcTs.
These now number ei1hty.t,0o, among
which there is but one female, which
argues we'll for the females Of this
young and growing State.
About one third OF these convicls are
persons who were born and raised In
other States-principally New York,
PennsylvaniA and Ohlo-Rnd at the
time OF committing their crimes, were
mere adventures In West Virginia.
AS q class, they represent nearly all
the crimes known 10 the criminal cal
ender-from the parricide, the most
henIous OF crlmes-down to the small.
est offences for which person can be
sent TO the State Prison, and represent.
Ing all ages from 10 up 10 10 years OF
age. Some acknowledge their guilt
and profess sorrow for Il, while others
boldly affirm that they are Imprisoned
unjustly.
The Superintendent, Mr.. McFadden,
allows them the privilege OF meeting
on Sabbath for religious services-suc6
as class meeting, Sunday school and
preaching. They have small library,
70 volumes OF which were donated BY
Mr.. 8. Jepson, OF Wheeling. Many
persons have good books-books they
have read or never read, lying round, or
standing In the book case as useless
lumber-whlch they could well spare,
and thAfahv hnnafE and narha NJ au,n