The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-12-13
rho pen;tentiary- It's Location.

7,o legislature at its last session wisely
x,+ an foot the measure Of providing for tho
removal Of the pcnitcntiarv, and Il Will
continue the line OF i}ractscab'lity WIN re-
fcrcnce 10 this Institution If it will folio"
the excellent suggestions Of Governor
WA1xrs on the subject OF the disposition,
II be made Of the criminals OF smaller grade
who are now sent 70 the pcuttcntlary II
su.h numbers as TO overflow II.
The counties should take the matter Oh Oh
the custody and correction Of INC N"'"''
offenders in their own bands. nc WIZ
Dinc.post, in our opinion. i a'' ""'''.' "'i'
institution. and woul, do infinite service Ill
iisposing of the hcn-roos' roo"eiS' ou. We
snpposc ifit were rcso!tcd' 10 mere Tue p'o"s
and righteous hyp"crltcs ci'ewherc "ou'a
rnse, tho world with their clamof. so the
chain and wo! king on The public roads VIII
h,ro - he substituted FOR 4 punishment
which Is Of divine institution. Whatever
1orn, OF correction he employed. il Is clearly
better that the local communities should
take the pcstiterous little rogucs III hand.
7hev CO not Use TO the dignity CT estate
prisoners"
With regard to the pcntcntiary itself, it
ought to be taken ont OF this city. The
land it occupies is valuable, and located in
.the city towards which The pop
-: ING. There is no reason for
i''i' - 'iulitS OF city, and
u."'.0N e:.,; t.e e has I peu-
PlaciuS " ,o, ~>mis-
nowhere else that we Know e.
i.entiarv such location. The co.,.
e;oners who have in band the matter Of Sc
lecting location will have the't owl
opinions upon the subject. lhey WIZ p'''
don Us, however, for suggestion or two.
OF all the places suggested we e'nslus'
Bellona Arsenal the very best. IL S'"eHe
miles from Richmond; but the WAFER Cal
rtspe from the Ars nal 10 the Basin, and even
10 Rockets, makes it as cheap to transport
freight from Bellona Arsenal as from the
present penitentiary. Then, At the be''oi7
Arsenal there are excellent buildings SUI
fcient n accommodate 500 persons-bui!d'
incs put up faithfully at all enormous cost
to the Federal Government. 80 thaI tue
State would have to incur much less eA-
rense in est .bishing Il pcnitentlary thefe
than anywhere else.
But yet more important consideration
Is that at Bellona, the State would get be-
sides these buildings the iron mills with
their extensive watcr-poHer, which my
be devoted TO manufacturing ol any klnd.
And vet again the site OF the al>ena! Is III
contact with the coal-delds. ConVlcts may
be taken from the prisons and put i'll the
shafts that descend to the mines by the
prison guards almost without leaving the
land that will be bought with it. The
mines would readily afford employment Tor
the convicts who are without knowledge or
experience in mechanical employment, and
the coal mine Is fine retor!n2tory school
for hardened offenders. The Arsenal Is
healthy, retired, and susceptible OF being
made very strong against attempts TO break
through from within.
Bclona would be fIr enough from this
place TO relieve it Of al! apnoyanccs from
the reuitcntiary, and it is sufficiently near,
and has sufficient facility Of transportation
to give it commercially even better advan.
taces than the institution has now upon
Penitentiary Hill. We hope those having
power in the matter NAY give the best DIS
position to the important questions now
mooted With regard 10 the peDitentlary.