The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1873-05-20
A Iorrid Hole.
TIE INTERIOR OF A NEW YORK PRISON.

New York City has jail called the
"Ten-Day Prison." where prisoners for
less thln that period are confined, which,
from all accounts, must be horrid place. |
1t is stone structure, about % by so, |
and ono story in height. 1t was former.
ly known as the Watch House, and was
used as police station before the present
Sixth Ward Police Station was built.
There is but one door to the building, ,and
but three windows. In its centre is
large stove. Around the walls on three
sides are benches, and in one corner are a
sink and Croton pipe. This constitutes
the furniture and contents Of the room.
1t is always horrible filthy. Prisoners
committed for ten days are confined 10 it
during the day, and at night they are
driven like dumb beasts into the lodging
apartments opposite the main entrance to
the prison proper.
"First come first served" applies here.
Those fortunate enough to head the pro-
cession eagerly spring for the hunks, mis-
cradle as they are, but it is seldom they
find one unoccupied, as a number of their
fellows who are employed in menial capa.
cities about the premises obtain possession
before the less favored are released from
their pens
The hunks are feet 10I inches long
f and less than % inches wide, including
the iron frame. The canvass says in the
center, thus adding to the lodger's discom.
forts especially when his head and feet
, are resting across an iron rod. But the
, sole occupancy Of even such sleeping
place is an unknown luxury. Two men
: are invariably packed within this narrow
, place. This allows them twelve inches
t of room each, but space is economical by
the men lying in reversed positions, thus
: bringing their feet in each others faces.
, a part Of the body rests on the iron rods
that run from the head to the foot of the
} bedstead. When one moves his compan-
ion rolls into the center, and it is by unit.
, ed effort only, aided by holding on to the
frame work that .th"v OF course very lit
, tie sleep can be had under the circum-
stances, and men become debiitated for
, the want Of it.
, After the hunks are filed the others
lie on the floor, aud frequently the corri-
: dor floor is also covered with dodgers. A
| night in the hunks, however compared
with one on the floor, is paradise of
a rest The filth that seems indigenous is
| made worse by expectorations OF tobacco
4 juice, and almost nightly the sinks over
c flow, inundating the entire floor, and the
t inmates are aroused from their troubled
:. sleep to escape drowning by standing on
J. their feet.
Vermin infest the place. The cellar is
n always flooded and literally filled with
Y water rats, The rats, emboldened By
c numbers and hunger, often attack the
c men, and after storm guards are set to
o protect the sleepers from these rayenous
= rodents.
n These are the lodgings which the au.
d thorites give the wretchcd drunkards who
~ havo oo .-.S-Sy nIvuus ~ sdNU ,uSIil
/. from the peril Of an awful death.
> AMERICAN SUNDAY-SCuooL UNION
FoRry.NINTu ANNIyERsARy.-An unusu.
ally large and intelligent audience crowd
:. ed the Academy Of Music, Philadelphia
le May 9th, 1873, to attend the 10Th An
re niversary of the American Sunday School
5 Union.
&c The several speakers ably advocated
IN the importance Of the Sunday school WORK
lc as having a vital bearing upon the des
III TIMES Of our country, and the world ; al
u luding to the admirable adoption of tn,
a means employed by the American Sun
nc day-School Union to confer these blessing
to upon remote and destitute regions, no
n, reached by the Church in denominations
nc capacity.
lis These points are further illustrated b,
at the abstract of the Forty ninth Annua
no Report, which shows that 996 new school
X have been established at points wher
AK none existed before that in these ther
he are 1884 voluntary labourers employee
tut in teaching the great truths Of the Bibl
nd to 39,735 children and youth. In add
his ton to this 1886 other Sunday. .school
'm have been aided by visits from the mis-
OF sionaries, and grants Of books and otht
1t requisites these contain l9, ,36l teacher
bic 165 ,064 scholars; 1928 families hay
bic been religiously visited 9426 copies {
ny the Sacred Scriptures have been circula
Ia ed, and grants of library books and p
ire riodicals, to the amount Of $780, 2
ms made.
OF The Society reports an important VOL
'rk among the Freedmen Of the South
ere agency being Of incalculable value, as IL
zen masses Of the people find that the on
as time for religious and other instruction
IN on the Sabbath To support themselv
5ut and their families consuming every no
'ho of the week day. 1t is also pushing o
up its missionaries to the newly settling te
oor ritories in the Rocky Mountains, the wo
lns on the Pacific Coast being already pros
- -. cuted with vigour,
his A significant feature of the report
IDS, the intelligence from its "Foreign Coz
plst mittee." that France, Germany, SwitzC
yrel land, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Denmar
tfer Holland, Central America, Mexico, al
arm Brazil. are occupied by Sunday-schC
'ed' workers, and that commencement
lth' made in Japan. The future opens glo
hon ously and with adequate means for CT
IL rying forward the work, there seems
orally no limit to the good to bo acco
plished by the American Sunday.Sch'
ar Il Union.
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