The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-06-15

Remember that these figures are the allowance
determined by mathematical calculation and eX-
pertinent, required per honr. Thus, each prisoner
should have 100 cubic feet OF fresh air every hour
while in tins prison he has but 800 cubic feet to
consume during twelve hours. Is 1t not a wonder
that the sanitary condition OF the prison is as
But the general reader will be more interested in
other views Of prison life and in nearer gmpses at
the individual convict. Nevertheless il Will be
before me noaoeS Sd 20
lions, ana the daily routine OF prison
life, which will furnish opportunities Tor seeing
those whose fame fills the land.
THE LIFE OF CoNvICTs
The sentence that consigns prisoner to State
Prison carries with 1t hard labor, and the State
undertakes, through It's prison authorities, to iur
nish this LABOR. The security OF the prisoner and
suitable employment are, therefore, two consider,
atoms that most seriously engage The attention OF
the officials in charge. At night, when the con-
vtcts locked in their narrow cells and all CON-
municatOn between them is stopped, their security
ID comparatively assured. The anxiety begins
when the cell doors are unbarred and the whole
day. In the winter season this opening occurs at
early daylight; when the days become longer
definite hour IS fixed. AT this season OF the year
at twenty-five minutes past five A. N.
At that summons every prisoner Is required
to rise, dress himself and prepare to leave his cell
The guards take their positions on the outer walls.
The Keepers repair to the corridors and galleries,
THESE preparations consume fifteen minutes, and
then, at twenty minutes to SIX O'Clock, each
keeper unlocks the cells belonging to his division,
arranging the door so That at given signal 1t can
be thrown open by the convict. This done. a
second signal is sounded, when every prisoner,
carrying ms bucket throws his door open and
energies from his cell Them quickly closing ranks,
the several gangs move away in regular order to
the prison yard, where their tubs are deposited
without breaking ranks, and then to their re-
spective shops, where fifteen minutes are allowed
Tor washing ana SUCH toilet preparations as re-
quire more light than the cells afford.
FURTHER PRISON REGULATIONS.
AT six the breakfast call IS sounded, at when
che eating hail. Here the first muster OF the day
is made, to determine the presence OIL all the
prisoners Reports have previously been maze 10
the Deputy Warden OF the various details OF pris-
Oners employed in the kitchen or as walters, de-
tanned In hospital or under close confinement Tor
punishment, and elsewhere held. and the tables
nave oeen set for the exact number that snonld
ne seated When all are seated each Keeper Is re-
CURED to report at the Deputy Warden's desk that
MS allotted seats are all occupied. Ii the aggre-
Rate OF these reports, added to the sum oil the
spOnd with the aggregate OF the prisoners that
should be under confinement,
THE SIGNAL 'ALL RIGHTu
IL given. III one or more vacancies are shown, the
meal proceeds, and mean while the details are
visited and counted. If this fails TO explain the
discrepancy when breakfast Is finished all prison.
ers are marched back to their cells, when the va
cant cell or cells discovers who Is the absentee.
Then search OF the entire enclosure is made,
when, If he is not found In conceament some
where, an escape Is supposed to have occurred and
pursuit is at once commenced. Under the present
administration, however, escapes are OF rare oc-
currence, the frequent musters and constant sur
vigilance being such as to render 1t almost hope.
less undertaking to get away.
III the morning muster shows the company all
present or accounted for, as soon as breakfast Is
finished the gangs again form and march back to
their shops, wnen the work Of the day Is begun.
Twenty minutes Is allowed for this meal. After
breakfast work continues unintcrruptedly In the
shops until the dinner call, which Is sounded at
nifty minutes past eleven A. N. AT NOON precisely