The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1875-12-06
THE CITY woRK-HoUsE.


"Don't you want to take rideW said
the big, good-natured, kind-hearted Dave
Carnahan to STAR reporter recently.
Dave is the boss of that numbering ve-
Ihicle used by the city for the tl'aasporta-
ttien OF criminals from the Police Court
to the Work-house, which is situated on
the ColerrtA pike, third OF a mile east
of Millcreek, and within the limits OF the
tcity.
"Yesl WhereT'
stout to Major 'Jf1n' Morgan's Hotel.
Wait till load up the vags anG drunks
and we'll go. There's not many of them.
only fourteen to-day; that's below the
leverage" The loading was soon ac-
complished, and the STAR man, jumping
up on the "Blaek Maria,' beside young
Andy Maher, the driver, was set
down safe and sound at the entrance of
the Work-house, in Camp Washington,
| after very comfortable little jaunt.
Upon the arrival of the sCity Express"
generally called the "Black Maria,"
with its load of criminals, it is met at
the main entrance by Captain Kyd.
commander Of the prison guards,
who sees that the number of
prisoners alighting tallies with the or
ders of commitments. This being done,
the party enters the building, the women
going to the lett, the men tothe Eight.
One by one, the men, for Instance, are
brought up to the Captains desk, where
an enury Of the name, age, etc., of each
one is made, From here they are taken
10 the bath-ho1se, separate building in
the rear of the main one, stripped and
REQUIRED to take bath. The clothes
worn by them when arrested, are taken
away, marked and placed in pigion
holes, bearing the name or number OF
the owner, and d clean suit turniahed.
The mems uniform consists OF pair Of
Jeans pants, an ordinary cavalry jacket,
and hickory shirt.
The women also 60 through purify
ing, process under the supervision of a
female guard, and are clothed neatly and
comfortably, In a check dress, dark blue
in color, and all the necessary under
garments. If shoes are badly needed by
any of either sex, They receive tuem.
Being now Invested OF their filthy, anu,
in most cases, JaLtered garments, they
Il are marched back 20 the main building
and assigned cell, the men going to tlie
south or main wing, which contains
|
single block OF six tiers, surrounded by
hall or passage way sixteen feet wide
and 224 leet long. The female depart
ment, in the opposite Wing, contains 24o
: cells.
Tue women are Inspected as to their
CAPACITY for the d fferent kinds OF work
done IN the House, and some are ordered
into the paper-box room; the boxes are
{ used for the packing OF light articleS OF
hardware made i'll the foundry; Others
take their places in she laundry, Where
all the clothing of the inmates and en-
ployes are renovated. The inmates ei
this department a4so make all tue soft
fsoap used-sometimes as much as four
barrels per week. Those that are pro-
hcient in the use OF the needle and
wIng-maeAine tind employment in the
sewina-ruom, where all wearing apparel,
both male and female, for personal use,
is manufactured and repaired. In addi-
, tim to this, the workers i'll this room
make on an average 800 pairs of coarse
pants per week for a Wholesale house il
The city.
II In like manner the male prisoners are
, inspected, /, as TO capacity Tor the different
KINDS Of work; The toGally unskilled, aud
those who are sent out for u short term
to work out a small line at The rate OF
/ seventy-hve cents a day, are delegated
for labor in the stone quarry. SiXJy-tiye
of this class are now SO engaged, and
are known as the "pioneers." The
largest number are put TO work in the
ioundry and furnishing shops, where
4 I sucii' light, simple articles as door
luinges, cas- ors, hatraek hooks. smooth.
lns- .rons, huLng macnlnes, els ern tops,
pulleys, piano stools, grid-irons, tobacco
4 cutters, and other tilnss, are molaeu
: | and finished, under the supervision o
paid instructors
: The machinery used in the construc.
= Ition and finishing OF the above al ticies
s a. Q 80 simple and efficient in themselves
N hat any man with ordinary sense, car
learn in few hours just what Is re
Iquired OF him. The men are worked
d dllrom I in the morning until 4:30 Il. Nj i.
= with a half hour lor dinner ABOUT A ID
: Ethe afternoon, during tue fall and win
y ter seasons, the 'Dummer gang" as The
lcripples. and other menicieAts are called
+ sit uown TO a square meal OF bean or pea
q, soup and generous chunk" OF bread
Land when They nave finished they art
u 'Econducted, to their cells, which
n are kept lighted until bedtime. Wuer
d hey are out OF the way the workmerisil
he shops are marched in, single file anl
LcIose oEder, and as tney reach uAe din
ling hall each man reaches out with hi,
L
y belt by which his mess arrives from tn,
: kitchen, and at the word ol command (i
:, snurt sharp whistle) J, they pass in re
view before the Doctor. on. the way t,
Z. The tables, when those needing medlca
V lattention or adyice, leave the line, ant
The others keep on to the tables and dis
> Ipatch their meal All is order and dis
9 cipiine, reminding one.Df the drilling o
nj the awkward squadin war times.
: Once in Whine the guards iud a pTis
= oner who, ON the pfetense Of being sick
ireiuses to work.. They have a. punish
e ment that brings all such to terms. Th,
lr..DungeonD is resorted to, where the re
lfractory fellow is compelled to stay un
ill he relents. Here is some fellow nov
= ..,'lwh0 has been kicking on mis- cell-door
1 RAISING AZ furious din for hours. Capt
Y Kyd goes up 10 the closed door and says
: ll.Whags the matter with your
q ssAre you going to keep a teller in thi
deyaiish hole till he ireezesi?'
: stYouiit stay theretiil you consent t.
l. work. Are you willing n0Wf The dor
v tor says nothing silsl you."
"YheI Doctor is a liar"
81 see you're not ready to come oui
I.yetp and the Captain passessop out o
e. ilhearing, Of the vile curses, that al,
b Launched at him.