The New York herald., 1875-10-18
OUR CROWDED PRISONS.

UNPRECEDENTED INCREASE OF cRIME-MoRI
ROOM WANTED FOR THE coNvIcTs-A sTATH
PRISON INSPECTOR ON THE SITUATION Al
SING SING.
The depression of labor consequent upon the gen
eral stagnation of business is apparently resulting 50
far this State concerned IN alarming increase
Of crime In the male prison at Sing sing there al
present over 1900 conyicts, while the Auburn and
Clinton prisons have been for months past
crowded almost to their utmost capacity Should the
increase Of criminals continue IL must long, prove
knotty problem for the authorities to decide where
and how to keep the law breakers after has
been passed upon them. Sing Sing Prison
al no time contains more than about 1,15d
available cells the residue of the 200 being devoted
TO other and unavoidable uses. Although there is on
the statute book law restricting the occupancy
Of cell to but person there nearly
400 OF them, each containing two jailbrds. This
crowdng, under existing circumstances, is Of
unavoidable Never before in the history Of the State
have the three penal institutions named contained any
number approximatng to those now mmurcd within
their respective walls.
That prison system is radically defective must be
apparent from the single circumstance that nearly
half Of the convcts at Sing Sing literally idle and
subssting wholly at the public expense while being
initiated By their fellows into higher degrees Of crimo
preparatory being turned loose again prey the
community II Is true that the present Board Of State
Prison Inspectors has adopted measures which, when
carried out, Will furnish employment to some Of the
idle iatlblrds. Among these is the erection Of
cooper shop with capacity for turning out 010
barrels per day, and this number will be increased
the facilities for manufacturing lime are perfected
Other plans are also in contemplation
During conversation with Inspector Moss X. Platt
al Sing sing Prison yesterday he informed the writer
that lie would at urge upon the State authorities
the righteousness OF converting that institution into
State manuiactorv. He says.-"fherc should be made
In this prison cloth FOR all the prisons the State the
goods to consist Of blankets shtrtiug and convict
suits The machinery necessary for the business would
cost about So 600 We have the building and all the
steam power necessary. All the money that would be
required would be for stock and machinery have re-
ceiged inquiries frequently from outside parties prison
CLOTH The business Of manufacturing cloth for all the
prisons would give employment at the commencement,
TO about MY men, and this number could be increased
SO as to supply not only the prisons, bat also IN
great measure supply the outside demand The manu-
acture OF cocoanut mats for doors could also be pront
ably carried on From the best information that can
be obtained learn that there is but little oft done IN
this counry that OF the largest dealers import the
goods made in tho English prisons There Is large
demand for the goods, ana have been assured Of
ready market for all the mats OF this description that
could make There could be employed IN this busl
100 men, and IN very short time
probably could find WORK for three times that number.
II would for the machinery and tools about 81 500
and perhaps a similar amount for stock. With these
manufactures once going | have doubt that the
problem of making this prison sell sustaining would DO
speedily and permanently solved In favor OF the State