The weekly Arizona miner., 1877-11-02
TuE TERRITORIAL PRISON.
Yrv,. \. r. Oct. 25. lst5.

lUNA, \. T., Oct -, lS'i.
 Edidtof Irisoaa IIincr:-
 By an Act of the Legislature of Arizona,
 approved February 18th, ts;5, the Terri
 torial prison was established and perma-
 uently located at the town of Yuma. A
 loan of twenty five thousand dollars was
 authorized to be nego,ialedon thc faith and
 credit of the Territory for the erection of
 suitable buildings for prison purposes.
 The Board of Prison Commissioner, con
 ,isting of three persons, elected by joint
 convention of the two Houses of the Lo-i~-
 lature selected a site for thc prison on the
 north bank of the Colorado. and secured len ! acres of laBd on an cmiscnco overlooking
 the town and surrounding country. aud di- rcctly opposite Fort Yuma. On the first ! day of July, 1876, the couvicts who had ! been confined in the county ial of Yuma.
 were removed to the Prison, since which . timc fifteen prisoner, have been inmates Of ! iis walls, twelve of whom remain one bay- . ing been discharged at the expiration ot hi,
 term, and two released hy thr grace of thc
 Executive.
 : Al the present, layapai i- rclre>. utcd ou
 
 ] lary, st representation of any county. Dan ! iyl Cannon i> serving term ot thirty-onc i years. fog murder in the second degree.
 George Bundy a soldier. received a sen teucc of three ycar~ turpcrinry John Hoo
 yer, for grand larceny amt pcUurr wyar, | ,hc uniform for five lcar,. IT, h.ii- leau. ] for his fellow con,icts. and is said lu ba aa
 foU in the culinary department William ' Leary, having plead guilty Co grand lar 1 crny. in stealing sam NiIlrr- n,r horse, .n connection with thc notorious iaii breaker ! Janc,. boards at the expense oi the Terri | tory for three yeaI~ John Eyan. au en | listed man, for robbery, was transferred | from the army to thc service of jne lru ' tory for the ;crm ot five ycat-. George pol- ner. an ignorant ioreIgu.r, undertook Co administer upon tle estate ot tae latc John | Jackson without an order ui thr Probate I Court. aud. aS hc declares, in compliance with the terms ot a uuncupativc will, appro-| | priated Co hi, own Use several thousand doi- lars ,u currency bsluu-iHg to ibc ,-iatc uf deceased. For that luCausiicTlte a.t ht|
 became the ward uf Arizona. anal si.i- tur trgedom Wm!e hc langui,hes ou thc hi.l for siN year~.
 Through the courtesy of Nr George M IhuTluw, the Superintendent ! visited thc| Prison. having first obtained permit from the President of the Board of Commission CTS countersignci by the Secretary. and va. shown the hulidiug-, grounds, auj aa opTa8i oi the penal institution. h c.u~g- qucncc of thc expenditure of iLc arIurfIl-
 ton and the lack ut iuaI- uiih which tnI procure material. uo work i> being done oA
 thc prison buildings, but ihc prisoners are
 employed grading and imu.su. taci grounds Only two cells. each c4Dah.g ui holding ten iumatc> comfortably. have heea finished. They are built of .tore cement and iron. secured bv double dour-. well ventilated, and sufficiently secure to c5u,c the boldc>t and most eHtcgpri,iu- criminal. upon entering, Co remember ihe Inscription
 in pantc's lntemo-"iet him who ,Btor, here leave hope behind" Superintendent ThurloV says that if he had tar rouui,it, material he would utilize thr labor u[ ihe ! conyict- and sufficiently complete .h. prison l SD that ii would furnish ample agc1mmo. 1 datiun for al, the cyil-docr, Who might lc ] convicted of crime in thc Territory fa. ! many wears. Externally tue prison and t, l surroundings are attractive. but iu ctutcm- | platiou of crime, it k place of t.l. the tiTmgst 0f eye hath quailcd Go sec i.~ ,l.I- . doNy drawings. The cells. kitchen re- crpton room and diuiu. hail are kept clean ani neat, and au air ,t comfort uad ~e,u- ! rty peIyadc, the w'.oic situation Nohar.b : noises nor di>Cordant sounds are heard. and whcn at work the prisoners move aud act ! as If they were stuugey- to the music of th.# human voice The prison discipline i- firm but humane, seemingly directed rather Co reformation than severity. The pgj-uucr. are treated with consideration. supplied ! with comfortable clothing and an ahuul- ancc of palatablc fo"d. which they are re- guircd io eat m silence. without Nuivt.. and forks They are supplied with reading matter, and are permitted to write asd rr- oclve letters. subject Co the pcru,al of the Superintendent. Instances of insubordina- ton are rare. and the officer, have no diff culty in enforcing obedience Co prison dis Cipiinc, for they are recognized by the in- mates a> men oi nerve and dotermira ion. No prisoner has vet escaped and only one attempt made, and that by Berry. the mail robDcr who at the time was confined m thp prison awaiting indictment He may con gratulate himself that he was not under sem tcncc, for had lac have been, the officer, might not have exercised SD much care to secure him without the loss oi hic or limb.
 The appropriation, made by the I.erisla- ture for prison purposes seems to have been ludiciously and economically expended by the Commissioners, and if sufficient mean. are placed at their disposal. our Territory , will boast a pcnitcutiary amply commo- ] .lious and secure for the punishment of criminals and. to a great extent. sclr,u,- ! ,alning. The location k good one. both l, is to security, health. aud accessibility. a Thurlow seems to bc . suited for the responsible posi- lion which he holds, and in the appoint ncnt of his suborlinatcs. truc tried. and men have been chosen. He k polite and aftable gentleman who takes pleasure in extending to visitors every means to acquaint themselves with the $ working of the institution committed to hi. leeplng. The Board of Tcrritorcrisl Prison Commissioners consists of Mcssrs. \. J. Finlay and David Ncahr, of Yuma. and Mir ] trench of Ehrenberg. Judge Alexander is secretary of the Board.
 The commissioners have allowed persons , .ccu~cd oi crime, awaiting trial. to be kent ] t the expense of the County where their rimcs were alleged to have Teen commit ct. One prisoner, convicted of unlawtilllv manipulating the mail matter, entrusted to ils keeping, while on duty at Tucson. is mong the number of the convicts
 To the contcmplative mind there k much suggestive ny viait to the Territorial 'rison. We look around us in every dircc. F lon and the world seems filled with be lilccncc and beauty. glorious in its action nd itself The river murmurs to the sen H N N Inn.