Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-10-19

| fihnh OuDellt, Oh W lnOOsKi, VINO Is stlNlui
out sentence for arson. was in his cell
having been relieved from work for the al
ternoon, in consequence Of some change IL
the work. He is employed in the cutting
room and is the most expert ''cutter" To-
the uppers and quarters of shoes) in tn
prison. lie appeared to be in excellen
health, recognized his Burlington visitor
with smiles. and showed them some verl
neat and pretty work boxes, inlaid will
cOlored woods, in which kind of work h,
and other prisoners occupy their evenings
and leisure hours. On.a table in the cour
were a number of articles made by the con
yicts,-canes. boxes, reels in visls. toy ships
many of the prisoners obtain little money
with which to buy articles of comfort and
little luxuries such as they are permitted to
| purchase.
Passing from this ward, the visitors next
inspected the kitchen and bakery. The
bread, brown and white, was excellent
better probably than is found in tho average
of private houses; the meat and potatoes
wholesome and well cooked and the cook
ing apparatus and pantries, clean and neat
as could be desired The cooking is done
by hired cook.
The new ward was next visited This
is similar in construction to the larger one /;
but is smaller. containing ifty-six cells. A
brick wall passing through the middle. par
titions off portion intended for a ward for
women; but now filled with men In the
court OF this, is the hospital. 1t had three
inmates 1.-TWO suffering from slight
fever and one from some other not
serious ailment), in charge of John
Ring, the Bristol homicide. Ring
has been one of the strongest and best
workers and best behaved men in ;he prison !;
but his strength has become impaired by
confinement and voluntary over. work. and
he is now detailed for nurse in the hospital.
He has served seven years of his eleven years
sentence for manslaughter The hospital
has beds for five inmates, the greatest mum
Der that it has had for several years. The
sversae numbsr of invslids in il il twn.
Thor. have bsen M Deaths in the bospital
since last Februarv IL i, clean and warm
but in point of room and appointments is
not what il sbopld he Tho State .bopld
provide n scparate and sirv spartment and
better fittings for it.
ruvsuop.
Tn. v,.;,,r.nox ,,,ad rho shan. uh;.b
oo,,,u ;,a;n b.n,;so .,d
Tho .,, :; H. aho r.,
I.bo- of tho conr;,,sss Ia, 70 Moos-s No.
wh;, ", No. co, or
uan..at.,o,., H. ,,,.
oor man nov 40, ON ;n.,rosoe Of 6,o co,.t,a
dav har;r, toer secured hv tb, nrssent
c,mm;ssi,rer, the c,ntracrors furnish tho
r.oh;,o-v .,oam mo,ivs ,,wer final and
overseers to instr,ct the workmen and see
that tho wort ia nronerlv donc The Stare
furnishes the labor of the conyicts, and
maintains order and industry IN the shops.
One OF two keepers sit or stand in each
room, so placed that they can Keep every
man under their eyes. They allow no talk
ing or communication between the prison.
ers. he shoes in process of manufacture
seemed to be mainly chlldren's and womens
lace and buttin boots. The entire work OF
making, with the exception, perhaps, oil
little stitching and hitting, ls done IN the
shop. The uppers and quarters are cut by
hand the soles and heels by dies; those
Tor the latter driven by machinery. The peg
ging machines attracted much attention.
They cut the pegs from strip OF wood,
make the holes and insert and drive home
the pegs at the rate oil about l,OOO pegs
minute 10 peg boys shoe averaged hye
seconds The setting and trimming oi
the heels is also done very rapidly The
cOntractors employ the labor OF 40 con-
'icts and turn out 500 pairs oi shoes
day. The labor thus costs them less than
four cent+ pair and adding the cost OF
oyerseCr>, freight, etc, 1t CARROT cost them
more than SIX cents a pair to manufacture
their shues. There would seem to be no
reason why they should not make money.
Ne vi dcrstand that they find marked Im-
proycmeut in the behavior and industry
Of the cunyicts under the improved
order Of things. In the shoe shop, Grayelin.
the Weathersfeld murderer-s large man
with a moro-e and brutal countenAnce-
telligent Io,k,ny telloY-w,r, poin,ed out
The tailor shop was the next room visited.
Here the gray clothing worn by the CON-
vi,ts j. made and the ,uit, which are given
10 the prisoners when discharged. The
el,rnip, worn nv the eeooyicts when brought
,ho, J.. ,s,d co !, il .vsi,- |
,ti.. b., a,,,h ,,,,,;,, ,,,.,;ras ,I.;n rew
,.,i, -, ri, 5..,b.,,, .,.d ,h,. rcs h.,ter
,,L h.. , ,0,,..r,l ,b;,,,
ulo 40, o,,t !
~ ~; 49,, - h.
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