National Republican., 1877-10-29
A DAY AT TIE WORKHOUSE.
TH1 NEW BUILDING Poa PRISON
ERS.
Present Accommodations Of tho institution
Inadcaaste-what Reporter Saw Amoni
the Haunars

Present Accommodation Of tho Institution
Inadcauste-what y Reporter Saw Among
the Paupers.
Yesterday morning representative Of The
REPUBLICAN visited the Washington Asylum on
the Eastern branch to CLEAN some facts concern.
Ing the new prison at present being erected, and
also to see what is being done about the grounds
In the way OF drainage, etc. The first object that
meets the eye before reaching the new building is
lake OF stagnant water, which the last rain
caused to overflow. and the volume Of water poured
down the road to the powder magazine, uprooting
large trees and washing out tho road.bed for dis
tance of about 100 yards. large force Of prison.
crs wero Immediately set TO work, and the road has
now been newly graded, cutters put down, and Is
in every way decided Improvement over the Old
one. -
As is well known, during former years the build;
Ing known as the Washington Asylum was devoted
to The dual use Of an almshouse and prison, the
north S.s or wing being used for the incarceration
Of criminals The large increase of both classes OF
inmates rendered It absolutely essential that some
change should be made. On the prison or work.
house side there were very often 900 men and
women hudded in such marrow limits that 1t was
next TO impossible TO preserve the cleanliness OF the
place, and at any moment II was probable an cpl
dcmie disease might ensue. How to provide or for
was no building owned by the District government
ample to accommodate them, and as last resort
the old Jail which formerly stood on Fourth street
hpiiWsst Was sSt ePeit W NVhBiSoo ava = WYNN
house or
CITY PRISON.
But in the spring OF the present year the jail was
torn down, and the inmates had TO be sent back to
The Utilization Of tHe old material in the erection,
OF building on the almshouse property for this
purpose, which has been done, although, owing to
seS oies hsS te Sns being
large and well ventilated and the windows being
firmly secured BY iron bars set IN the masonry. II
ia Al ynFt m a
house out OF old bricks is evidenced by the fact
that In several Of the rooms the arches overhead
loss OF time and money. All the rough work, such
as digging, trenchng, and draining about the prison
grounds, has been done BY the inmates, skilled
roofing work. The plastering has yet to be done,
but owing to the approach Of winter 1t will have
to remain In It's present unfinished condition until
the spring. The structure presents very uninvit-
ing appearance, owing, in great measure, to the
absence OF paint the bricks not having been cleaned
properly, the mOrter In some places still adherng
to It's irst love. Afer leaving the new building
| the next place visited was
THE DIsPESsARY,
| which Is In charge of Drs. Faulkner and IIaZen,
and after pleasant chat the knight of the pencil
was invited to accompany them on tour through
the hospital wards which were found 10 be re.
marlably neat In appearance, the walls having
just been whitewashed and the floors gave cvi-
dence Of the plentiful use of clbow-grease, us not
speck Of dirt could be seen anywhere. There
are at present about seventy patients under treat
jority Of the patients being either very old men and
women or else children from ten days and up.
wards who have been brought from different sec
tons Of the city.
SCENES IN THE WARDS.
In the ward SCI, apart for the female colored was
seen a foundling who was picked up when about
three days old its head at that time being covered
with beautiful suit Of hair. is thriving nicely,
and was evidently enjoying hearty lunch of its
dexter thumb.
The next ward was the one for colored males, the
most interesting subject being Samuel Brngg, the
colored man who was the victim Of a heartless
joke last winter. when his shirt which had pre-
viously been saturated with coal oil was set on fire
while he was In drunken sleep. The effect Of the
| burn, however has been to make sam a perfectly
straight man. as he says he will never touch another
| The female white ward was then attended to,
| but nothing of interest was elected most Of the
| inmates being conyalescent.
In the male white ward a man who stated that
| he had tramped all over the country was laid up
with split feet caused, no doubt, by his unequaled
pedestrianizing. In the next cot was man who
could neither stand nor touch anything, owing to
| the tenderness Of the palms Of his hands and the
soles Of his feet, which had been badly frosted.
| The different wards were entirely devoid of the
smells incident to such places, owing to the excel
| lent sanitary arrangements but the roofe Of the
two male departments were sadly in need Of the
| repairs which have Just been begun. Afcr bidding
the gentlemany physicians good-day the next OBJ
ject OF interest was
THE woRKHoUsE BUILDING.
The van from the Police Court had Just arrived
| and The prisoners were marched into the superin
tendents Office where after their names and the
time each had to serve had been carefully noted in
large book; they were searched by the oyerseers
for any yalusbles or weapons that they might
were conducted to their new quarters and
srrayed in the prison garb. preparatory to
ceremony the reporter was taken In charge by Col
| Faehtz. the superintendent, and conducted all
| over the building, commencing at the lower story
| in the north wing, in which the male prisoners
| who are not at work are confined. All c0lors an
sizes were found, some playing cards, Others prac
Using at clog dancing singing &C. and 9 p ,So ,%ct 1t
At night these prisoners are carried to their rooms
in the fourth story Of the same wing, where they
| are kept under strict surveillance during the time
allotted for sleep. Upstairs on the second floor
are very old aud decrcpid the youngest having
| reached three score, In one of the rooms seen
Prof Kernel the author of several standard mnthe
matical works, who Is continually boring the head
WeeE s he inyarlSble abb answer being Ali right ~ you
shall the first OF the month";" but this period has
already lasted year and the old gentleman is
third story the cells for the female prisoners,
than whom a harder set was never seen. Their
universal cry was whisky or something s to smoke.
shown on whom the fatal drug opium was telling
| with deadly effect, her gaunt cheeks and hollow
eyes plainly showing that she would not long be a
burden to the institution. Leaving the workhouse
q door across the hall was opened and the depart
ment for
| FEMALE PAUPERs
was next viewed number of the poor creatures
| ran forward to greet the genial Colonel, who ap-
pears to be a great fayorite with all the inmates.
| Indeed II was hard matter for him to get away
j from some Of the old ladies' who insisted on hold
ing his hand and pouring out thanks for his re-
| coYery from a serious illness. The different de.
partments are kept scrupulously clean by the fe-
| male prisoners and the rooms of the female pau
pers are perfect models in this respect
After leaving this building the grounds sur
rounding the asylum were next in order, and II
was found that owing to the ccding of about thirty
acres Of land to the new jail and the Government
garden for the propagation of young trees for the
streets Of the city only about thirty acres re-
mained for farming purposes, but these can not be
worked at present as there are no tools provided
and the land Is utterly barren Of any yege'
tables But plan has been proposed by
which this hitherto almost useless land can be
made to produce all the vegetables, forage &c, for
the wants of the institution, aud great saving
thereby effected to the District. The stables barns
&c, were then visited and found to be entirely toe
small to accommodate the stock and fixtures OF the
establishment, and 1t would do well to see that
they are enlarged
xCHILDRES's blouse suits, at EIsEMAN BROS.