New-York tribune., 1878-01-22
PRISON REBORN.
REPORT OF sUPEmSTENDENI FirsBrRY-Goop IF
rrCls OF sEyES MONTHS woEK.

rrCls OF sTvES MONTHS WoEK
fyRoN THE gEGuLAE CoHKg,ro oT TIE rRIBuNE.l
ALBANY, Jan. 21.-The praisewOrthy financial
result Of seven months administration o the prisons by
Superintendent Psbury. stated IN IHE IMBrhE re-
Gently and nrief summary Of hi- annual report to The
Legislature WAS printed fortnight ago The report
Ia now ia the hands Of the state Pintrr and VIII shortly
apcar II viii contain an interesting dcs rriplon. hj
the superintendent, of the condition Ia which he f"nn'
the several pou the idene, Of most o. the con'ei'
the la OF discipline. the bad labor sy-ten. and tho
several reforms their management which MS subofd
mates hlye carried out. and hy which one OF The prisons
la. Jeen made seiSustaning
sI.G SING rGIsOv
The redemption Of ring sing. and the method oi max
inc il self-su-tainng. - described below:
on assuming charge rs superintendent. iOunh lhat
ont oi l,3"l comyic5 III lis Prison on5 '91 :. ILL., i
q! prisoners confined there chcept ruch AZ were a
so.uic required FOR cooking. "a-Llus repairing 'o-
irc and other necessary work. In state oI entire
idcncs- MANY, ind. ed, q" thr Ngls' ana inos Airhfd
ounrng without restraint around tire dock and grounds,
converting freely wll the i'sH PRAYED ana younger
criminals. and by speech aud example cnc1uIag
ing them 10 follow IN the paths ~ desperate
Uckcdnoss Waste, hlih. disorder, and chighic
lnsuborcinaton prevailed on every htn1. IN, Ihe
buildings had become diapdaci 10 such an ,xl.nt That
there hardly roof through winch the rain dIi not
Ind its COnycts ~ many cases, were performing
duties for which sworn officers 81 iir plsph "'ra
ing pay, while Of prisoners were RECEIVING from
he storchoutc or steang such articles OF oo az t3rS
desired. 10 Jr taken 1" rOme oi tHt siahics Nm
M ward ahunded and there cooked tos their various
outside friends. while jealousy and iiIceing prevailed
the officers To- an eNent that p'ayh'd di-cpi1r'
radical change OF sysem had become indispensable,
and uo time was Lost IN undertaking tllc work
removal the shantics. and whatever else might serve
az hiding place. Every convict was compelled to eat
al the general wllc the same hiA oi iac
was apioroncd alike 10 all the excepting only
might De- under care OF tie proper medical on
will about the grounds, bat were placed III tha shos
undrs charge of keecrs. or we're locked III lh,r eeis
ed
form the duties for which they received pay dnlrr pen
ally al an immediate DISMISSAL ln cAhe oi uinthss OF
ncfncriicy; and all employees were informed ttat
political influence wond Avail no,nnS ~ IN 81,
Ia lie various shops ordered to work, hciccorth
from bell 10 bcii tnus hioitinS the vicious ,sen o
oyrrwcs 10 which must be ;,-cibcd large share OF
di,ord, prevailing among tie Tue iuch,iH measures
adapted by warden CLARK s'c,'Iiy bronsht abent me
restoration of discipline, although hs w7 chec'ca Dy
less puisimcnt than had been prevIonsl. iuicte'l
so discipline had b.come established anu me
pubc had learned that tir prisons were Ia pr concirn
longer political machines ihe cane orfs lor ~.
cn 10y ,rnt cOnyic' the labor of 800 men was lct
hr and ol 800 70 another; ana slh'' p1
let contract al stili better terms entertain no Ionp
that work could r."my i1 "bIaiird ~ WE, 'r hii'n -. G
another thousand men. bis VAIL I"f "hl'h " Hp''i
aul roration was Ilidr last Winter Is nov c"npiet'd
From estimates carefully It uard, icc quitc assured
thai The erection oi the Wa ht.c referred 10 VIZ pio
iuco a saving Of about Tlj,ODU - annun N saaiir'
AU8URS.
Mr. Pilsbury also gives equally ntereatins dcscrip
ton OF his reforms at Auburn:
Iu my frat official WRIT 10 this prison. found s dis
c,I,Ipc aud general Ganaf fEcnt suptrOr to tr cohdi
non Of things ~ sing sing. Yet scarcely iali the mum
her of men there employed ~ contract u
bor nuLdr,Gs, IN truth, were e0nSrrs3unG In
the idle shops" masters of thcmsciNcs ana
coucertng al kinds of mischief. Ihis hiiti
of ii .0rlci afforded the most liberal opportunities
10 the bold aId desperate among ihe ,ollf'S
and ar might lave been CSnccd II was mere Hai ihost
of iRe pois Tor c.cal,Gg had originated on' ol "y
FIRST orders provided Tor tge immediate l~OhiOu o i''s"
douyfrois characters by lurGing cach man ~ ma c'
and akinz them regular hours daiy Tor ncc'H Ht
c,ruAc Ili5 cOule' Of treatment qu'kly 'Htct''t
Wholesome change ths feelings and c"nduci Oi b ~
dIyidas TO had been applied; rnd aiicr shoi1
interval they are rdrncsily pleading for WORK. hnch pe
fore they had subbOruy refused or got excused lro Oh
sOma Idle or false pTetchct. ,.,
| soon after Warden Wells received bis appOntlnehI
hat gentleman employed some hundreds OF thc iuie
prisoners, just referred TO- Ht grading and ceihs ts
grounds. Ihr sc-cailcd system OF "OVcfWofh hau ~ ~
come settled policy here well az al SilE Sing a.
this over, MOVIE
the rnuYirs IN this prison working nom bel 10 Dell
As a striking IiuOt of the benefits ullsnS IIoin Ills
change "a labor - stem viii state thal tue WORK
urnduccd by the ConNics has not only been largely ~
rrra.cI la giani.ty, but tnc quality shows decdtt
tn,nrfvcmrr Contracts for The Labor OF cOnlicts nave
h1n ertrred into with 0 the old contractors but
a. an iucrrused rate Of compensation per Gayi anu sew
ra new contracts with other parties nave also been
sccIlred al satisfactory rates
CLINTON.
The manufacture of iron aud nails at this prison has