The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1878-04-13
PRISON CONGRESS.
The West virginia Commissioners to
stockholm.
Correspondence OF the Register.

stockholm.
Correspondence OF the Register.
MoUNDsvILLE, April 10.
l noticed some time since IN your reg
ular correspondence from this place,
mention made of the invitation received
by the Governor to appoint one or more
representatives 10 an International
Prison Congress, to be held at Stockholm,
Sweden. In the month of August next,
and recommending to His Excellepcy
the name of Captain Bridges, the very
efficient superintendent OF the pesllen-
tIary, as q gentleman possessing the
proper qualifications for the mission. l
fully concur in and endorse all your cor
respondent says il the Captains favor,
as | am satisfied that no man IN the
State has given the subject OF prison
government and prison reform so much
thought and attention as Capt. Bridges
The many changes and Improvements
he has inaugurated and successfully car
ried out in our own prison has fully dem
onstrsted this fact to the complete salts
faction of every one who has taken the
least interest in the matter.
This subject of prison management Is,
lust at this time, attracting the attention
of the people OF this country to q greater
extent than at ally former period IN It's
history, and that much good will result
from the proposed congress Of all the
nations cannot be doubted. Therefore It
oehooves our young State that she should
be represented there, and that, too, by an
agent who is qualified TO receive tor her,
All the benefits that may be derived from
the experience of the many gentlemen
from all parts of the world, who Will
compose the congress, that she may
thus be enabled to take q proud position
among the States OF the Union, IN this
respect, which she is destined to assume
IN all others. In Capt. Bridges, your
correspondent verify believes, the neces
sary qualifications are combined to a
greater extent than in any other gentle
man in the State.
Feeling q deep interest in any and all
matters affecting the future prosperity oi
| our noble little mountain State, l nave
watched with Jealous eye the manage
ment and progress of our state prison,
from its commencement to the present
time. and without wishing to speak dis
paragingly of the Captains predecessors
| must confess that the Institution under
| his management, is far in advance OF
what it has ever before been, in ercTy re
,pect.
The discipline among both guards
employees and convicts, Is as near per
feet as it is, in my humble opinion, pos
sbIe to be attained, while prior to the
present management there was no pre-
| tension made to discipline. The writer
of this has stood on the court house step'
and heard the yells of "fresh fish uPor
the arrival Of prisoner, time and again
You may now take position IN any par
of the prison yard, and you VII
not hear word spoken by
a convict, except it be to ask some ques'
tion of 8 guard or foreman IN reference
10 his work, and this change too has beer
effected without an additional punish
ment being inflicted, as in fact there l.
not one fourth the punishment inflicted
there to-day. with the two hundred and
fifty prisoners as there was when tn
prison contained less than one hundred
Let Governor Mathews send Captain
Bridges to Stockholm, and l will guarSn
Tee that the State will be the game
tbereby. Non -PARTIZAN.