Vicksburg weekly herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1868-1883, 1878-05-03
Communicated.l
A Great w OrksshsP.

WALA ThE AAAhAhHlfFA
STATE PRIS0N-HoW IT Is CONDUCTED.
Companions are odious," It is true;
but Il 10 none the lees an undisputed
axiom that they are useful for both
present aud future guidance. This is an
age emphAtioally Of labor and of pro.
gress. The Gluggard is thrown to one
side, while the lAboring, pushing
masses spring onward. The very
handspring Of the crimes committed In
the world is idleness. II is 9 violation
Of Gods supreme decree, and lie viola.
ton sooner or later pays the penalty.
The Mississippi State Prison, with lie
thousand criminals, furnishes q lament.
able, but still striking exemplifcation
Of this great decree. Under lie present
masterly management, these people are
forced to be of practical service to the
State whose laws they have violated.
In an Institution where at no remote
period there were hundreds OF idle
couvicts doing naught for themselves
or the State, a vile aud filthy place at
beet, we have now cleanliness The most
rigid, aud labor the most expert, Ill.
rected aud superintendent personally,
In the several departments, by some Of
the very fret mechanics In the country.
In an institution that cost the State In
days past thousands of dollars without
any return, now yielding a most hand
some revenue, thereby reducing the
general State tax Thousands Of dOllars.
Recently, through the courtesy of
Capt. Hoskins, the able Lieutenant of
Col. Jones 8. Hamilton, the lessee, the
writer Svailed himself OF the Opportu-
nifty Of seeing the interior workings'oi
this mammoth concern. In the
SHOE SHOP
there are employed, upon an average,
about thirty skilled hands. There are
made 10 the shop, with ell the improved
facilities, the compllest and strongest
brogan shoe 10 the most fastidl0us
French calE-skin boot, equal TO any
that can be turned out from New Or
leans or elsewhere. The cApacious tan.
merry just outside the WallS-furnishes
all the leather used, rave only the i'm.
ported French cali, and ell is prepared
inside. Ciliz ,Hs and merchants who
buy aud sell these goods pronounce
them the best in The market. From the
shoe shop you pa 8 to the
WOOD SHOP,
q still moro extensive institution, re-
curing an immense building especially
for that purpose. From this shop there
has been turned out OF late some of the
best road wagons now 10 use, and bug
giles and hacks that would vie in neat
mesa aud solidity with anything i'm
ported from New Orleans. While
most OF the work 10 done by hand, still
there 10 machinery In oil the depart.
ments Of the most approved kind. II
IL Interesting, intensely 90, to an old
fashioned farmer 10 see how quickly an
az helve can be turned out by the ma.
chine for that purpose. Up stairp, In
The same building, is the furniture de.
partmen', where PLATA aud ane furnl-
ture 10 turned out by experienced
WOrkmeD. 0id-time furniture Il here
made IS goods the new" and With
very little expense. The
BLACKSMITH sRoP
10 complete In every respect, aud turns
oHt splendid work. All the clothing 10
made, loo, inside the wal Q.
Col. HImllton's direction of the pris.
on, while most rigid, lie still marked
with humanity. A we'll. disposed con-
vict has comparatively an easy time;
but woe unto the obstreperous.
So extensive aud diversified are their
facilities for doing work, the l%essees,
Messrs. Jones S. Hamilton 8 Co., are
now receiving contracts from all parts
OF the State (Which are executed at q
very low dgure,) for erecting or repair
ing public buildings, such ne court
houses, jAilp, churches, ETC., also tres.
lies, bridges, railroad and levee works.
Inside the walls, as | have stated,
wagons, bUggies, carts, plows and
wheelbarrows are being constantly
turned out; and from the furniture
department here comes bedsieads, cots,
washstands, tables, mattresses, and eV.
cry article in that line. They supply
merchants aud planters with shoes, 10
any quantity. They guarantee all their
work, aud their ability to produce II
cheaper than elsewhere ls undispnted.
The writer was impressed with one
fact 10 going the r unds Of the prison,
namely, that while the stigma was inel.
faceably upon those wretched people,
they are nevertheless not utterly out.
side the bounds Of that blessed privil.
ege, Hope, aud that when they finally
emerge from the dungeons In which
they have so long been encased, it is
still In their power TO retrieve much Of
their loss. Inside they have been
taught useful trades. Let them shun
idleness a. a demon; and In constant,
perseveriug labor they will dnd a pana.
cea Tor their trouble, and force once
more the respect Of their fellow.men.
The present lesseeS deserve the very
highest credit for the able manner 10
which the prison is conducted.
OBSERVER.