, 1879-07-24

speaks louder for Olympia and
Thurston County enterprise than has
any other public work within the
past decade. Passing through Te-
nino where we changed cars, ride
of about four miles south from
thence brought US to
THE PRISON,
Located near the Skookum Chuck
river and on the line of the N. P. R.
r. The contractors have 20 acres
of land here, upon which they erect
ed prison building three-stories
high. Its walls are l foot thick, the
timbers being so fastened together
that the smallest kind of an augur
could not be inserted at any place
without encountering great, iron
spikes. Besides this there is wealth
or boarding Il inch thick nailed on
outside. The capacity Of the prison
is I30. The lower floor is entirely
taken up by the male ward. 1t con.
tains 36 cells and has no outlet save
up pair of narrow stairs and
through closely guarded passage
to the second floor. On the second
floor, which is reached by an outside
stairway, are found living room,
24xS0 it., wash room 20x20 it,, a
dining room 20x30 it., and a kitchen
and female ward 20x20 each. Also
on the north side of this floor, are
spacious reception, store and guard
rooms and the arsenal. The upper
or third story is intended for work
shop. The yard, 100x200 feet, is
enclosed by a 12.foot stockade.
Some idea of the expense of this en-
tarprise may be gained by rejecting
that the iron doors to the cells, alone,
cost about $1,000. There are at pres
ent 46 prisoners (all males) con-
fined here. Five guards are en-
ployed, night watchman, a warden,
superintendent, two head coopers
and a foreman for the brick yard.
The brichyard when fairly started,
will turn out 1000 or 5000 brick per
day, while the cooper shop already
turns out from 100 to $50 barrels per
week. A fine looking 5.aere garden
is also worked also by convict labor.
Near the prison is the Thurston
Coal Co.'S mine. 1t is idle at present,
but will resume work about August
1st. The vein of coal, z feet thick,
is fine property. The tunnel, 300
feet deep, was partially explored by
US. 1t is proposed to utilize the con
vict labor in this mine, as well as in
a saw mill near by.
The contract system has been in
force a year, and no prisoners have
as yet escaped. In fact there is no
possible chance for escape, except
from the guards, while out at work.
1t is claimed for the system
1st. That it lessons the cost OF
keeping prisoners, $251S being an.
nually saved to the Territory on the
46 now confined,
I'd. That it greatly lessons the
danger of escape, as formerly jail
deliveries were Of frequent occur.
renee,
Sd. That by this means the inten-
tion Of the law, where sentence to
hard labor is passed, is fully carried
out.
We found the institution in splen.
did condition, talked with some OF
the prisoners and found they were
humanely treated. We mad occa'
sion to investigate the circum-
stances connected with a statement
by one P. H. Conn, discharged con
vict, published in that convict's
champion, the democratic Press"
The individual had just satisfied a
sentence for horse stealing when his
correspondence appeared in the pa.
per referred to. He must have besn
a particular friend of the editor, or
the latter would certainly have held
his statement until its truthfulnsss
was established by better authority.
His statement was simply false from
beginning to end, with one single
qualification. The personal proper
ty which he claimed was not re-
turned to him consisted of cheap
pistol, worth about $1.50. 1t was
forgotten at Walla WaIla, in bring
ing him down, and was left at HIS
suggestion, because he said he was
going back and could get it. We
saw his receipt for s. in money, and