The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-04-14

Establishment or Joseph Davis e. Co. Turn.
the Work is Done I'm the Various Depart-
ments-Appearance OF the Convicts.
To those who have been accustomed from
time to time to give passing glance at but
never to enter that grim.looking building,
with its bare and frowning hlghwaIls, which
surmounts the hill overlooking the noble
"Jeems" aud the city, and 10 those who
simply know OF the existence OF the Vir.
ginia penitentiary, 1t is the object OF this
article TO give an insight 10 some OF the
many points OF interest we have recently
observed during visit TO that institution.
We shall not dwell upon the many subjects
for morslizing which present themselves 10
a visitors mind upon first entering the
States prison. The swinging open by the
guard OF the huge outer iron gates aud The
grating OF the same as the massive bolts
closed them upon you, together whh the
first glance which j. now afforded OF the
interior, with its ochre-coored walls, count.
less iron barred windows and cells, aud
striped inmates, all convey an awful sig
i6cance. And as YOU look upon these
barriers OF restraint and severance from
the outer world, and then upon those con-
fined therein-Some engaged in labor,
others physically incapacitated for work,
With some again peering from The bars OF
their ccls-who could restrain feeling
CT compassion for these fellow beings thus
deprived OF liberty? And il your nature
is easily impressed, you would find your
self sympathiZing With, and even silently
pleading for them, until probably (as was
the case with ourselyes) YOU were aroused
from your humanitaii ian reveiie by your
guide, who breaks III upon YOU with
"Do YOU see that second man in line
there? He is the woIs. man in the State OF
Virginia. He killed man named Lincoln
from Rockingham county, and is Gespe-
rate character"
And there was this broad-Shouldered
man, who. when free from the iron grasp OF
the law. was willing TO dare and do any
deed, going quietly 10 his work, TO all APP
pearances perfectly subdued in spirit and
resolution. And 80 1t appeared with all the
inmates OF the institution. They were
mld-mannered aud quiet, seeming TO work
with a hearty goodwill.
THE SUPERINTENDENT.
Mr.. Samuel &. Williams kindly showed
us through the entire establishment, and VIC
found him thoroughly practical, energetic,
and humane gentleman, and TO him Is
due largely the credit for the present
prosperous condition OF the affairs in
the peniteniiary. "We have nOw.' said
lie, five hundred and ninety.hve pri-
soners within the walls, and almost every
one Of those who me not physically dis
abled are on contract work. At present the
forces in the workshops are rather small,
owing 10 the number of those sick from
vaccination. To illustrate this: On Thurs
dav in the shoe manuftctOry there were hut
two hundred and fourteen men at work,
while on Friday that number had been in
creased TO two hundred and thirty.one."
He continued: owe are going TO wOIk
that contract ton shoeS) so as to have fouI
hundred men OH il By the 1st Of july"
To our inquiry,
"IS TIE PENIrENTIARY SELF SUSTAINING! "
he replied, Yes, il is, or nearly so, and ii
we can only carry out our plans, 1t will nol
only be selfsustalning. but will yield The
State some fifteen or thirty thousand dol
lais annually. If | had nv way, and they
would give me room to keep all The prison
ers, | would not let one 90 on outside
work. II had the room | could keep -four
tional guard, and could utilize them 10 the
great advantage of the State"
A sCRUPULOUS LIFEPRISONER.
As we neared the arch connecting the
shops with the main yard we were acco>ted
by an aged and benign.looking convict,
who very respectfully but positively in.
formed us that we must stop smoking be-
fore we entered that gate. We were struck
with his dignified bearing, and asked the
Superintendent who he was.
"Tbat man." said Mr.. Williams, {" is the
cate. keeper, and he would stop Governor
HOLIDAY or myself II we tried to pass there
while smoking" He is lfe-prisOner, anC
his name is Isaac &. Howell, from Patrick
county. At mutiny in the mess-hall 10
1876 he came to the relief OF the officer, who
was being overpowered, and rendered sucl
valuable service that Governor kempet
recommended his sentence be commuled &c
fifteen years. s. that with the fOrty-eighi
davs taken off OF each year for good be-
bayior he will probably obtain his liberty
under the administration OF the next Gov
ernOr.
THE SHOE MANUFACTORY
proved TO he a great point OF interest. 1t Is
ooerated under contract by MessrS. Joseph
Davis Il Co, OF Boston, Mass. The build
ing rs large, substantial, and commodious
Il was built by these ge1lleme1~at n cost OF
about $4,000, "whO are 10 be reimbursed
without interest. out Of the hires of con-
yicts to be paid by them in excess Of those
required by the original contract" Mr..
Isaac II. Sca,es is general superintendent,
and TO give an idea OF
THE MAGNITUDE or THE INDUSTRY,
this manufacory is now turning out some
|. 900 pairs Of shoes per day, with capHcity
OF "a eases, or LAO pairs, and they expect
by the 1st OF next July to work force oil
400 men, with capacity OF 40 casts, Or
2.4OO pairs OF shoes per day. They make
all grades OF work up to the very finest.
Most OF that we saw was on ladies' nne
quality OF CATERS.
The machinery they use is OF the most
improved and best patents, on which they
nav ROYALTIES that amount to about s36 per
day. Every portion Of the work Is done
within the building, from cutting out the
leather and finishing the shoes down 10
making the paper boxes in which they are
placed and the manufacture OF the large
wooden cases in which the shoes are
shipped.
In its manufacture
A SHOE IS HANDLED BY SlXrY-THREE MEN;
and this fact seems upon the first blush so
incredible and unnecessary that we iol-
lowed a shoe from its inception to It's COM
nletion. The study proved SO thoroughly
interesting that we shall give as best we can
some idea OF many OF the different stages
and processes in manufacture.
FIRST OF all, We Wee struck by the per-
feet and thorough system in every depart
ment. but above all with the manner OF
identifying every part OF every shoe. In
other words, their system OF tagging and