The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1883-12-13
The Republican National convention
will be held at Chicago Jane 3, 1884.
TIE KANsAs PRNITENTIARY

THE KANSAS PENITENTTARY.
A:chison Globe: A Globe reporter
visited this institniion last Wednesday,
and through the courtesy Of Col W. q.
Jones, warden, IL able 20 give few In
teres.ing facts concerning 1t, having
been shown through the entire institu-
ton by Mr.. N. J. Burlingame, store
keeper. The first place visited was the
cell rooms, comprising the east and
west wings Of the main building.
There are cells for the accommodation
Of over seyen hundred convicts, ARRANGED
In four teirs. On the 18th OF March,
1857. IhaFe were SO convicts; now there
are 702, ave having arrived and one DIS
charged on the day OF our visit. All the
prisoners are obliged TO work six days
In the week, unless sick or otherwise In
disposed. The "KAnsas wagon" u
manufactured here and every twenty five
minutes o complete wagon IL turned OUT
The shoe factory Is another important
department. Both are contracted out.
The prisoners are not allowed 10 speak
among themselves or 70 visitors. They
all appear cheerful and cOntented.
The coal mine, great source OF reve-
nue. 10 the state, Is under the superin-
tendency OF Mr.. o. +. Lamm. Thens
are 100 conVicts employed In the pit
We were lowered down the shaft By the
monster engine, and after q minute and
halls journey, stepped OF the carriage
7l3 feet below the surface. The mine
is not what great many people sup
pose. dirty, wet place. but on the con-
trary, - dry and clean. Extending out
from the base of the shaft are many ave-
nues, leading In almost any direction.
The vein now being worked Is twenty
two inches thick. Although there were
100 men In the pit, three were a. many
as could be seen at one time. There are
over 10000 feet Of railway IN the NINE,
upon which IL used upwards Of 100 push
cara. The further We went the
warmer the atmosphere became, but
in some places. In the aiF-ways. .
breeze could be felt sufficient 20 extin-
guish the lights. The superintendent
informs as that It Is . coram0a occur
renee for ladies' TO go down in the pit.
There Is a little water dripping in the
shaft, but away from this everything II
perfectly dry, and IN some places The
dust Is an inch thick. All the passage
ways are high enough for man TO walk
erect. The conVicts who are assigned
20 this work dread It at first. but when
they become accustomed to It, they would
rather do It than any other penitentiary
work. You can readily tell the differ
ence between q miner and one who works
In the tailoring or shoe department;
the former are all muscular fellows,
while the latter are whitehead and
punY.
Coming mp from the mlne We were
ahOwn the chapel, . large and elegantly
frescoed room, where attention was
called TO ine piece of painting back Of
the pulpit The artist, who was stand
ing near. il one McNutt, 9 convict, who
together with q companion named Win
ner, were sentenced 70 be hanged for
murder and arson ct Wichita. some seY-
en- years ago. Adjoining the chapel is
the school room, provided with desks,
pens, ink, paper, etc. McNutt has q
number of handsome paintings In his
apartment. We returned from the chap
Ell IN time to see the conVicts walk In to
dinner. They are seated at = narrow Ia
BILE running the entire length Of room
which resembles large school room.
The bill OF fare is composed Of hearty
substantlals, sIlch a. beef, soup, corn
bread. potatoes, canned corn and toua-
toes. The convIcts are not limited. and
have numerous WATERS 70 keep the
tables full. One barrel Of molasses 10
consumed every three days, and IA bush
els Of potatoes constitute . meal. Bot
the, most surprising thing Ii the con-
sumption OF pepper; one hundred and
fifty pounds Is used every month. The
cost OF feeding the conVicts amounts &c
about S42 600 q year. We also visited
the inflrmsry. which - q large room
provided with iron cots, neatly dressed
IN white. But there was only one oceu
pant for the health Of the
institution Is good. DR.. Geo
F. Nealley, the attending physician
allows no "possums" in that department
The PRISON library Is we'll stocked will
all kinds of books. The conVicts arr
allowed TO read at noon, and in the even
lng before the lights are extInguished
The cell doors are made Of bar iron, and
the light from the gas outside 10 sum
cieAt 70 read by. Under the presen
management the prison is hourishinG
Then earnings In cash for the mOntl
Of November over and above all ex
pendltures was S1.SS0S2, beside
$964.40 worth of coal furnished stat
institutions during the month. This Il
the first time IN the history Of the ingti
tuition that In the month Of NoYembe
the receipts were greater than the ex
In-ioOking over the number Of day
lost by sickness and by punishment 70
November OF 1889 and 1888, We founG
that In November Of last year 500 day
were lost by sickness. and 90 by pun
Ishment, while this year only 81 day
were Loaf by sIckness, and IS by punish
ment.
The efficiency of the discipline 4
worthy of note. There are only abou
20 officers TO watch 100 coaVicts. Eacl
officer and guard has . trusty that IL.
convict whoi 10 trustworthy, and Is u0e'
a. q runner" All are required to Wee
the prison suits, which are made o
heavy gray wooden, and striped will
black. Atchison county has q numbe
of representatives there, one for life. ~
for llfteen years, and the balance 70