The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1883-08-02

nance to those, who, sick with hope de
ferred, had removed to more promising 10,
calities, leaving their little improvements
forum, half hidden among weeds and wild
shrubbery. A walk of four OF five miles
through the clear, bracing air of this upper
world brought us withinsight Of the camp
at Boone's Gap, to which we were vel
coined by its superintendent who had con-
Quoted us hither, and by DR.. Ernest Wool
folk, a Virginia medico, employed on the
line, who had overtaken us on horseback
just before our arrival. These gentlemen
pointed out objects new to us though quite
familiar to them-here the prison, there
the commissary and engineers quarters,
and back of them sawmill preparing
timber for the tunnel, from which the
waste earth is being formed into vast
embankment The railroad line runs right
through the camp, the prison being on the
west, most of the other buildings OH the
east of the grade of the track, which here,
| just southwark of the tunnel through the
| hill, is quite low. we arrived in time for
a Late supper, to which we were prepared
to do ample justice. There was no chance
that evening to see much of the convict
laborers, they having already eaten, the
day shift being now in the prison, the
| night shift out on the works. The only
men about wearing the striped garb of
punishment were a few s'trusties, % pris-
oners who, having by their good conduct
proved themselves worthy Of certain de-
gree of confidence, are permitted to per-
form such services as demand some degree
Of freedom to go hither and thither. Re
firing early we were ready at a seasonable
hour next morning to see more Of the
camp and it's surroundings.
The convict camp at Boone's Gap is I'M
der the superintendency of j. r. Morgan
with JOS. Fitzgerald as warden of the pris-
on, which unlike all the other prisons along
the line, is built of logs. A long clap
boarded roof covers two large apartments
and space between, across one end Of
which passageWay, and standing out from
the side of the two log pens is built large
stone chimney, used for keeping the quar-
ters warm for winter, and in which at the
time of our visit fire was still kept burn
ing, and found to be very comfortable, es-
pecially at night, so cool is the mountain
air. The prison rooms are both heavily
floored and ceiled, and along.the sides are
ranged hunks, similar to those in Cana
dian lumber shanty. Small windows and
a heavily nailed door on either side of the
passage are grated with iron bars. A short
opposite the big fireplace stands the cook
house, also of logs, and rooted as an annex
to the main building. At one side is the
hospital, the only part built OF lumber
On the other side of the workhouse, along
one side of the main building the project
ingroof covers a sort of open air dining |
room, consisting of q long table with
benches on either side. The whole estab- |
lishment is kept scrupulollSly clean, and is
regularly disinfected with carbolic acid
victs in the strongly built log rooms, as an
additional security, a high fence incloses |
the eastern on entrance side of the prison, |
and armed guards are continually mounted.
1t is but natural that prisoners should try |
to escape if tempted by chance, and only a |
short time ago one fellow was shot while |
trying to make through the woods, he hay-
ing somehow obtained q suit of old clothes |
to replace his striped shirt and pants. He l
is now back and at work again. Illness !
other than trifling complaints OF stomach |
and bowels, OF ordinary colds, is rare |
among the convicts, but men are occa-
sionally laid up by accidents, two now |
lying in hospital with broken legs, a third |
patient being an old negro suffering from |
rheumatism. The convicts are well though |
with an abundance of meat, bread and veg
etables, and.with such wear as the super |
intendent deems necessary. MI. Morgan |
states that he promptly receives such |
clothing and boots and shoes as he asks |
from the contractors of this portion of the |
line, Messrs. Mason & King. Only lately |
he requested gum boots for the men work |
ing in the tunnel, and a full supply was i'm
mediately brought in. The contractors |
supply everything. mostly from their store |
or commissary hard by, in which Mr.. Dan |
iels is clerk, and John Fitzgerald book |
keeper Only prisoners for lesser crimes
than those of murder, rape, and arson, are |
sent out to work on the railroad and then |
only those who have five years OF a shorter |
time to serve. The convict laborers work |
ten hours day under the governments |
agreement with the contractors, and two /
hours.extra for themselves, at ten cents an |
hour. They are thus able to make some /
money to spend OF to save against the time |
sum when their time is up. They can pro-
cure any extra articles wanted from the |
commissary on tickets issued for the pur-
pose, and from which the amounts to which |
purchases have been made are punched at |
the time of buying. The whole tickets OF |
portions remaining to be cashed show how |
much is due the holder. Each man is al |
lowed atwist of tobacco every week, and |
some sell it. The routine of work is as |
follows The bell rings at O'Clock in the |
morning to rouse the day shift, who pre-
pare for and dispatch breakfast, and are |
then ready to march to work. The first |
squad, Of fourteen, went out at O'Clock,
going some distance down the line. The |
other squads, five in number, marched |
forth together Il half hour later to work in |
and about the tunnel. At O'Clock these |
squads relieve the night shift, who then |
then come into camp, where they remain |
till evening. After supper they i'll turn |
relieve the day shift. Those working near |
the prison march in for their dinner and |
back to work those at work further off |
take their dinner with them. Each squad |
is accompanied by q ''boss' of their work, |
and by an armed guard, who watches them |
continually to see that none escape. The |
monotonous duty Of a guard seems to have |
some Undesirable charm about it, for we /
are told by contractors that men will go |
from place to place to resume such q posi-
ton, and will prefer to stand or sit all day, |
gun in hand. watching a squad of convicts, |
to take their chances of earning more |
money at other and apparently preferable |
work.
Messrs. Mason Il King work three sec