Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-11-14
The PESITENTlARY.
Success OF tte Institution-Late Improve
menth-Good Management,

I IT. LII
mentH-Good Management.
To ~ Editor ef he Register:
MoUSpsyILLE, November Is. - Tn
tourist is often heard to say that such AM
country is "sparsely settled" This ez
pressios is rarely applied to towns, but i
one should state that MoundsviIls is
spArsely settled town the public would Ger
tain noispronOuncs him either guilty o
high treasonsor misststement.
This town Of less than 1000 inhabitan
more than obtains IFS share Of public at
tention became Of its being the location o
one Of the State institutions. Similar in
shtutions in lhe Empire State apparentl,
are becoming quite fashionable resorts fol
the "Moguls OF New York city, and alst
has enticed & reform editor of the metrop
obs Of the world from his vocation.
I Hard times has healthy influence oVel
perisentiaries. Statistics attests the truth
fdlheua OF this statement. In the State
prison to day are 2e2 conyicts, which is Q
showing offayel more than this time last
year. The ssere nina arrixala yeafarday
from Berkeley county. One Of this mum
Der whose name, strange to say, is George
Washington, completed term Of q mum
Der of years in 1892, and has now come
back to try it all over again.
Quite extensive and valuable improve,
ments have been made in the peritentimy
during the last three months. Gas works
have been erected at cost of Sl,05O
which supplies three hundred burners that
are distributed throughout the buildings.
This is thought to be wise expenditure
of money as it will greatly reduce the cur,
rent expenses for lights and also lend sd.
ditional safety to the buildings. A FIRE
proof vault has been put in By The Barnes
Safe and Lock Company, of Pittsburg. 1t
is cylindrical in shape, twelve feet
high, seven feet in diameter and
cost $4OO. The amount set apart
for this improvement was $500.
A part of the remaining 500 will be spent
in making cases and books. Repairs have
been made on the slate roofs amounting to
SIO7, while general overhaulipg was GO
ing on that department-the kitchen-
which, above gil others, needed repairing
A cooking range" wss purchased al q cost
of $3.50. On entering the grounds one
will readily observe new water tank,
which holds 1000 gallons. This is placed
high enough to throw water into the sec.
ond story of al! the workshops. The next
thing that attracts the attention of the OBJ.
server is the new walks from the main
building to the work shops. They ore made
with gravel and are productive of cleanli-
ness and comfort.
Stepping inside tie workshops one is
made to think that some of the street cor
could possibly be benefited by
coming there and learning habits Of indus
try. No one is leaning agaiugt the wall
and idling away his time or making the
least attempt to attend to his neighbors
business. Yet these men are not given
tasks beyond their ability to accomplish.
Many OF them each day DO more than their
daily task, and they are paid for it BY their
EN- pIoyers Last Thursday, a convict's
term expired. he had been obedient, o
faithful worker and had acquired several
dollars BY extra work. In addition 10 this
money his employer made him a present Of
s5 as reward for his good behavior.
Each convict daily pays the State by bis
work slxty.fve cents. 1t is thought before
long that the institution will be self sustain
iHg.-The. aRFrent expenses for last year
we're only about $500 more than the
II is needless TO say that broom,
whip and wagon making are carried on
Nine,ten,bs Of the leather
whips in the United States are made by
convict labor. Looking over the stock Of
chips, it is interesting 10 learn where the
different kind OF whips meet With sale
In the North the stiff upper whip is ali
that meets with any sale, while on the
Pacific coast timber whip with d small
handle is mainly used. Some claim that
this peculiar phenomenon is the result Of
the needs Of The two sections, while Others 5
maintain it is indicative Ct the tastes Of
the people.
hOW dUOiI lhC LLeuoSVASHt VI 'HS
peniteDitentisry2 On asking any one
concerning this matter who has had an
opportunity to know ard he will tell yon
it is good. The disciglile ia sgcb that it
is rarely necessary 10 :esori TO punishment
in order TO preserve peace. No one being
present at meal time could say that The
prisoners were not furnished abundance to
eat. The clean halls and cells are there
to be seen and speak loader than words
for themselves.
Summing it all up, one would be safe in
saying that our own psnitentiary will COM
pare favorably with any other like insiitu-
ten in the United States This admins
trstion go fer certainly reflects credit upon
Superintendent Peck and all his subordi'
mates. J. C. K.