Daily Republican., 1885-08-13

application of heat all the strength II
extracted, after which the bags ar,
lifted out, emptied and the contents
Immediately wheeled away.
The coffee In each boiler is theI
sweetened, and drawn out by a spigol
near the bottom Of the boiler, into oval
shaped copper boilers holding about ter
gallons each, from which it Is fur
nished to the prisoners.
The ra ions are one half loaf, or one
and half pounds of bread for break
fast, with one quart of coffee for din
ner beef and potatoes, alternated with
mutton or pork, or q quart Of soup IL
issued to each prisoner, and II they
have no bread left from the morning
rations they are supplied with more. Il
they want 1t; at supper time one quar-
OF tea, or cocoa made from cocoa shells
with one pound of bread is given tc
each.
Every cell is supplied with . sink, q
hydrant and heating apparatus, aud
each Ia we'll ventilated and kept perfect
ly clean; in fact cleanliness seems to be
the In variable rule throughout the en-
tire institution, and there IL: an absence
of that peculiar smell 30 common In
jails. Part of the large yard in laid of
in beds planted with handsome flowers.
The places where the coal Is stored are
also in the yard, and some idea of the
size of the pr rison can be formed from
| the fact that 1t requires 1000 tons Of
coal to warm 1t during the winter, in
addition tn that used for cooking aud
other purposes.
The plan for removing the contents
Of tn . the water closets and sewerage
is admirable, and consists of three
| large iron pipes one for each tier, TO
which the pipes from the water closets
are connected. These large pipes have
fresh water passing through them con
tinually, but the discharge pipes is 30
arranged that they arlalways filled with
water. The ends of these pipes are
about four feet below the surface of the
ground, inside building to which
access is had from the yard, and are
connected with . sewer. At 11.30
o'c 'ock each night the watcbmap, by a
peculiar arrangement, opehs the gates
in the end of the large pipes and the
contents rush down the sewer, while
the fresh water runs through, washing
them completely.
By this means hey are kept perfect.
ly clean, and there is not the slightest
smell, neither is there any danger from
sewer gas. Each of the three corridors
have number of keepers, and it is safe
to say that at no time during the day or
night are the cells without a watohful
| eye upon them. Including the keepers
there are about thirty employees in the
building, and the system is so com.
plete that they have not the slightest
trouble in managing the nearly nine
hundred prisoners now in the institu-
tion. All the work needed in the place
Is done by convicts, who are under EN-.
ployees, that see the work Is done
right, and that each one attends to the
duties assigned him.
The prisoners are brought to the jail
In close van, which is driven inside
the large gates, and after they are clos
ed and locked, it is opened and they
are assigned to cells, in whichever
department they belong, In the rear of
the jail there Is place called the dead
house. where the bodies OF those who
die in the institution are removed.
II they have friends they are notified,
and can have the remains IL they wish,
but II they are unclaimed they are
handed over to one of the medical col
leges for dissection. In addition to the
Jail proper, there are several other
buildings, including the residence Of
the Superintendent, who has full
charge and control of everything con-
nected with the place.
1t is indeed model penal institution
and one of which Philadelphia can we'll
be proud. The prisoners are treated in
a kiad and humane manner, and while
the strictest discipline is enforced, still
it seems that the imprisonment is more
for the purpose of reforming these un.
fortunates than of Furnishing them for
their IN isdeeds.