Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-11-09
HYGIENE OF THE PRISONS
IMPORTANT DISCUSSIONS AT
THE NATIONAL CONGRESS.


ATLANTA, GA. Nov. S--About one
hundred delegates to the National
Prison Congress, ladies' and gen.
tlemen, we're assembled in Con-
cordia Hall this morning when the
gavel tell, and President Hayes spoke as
follows:
LADIES AND GENTLRMEN-lf YOU will come
TO order we will proceed With the programme
OF to-day. IL is not neces6ar>. and would be
out OF lace, to make anything in the way of
an opening address. All he circum tances Of
| our meeting are so favorable. and 1 am sure
| so encouraging, that we can all safely con-
! gratulate each other. and without prelml-
| nary Ohse vat ions enter at once upon the or
| der Of the day. 1t has been usual to solicit
! our friends who welcome us, as far a.
NAV be convenient TO them, to become en-
! bers OF our asso iation ltls one OF the means
| of Increasing the mum Der OF our society, which
ami ! trust our Geo gia friends win
see TO it that cOnsi cradle
number is added to our ASSOCIATION in
this good State. ] shall probably make this
announcement frequently. that it may not
| be forgotten. The business Of the day is
| prison construc ion a. d the health of pris-
oners. have the pleasure OF introducing a.
| the chalrman while this subject ls under dis
| cussioD gentleman who. In the state of Ohio.
| has very high reputation as the practical
| manager of one of the important existing in
| Oh me Otdi6. LDB HOUSE Oh on
at Cleveland. / now introduce to you the
| Hon. William B. Patterson.
ADDRESSES ON THE SUBJECT.
! Mr.. Patterson took the chair and opened
the discussion by an address on prison
! construction.
| The address was followed by general
discussion of the ubject on the part of
| the following members: r. W. Nc
Laughey, Warden OF the Illinois State
| Prison; c. 4. FelOn, superintendent of
the Chicago House of Correction; James
Msssie, Warden OF the Central Prison at
| Toronto, Canada; A. A. Brush, Warden
of the prison al Sing Sing, N. Y; 4. 5.
| Wright. Warden OF the Western
Pennsylvania Prison; Nj. j. Cas-
sidy, Warden Of tn Eastern Penns, l.
vania Prison; Francis WaylOn, Chairman
OF the board of directors of the National
Prison Association. and Henry Warren,
OF the Allegheny, Pa, workhouse. Con-
siderable difference of op MON was en-
tertained by the members as to the de-
| tails of prison construction, sanitation
and location. On the point of cOnstruc-
| ton some favored building of IRON as
! opposed TO stone or brick, on account of
| the absorbing qualities of the latter,
thereby increasing the difficulty Of sani-
! tatioD. 1t was generally agreed that the
cells as at present existing were by tar
| too small for the proper care OF the pris-
oners under the solitary system and tn s
was rendered brutaliZing IN its effect by
! the general practce of combining num-
| bers of prisoners In a single cell irrespcc-
! tive Of any classification in the degrees
of age and cTiminaIity.
THE TIER SYSTEM.
| Some members favored a One.story
! building with a single tier OF cells.
| Others found three and four tiers OF cells
| practicable. Different systems of yeDti-
/ Iation and sewerage were advocated. As
| to location, it vas agreed that the subject
was not usually given the proper consid
GRAFTON. The general sentiment was that
| the prisoner is the ward of the State and
that the whole conduct of prison manage
ment snOuld tend toward the reformation
of prisoners through proper classification
| instruction and discipline, their deten ton
being a matter of only secondary import
ance. These latter views were based
upon stat sites showing great increase
| in the criminal class under the present
systems Of prison MANAGEMENT, the
! increase being matter tor which the
| State and its authorities were In a large
measure responsible.
| At the close of the discussion was read
an invitation from the ChattabOochee
Brick Company, as lessees of the Georgia
pen tentlsry, TO the members of the con-
ventlon, to inspect one of their prisons.
THE INVITATION.
The invitation was extended through
the chairman OF the local committee, and
was couched in the following language:
ATLANTA. GA, Oct. %. 1886.
To Hon. John B. GJod0in, ChaGr5adn. At
DEAR SIR: As lessees of the Georgia peni-
tentary we desire Jhroug1 you TO extend an
invitatl n TO The National Prison Reform Con-
gres-, soon to asseI bic here. 70 visit and in
sDect. through proper committees. our prison,
located near the city. on the Georgia Pacific
Rail way, where portion OF the ~ ate's con
victs are wOrked. We beg 10 assure you of
oGr hearty cooperation IN The great work In
which The Congress is engaged. and hope they
may find it convenient 10 accept this invita-
ton. Yours cry respectfully,
CHATTAHooCHEE BRICK COMPANY,
Per X. s. Rush. Secretary.
On motion OF Mr. Wayiand the invita-
tlon was received and the appointmentOfa Of a
committee was referred to the Executive
Committee. The most noticeable feature
of sundays proceedings was the annual
sermon delivered by DR.. HaygOod, in
which he lifted the time-wOrn cover OF
the discreditab and demoraliZing con-
yict lease system in manner by no
means calculated to calm the tears OF
thuse most directly interested. There can
be- little doubt that this association will
give the whole subject sunlight and yenli-
latlon.
PRISON DIET.
The afternoon session of the Congress
was pI esided over bv A. A. Brush, War
den OF the prison at Sing sing. n. \. lie
opened the session by delivering an ad-
dress on prison diet. He gave some IN
teresting statements OF the character and
cost of The foOd furnished 10 the 800 in
mates OF sing Sing prison. he thought
sufficient quality OF food should be
served 10 fully satisfy the needs OF the
natural appetite, and that IT snOuld be
served IN an appellzing manner. Apout
pound OF meat should be served daily
except Sundays, ana II should be cut
in large thick slices rather than
TO be ed in a counk, as he had seen done
in many prisons. The latter was dis
agreeable. and nothin2 but starvation In
many cases would force prisoner TO eat
il. he said he would raise the feeding of
prisoners above the feeding Of hogs.
VEGETABLES IN SEASON.
Vegetables Ia their season should also
be gwen sufficient 10 satisfy the appetite,
ana the diet should be varied from day 10
day. He thought that proper food WAS
great assis ance IN prison discipline. lie
deprecated the feeding OF SOUS when they
were 100 thIn as false economy. In sing
Sing they never ted anything IN that line
out thick bean soup. The coffee furnished
was made out OF part coffee aud part
bread cfusts, and among The prisoners