Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-02-18


the convicts be expected to practice habits
of honesty and thoroughness in the world
when habits of dishonesty and slovenness
are winked at in the prison? | know as
fact that in one particular instance
a San Francisco company contracted for
the services of 300 convicts, whom the
former employed at furniture making, the
company gave such an impetus TO scamp
ing that the men who exhibited the most
proficiency at it were deemed the handiest
in the establishment Whether a man
who is taught in prison that it is praise
worthy occupation to initiate worm-eaten
furniture which will be palmed off on
credulous public as antique, can be ex-
pected to entertain very lofty notions on
questions of morality, leave to the re-
Elective public to decide. And here is
shown the overwhelming superiority of
employing our convicts on such work as
dressing stone. The latter can't be scdmped,
and nothing will communicate pleasing
appearance to it but hours of plodding
and patient industry Veneers and var
nishes are powerless to deceive in this
case, and from first to last the lessons in
culcated by stone dressing are healthy.
1t is work that above all things demands
patience and industry, and as these are the
very qualities in which convicts may be
supposed to be most deficient, anything
which serves to kindle them into life an
swers a two-fold purpose
The trade Of mason is honorable above
all other trades, for the reason that it is
the only one that does not admit of dis
honest work. A man who learns it is in
request all over the world. No times are
so dull that he can't find employment, and
as he can earn good money by the exer-
else of a lawful calling, the incentives to
support himself by an unlawful one disap-
pear. Sweet are the uses of adversely )"
may be said of every convict who learns
how to earn his bread by trade picked
up in the prison. He is made man for
life, and so far from his Imprisonment be-
ing misfortune to him, it proves to be
the very means of regenerating him into
a useful and productive member of the
community.
The quarry is located on the lowest
ground OF the prison, and in appearance
resembles
LARGE NATURAL AMPHITHEATER.
Approaching it by fight of steps
which lead down from the road skirting
the northern wall of the prison building,
the visitor finds himself at the mouth of
an artificial pit from whence the rock is
blasted and hewn. At the bottom of this,
or scattered around its brink in detached
groups, are the drillers preparing the rock
for the reception of the blast, which is
fired at noon or when the convicts have
quit their work at evening The presid-
ing genius is foreman Knapp, whose fifty
years experience of stone-quarrying, while
it has whitened his hair, has by no means
dimmed his eve or abated his natural
vigor. The force of stone-cutters, which
number about hundred, employ them
selves under a circular shed built more for
shade than for any protection it affords
from the rain. In close proximity to the
stone shed is the blacksmith shop, where
the masons' and drillers' tools are sharp
ened. From the good will with which
these are used it requires twenty furnaces
and as many hammersmiths and tool
| sharpeners to keep them in order. Mr.
Luttrell superintends this department, and
having an intimate knowledge of the re-
quirements of masons, besides being gen.
tleman of kindly disposition, contrives to
get out of his charges a maximum of work
by minimum of bulldozing. Facing the
stone shed is small Office and barber
shop, in the former of which quantities y
are figured out, and plans and computa-
lions made for
FULFILLING THE VARIOUS ORDERS ON
HAND.
While from first to last the work is super
intended by freemen, some of the prison
ers have taken such an interest and exhih-
tied such an intelligence in its perform
ance, that to these has been confided 9
show of authority in watching and direct
ing the movements of the less experienced
Gazing on the scene of hustle and ACTIVITY
presented by the quarry, a train of reAec
ton is suggested which may we'll claim &
moment to indulge in.
1t is doubtful whether any penitentiary
in the United States can afford an example
of industry and discipline brought to such
high pitch of perfection as that which
exists at Folsom. The convicts apply
themselves to their work with will and
cheerfulnesS, III strong contrast to the sui
len demeanor exhibited by the typical con
Wet gathering. As far as moral impedi
ments are concerned there is absolutely
nothing to prevent the convicts from lay,
ing down their hammers and starting fol
! the next county, for it must be remem
bered that the penitentiary is only par
! TALLY walled around, an archway in the
prison wall permitting 4 free egress tC
! those who are willing to run the gantlet
of the contiguous batteries Escapes, how
| ever, at Folsom are rare, and not com
monty undertaken, except by the weak anc
| idiotic, Martin Ryan's affair being the il
| lustration which proves the truth of the
rule. This entire subordination of the
wills of the many to the wishes of the few
is the more remarkable, when it is taker
| into consideration that the numerical
| strength of the officers and guards is a low
one. But what the force lacks in number.
is made up in ability, and throughout it i.
pervaded by an esprit de corps, which
binds the various members in sympathy
with one another, and
RENDERS DIsLoYALTY IMPOSSIBLE.
The present Warden is no novice at the
business, to which he brings an experience
of convicts acquired by a study of then
! habits extending over thirty years. The
! incidents of his career as Wells-FargC
detective alone, would bear weaving into
a romance, while his long tenure of the
responsible offices of Turnkey and Captain
of the Yard at San Quentin lend him ad
ditional qualifications for the important
post he now digniies. Mr.. Robinson, the
| Deputy Warden, is sagacious and quick
witted gentleman who makes up for lack
of technical knowledge o; the ways o.
prisoners by an ail-round acquaintance
with the weak points of human nature
which will doubtless serve him in good
stead. AS to Mr.. Murphy, the genial but
astute Captain of the Guard, he is so well
known to the majority of the residents o
the Capital that it is hardly necessary tC
describe him. Not only is he mine Of
information on everything connected with
the past history of the prison, but the
Captain possesses an unusually retentive
memory; and frank and engaging man.
ner acts as a foil to qualities of sagacity
and penetration, the existence in him o.
which those who are acquainted with hi:
true character would never suspect.
On everything pertaining to the biogra-
phies of rogues he is peculiarly vel
posted, and this, together with his init
mate knowledge of the Folsom country.
side, render him valuable anicus c,gig or
all matters of local detail While the
| last administration was deservedly popular
| the present one promises to be no less so