Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-02-02
PENITENTIARY HOUSE.
Matters Connected with the Destruc-
tion of tae shOe-ShOp.

The officers of the penitentiary arc
making diigent inquiries concerning the
origin of the fire which on Tuesday
morning destroyed the shoe-shop and
will lay what information they gather
before the proper legislative committee.
There is a great difference Of opinion
among citizens as to when the light OF
the fire was first seen. Some observers
place it five or ten minutes ahead of the
time when Superintendent Moses jumped
from his bed and turned in the city fire
alarm. The question OF time IS well
worthy the investigation OF the legisla-
tive committee, as it may lead to other
information of value.
The stltion.hOuse records show that
the first alarm was sounded between
5:2j and j:26
The ruins are still hot and smoking,
but number of cOnyicts have been put
to work to pull down dangerous walls,
clear away the debris, and clean up the
yard.
DAVIS SHOE COMPANY.
Mr.. Joseph Davis, of the Davis Shoe
Company, which corporation has a con-
tract with the State for 800 or 500 con-
victs to make shoes, and which was ope-
rating the shops up to the time Of burn
ing, arrived in the city yesterday from
his home in Boston. He asks that the
building be forthwith replaced, so that
he may equip it with machinery and re-
sumo work as soon as possible.
This is one Of the things that the le-
gislative committee will have to report
upon.
There are quite a number of members
of the General Assembly who think it
would be better for the State to cancel
the contract with tins company upon the
best terms obtainable and send the con-
victs to the country to work on railroads
than have them compete with honest
labor.
Quite number of companies are very
anxious TO get this convict labor.
Ii is admitted that the State could
scarcely hope to get in hires as much as
she has been receiving from the shoe
company $4,000 per month) but it is
claimed that the benefits to be derived
from the construction of local roads
would in the end more than compensate
her for the difference derivable from the
two sources.
AN ISSUE.
In the course of few days ii will be
seen that this assumes the magnitude OF
n great question and much argument
thereon will undoubtedly be heard.
II the General Assembly were not in
session the matter of rebuilding the
shoe shop rests with The Board of Direc-
tors but as the immediate representa-
tiyes OF the people are here in session it
is altogether right and proper that they
should assume charge, and this they
have promptly done and placed the
whole matter in the hands OF compe-
tent committee for report.
AS TO REMOVAL.
There is proposition that the State
remove the penitentiary from Richmond.
Our people would be delighted to see it
90. as the prison stands in the way OF
the improvement Of what ought TO be
the most beautiful section OF Richmond.
The first site for the penitentiary
talked about and almost determined
upon was near where Linden Row lSe-
cond and Franklin streets) now stands.
II was at that time Q797) in the country
So was the site which was selected for
its elevation and suitableness for apublic
building.
In those halcyon days OF the young
republic the prison was always called
"the penitentiary house." but the old
court records speak OF it as ''the public
gaol and penitentiary house OF this Com
monwealth."
Since that day Richmond has grown