The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1889-02-14
Routine Of the Cell-room Department.

AAO CciFTOOul Is Tue cOuVICt NOME, ana IN IL
he spends the greater portion of his term OF inn
prisonment. This room extends from east to west
400 feet and has two wings running south so feet
one at the west end. the other so feet east Of
the first one. The room is 40 feet wide and aver.
ages about 40 feet from floor to ceiling. Ranging
through the center of this large room $40 cells
divided into blocks connected by galleries. The
cells are five tiers high and are reached by four
stairways. Heat is supplied by 80 radiators. The
hall. and each cell, is lighted by incandescent
lights. Connected with the cell-room is the NESS
room and the two comprise department Mr..
Michael Collgan has the management Of this de-
partment during the day and Mr. William Hall at
night.
Mr.. Colligan is good housekceper as the clean
illness and perfect order everywhere shows. The
whole building is swept and busted twice a day
and secured every Tuesday and Saturday.
To show how this department is conducted it is
only necessary to give the routine of two days
Saturday and Sunday. We will begin with Satur-
day: At 4 in the morning the cooks are let out to
prepare breakfast. and at 6 the mess-room gang
are let out to dish it up and load it the carts
ready for distribution. At the gong sounds for
all to get up. and by the time we have our beds
made up and are washed breakfast is deposited at
it the doors unlocked. At two taps of the
gong the bars all raised and we stand with
bucket and dishes in hand ready to march out
when the gong sounds turn. When our signal
rings we make our way directly as possible to
one of the outs d. doors where men stand ready
to take the buckets and Dishes We then go to
each mans cup is filed with water by men assigned
that dutv each ms 10 cd
dinner as he comes in from work, and when all
made. At P. M we march out again in the same
order as in the morning. Our working day ends
at 80 and we march to our cells. receive sup
yer in the same manner that we did dinner. (Our
tea cups are filled before get in also our
water jars with fresh wa ter for the night) After
the doors locked, the count made and
found correct the gong signals "alls right and
the day guards, excepting few who remain in
the cell-room until the night crew comes on, are
relieved and go home.
When the shades of night begin to fall the
electric lights flare up and burns until when the
gong sounds turn in, and the night guards make
their rounds testing all the doors. The night
watch is relieved at A. M.
1t is now Sunday morning. Nine O'Clock finds
US all ready for church. the doors are unlocked;
the gong rings; up 60 the bars one at time until
all are on their way to the chapel. When all
seated the guards range themselves "'''"t the
on high chairs After the close of the services
we all rise at the first rap of the Deputys mallet;
at the second rap. face about and at the third
we begin marching out and are soon locked in our
cells where remain until Monday morning.
In the cell. room two barber shops; one for
the accommodation of the officers. the other for the
scraping of the convicts. Every Saturday the
locks, bars and hinges of each cell-door are
thoroughly tested to that none have been
feloniously tempered with. The night buckets
are cleansed. aired and returned to the cells by
men detailed for that duty. Soap and matches
are issued every Saturday. Tobacco is dealt out
Sunday evening. The librarian makes the rounds
of the galleries every day except Sunday taking
up orders for and distributing books.
The postmaster receives the prison mail from
the warden's office every afternoon at $780, He
knows the name and cell number of nverv inmate
and numbers each letter and package without the
of register AS soon as all locked in
at night he goes the rounds delivering to each
lucky individual whatever the mail has brought
for him. He also issue the writing paper, pens
and ink every Sunday morning. Besides seeing to
the mail, he attends to the exchanging of news
parers books etc.. and this is the hardest part of
his duties.
We have abundant supply of the very best
drinking water. there being several springs flowing
into the cell-room. In one corner is tank into
which flows spring. Connected with this tank is
a force pump by which the water is forced up
through iron pipe to the top tier of cells This
pipe is tapped by faucet at every gallery, where
the water boys draw the water tor their range of
cells. The sewerage and general sanitary condition
of this department is good, but the atmosphere of
the celroom would be little sweeter if better ia
cilities for personal cleanliness were afforded and
some of our number compelled to make use of
them.
The Matron has promised description of her