The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1890-05-01

Convict Miners.

Convict Miners.
In letter from an inmate of the Inman
(Tenn.) branch prison, we get the following
information of the routine of that prison:
The prison ground is about one acre in
extent and is surrounded by board fence
sixteen feet high, guard beiug stationed
at each of the four corners. Monday morn
ing at o'clock the alarm bell rings; twenty
minutes later another ring of the bell is
given, the doors are thrown open and the
prisoners 60 to the wash room for their
morning ablutions. When they have fin
ished their toilet they leave the wash room
and form in line (the deputy warden and
dining room stewards are already in the
dining rOOm) and at the ringing of a small
bell they are admitted for breakfast, ample
time being given for this meal When
breakfast is over the bell is rung, and as the
prisoners pass out the door each man holds
out his dinner pail and his dinner is put in
without scarcely making full stop except
when the deputy warden says to the men
who are serving the meat and bread, Put
some more in that mans pail, he can't
make it on that until supper time!''
When the prisoners have received their
dinners the deputy warden passes out to the
of five; the count is then made and if the
number corresponds with the number en-
rolled upon the prison books. the gate is
thrown open and the guards (abOut thirty
in number) take their position on each side
OF the road. and the march to the mneS about
mile distant, commences. In the march to
and from the mines there is no order OBJ
served and the prisoners cut such caperS
and antics as they please When the mines
are reached the prisoners go to the respect
i've rooms to which they have been as
signed, from seven to ten men to each
room; every prisoner has certain work to
do, each room having driller, drill helper,
car leaders, etc. The capacity of the cars
are one and three-fOurth tons of ore and
the crew of each room has certain number
of car loads to get out. the task varying ac-
cOrding to the locality of the rooms. At
times crew will complete their task by
10 a. M. but much depends upon the blast;
holes are drilled eight feet in depth and
charged with dynamite and when exploded
will at times bring down twenty-five or
thirty car loads of ore, and at other times
not enough to complete the allotted task.
In the latter case the prisoners are not held
responsible. and if they fail to complete
their tasks they are not punished. The
company employs ''bank bosses'' who visit
the various rooms two or three times daily
OF as often as they deem it necessary to di-
rect the work of the prisoners. The state
also employs a man whose duty it is to visit
each room daily and see that the mines are
kept in a safe condition and also to see that
the prisoners do not dig hole to the top of
the ground and escape. 1t is the aim of the
company to make the days work average
ten hours the year round. The company
t,cv fn hn ,fx,oo tc
for all over the required task and the pris-
oners payroll will in the aggregate amount
to about ninety dollars per month. At 10
m. the engine stops and the prisoners come
out of the mines to eat their dinner. After
dinner they ''lne up" at the blast of a
whistle, are counted. and then return to
their work. After the days work is done
the count is again made. the guards close
in. and the prisoners return to the Stockade
where supper is awaiting them. After
supper if the weather is pleasant the pris-
Oners remain in the yard until dark, other
wise they are counted in the wings at once.
On Sundays the prisoners have the liberty
of the enclosure to enjoy themselves in any
manner they see fit. Some occupy their
time in playing ball and other games. while
others engage in some small business enter
prises. Barber shops are erected in the
duu plOpilCC VI UOOh OIduuS lou
onade peddlers and boOtblacks are at lib
erty to cry out their business as loud as
they please. The amount of money in cir
cuatiOn among the prisoners is roughly
estimated as between three and five hun
dred dollars The dining room is left open
on Sundays for those who wish to read,
study. or write letters. one side of the room
for white. and the other side eor colOred
prisoners. The discipline is not rigid and
the prisoners are not directly under the eyes
of officers or guards but about thirty min
utes each day. during the time occupied
in eating meals in the dining room. In
this prison there are confined about two
hundred colored and about forty white