Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1891-11-07
THE 0. s. P. INSPECTED.
A Journal Reporter Fluids il Nat 50
Much Of a Siberia as it Might BE.

oyer. The writer has been in pris-
ons in all parts Of the Union and in
Europe. He is convinced that in
this country prisoners are treated
more humanity and less as prisoners,
than any part Of Europe. But no
where has lie seen prisoners WHO
would not willingly exchange their
advantages for rherty.
There are 36s males, aud no te-
males in the Oregon state prison at
present. There was one woman at
one time, so the reporter was in
formed by facetious convict, but
she was so lonesome the governor
had pity on her and pardoned her
out. 1--WE think too much of our
women to let them come to this
place." said gallant gentlemen IN
striped lawn tennis suit purchased
for him by the state.
The average age OF prisoners is p
years. There are % in for life. The
rest are in from one to thirty years.
All nationalities aud the Chinese
are represented. One Indian Is in
for stealing u bunch-grass calf. If he
had been white man and got away
with the whole herd, he would be
here from Eastern Oregon as menl-
her of the next legislature. The
men sleep and room two in cell,
make their own beds as soon as they
arise. As they can make all tie
the tTinkets they want to for sale,
the men realize not Il little money,
which they employ to buy lace pill
low shams, and articles of finery for
use. The men buy their own to-
bacco out of extra change. Men on
extra duty are supplied tobacco by
the state, but when they work at
the reform school it is supplied out
of reform school funds.
The men are allowed bedding ac.
cordjng TO the weather, and twn
men occupy each cell as Il rule, tho
there are single cells. 1t is more
humane to allow the men to bunk
together as far as possible. The new
cells that are being put in are of
superior workmanship. There will
be thirty-siX double aud twenty-four
siugle cells added. 1t would be a
great aud needed improvement if
stairs were built at the euds Of the
cell wards, as the one staircase now
provided causes much loss of time
to attendants and visitors.
SUPPLIES.
The prison uses 800 lbs. "f meat
day on an average. The contract is
for the best quality of meats and it
is cooked in variety of ways.
There are eighty tons Of POTATOES in
the basement, and liberal quantities
of sauerkraut, pickles, catsup, Chill
sauce, canned fruit, and other arti-
cles like onions and cabbage, in car
load supplies. Most of the M n
work in the foundry aud stove fac
tory. There are also all branches
of trades carried on in this great
workhouse of servitude.
THE OFFICERS
from the uperintendent to the
guards seem to be willing to make
life as little OF hardship as the
nature of things will allow, but the
least infraction of discipline meets
with swift and severe punishment.
The plan of marching all the con
victs out to meals togei her is not fol
lowed here. The men eat in their
cells, each out of his own dish.
The writer saw their dinner dished
out and no one could find fault with
it, much less prisoner. The food
is all supplied by the superintend
ent under a fixed appropriation of
:47 900 for two years, as he informs
us. With this he must buy all sup
plies needed. This is not a wise
system, as an inhuman or corrupt
man might starve the prisoners or
feed TOO literally and lose money by
1t. This method is too open to III
certainty and should be changed.
1t is too much like the army con
tracts, that were opened to specula-
ions.
There is preaching every Sunday
It the chapel by ministers of the
lifferenl denominations. The pris-
'ners are supplied with reading mat
er in part by The JOURNAL free
,risoner's library movement. Six
dollars was appropriated
or books at the last tession Of the
,enera assembly, but has not been
Who selects the books?
81 do not know" said the attend
mt.
"Is there not some committee to
lick out these books?
He dill not know.
THIS matter should be looked D
lfter and the men should have the
,eneht Of good books, carefully Be-
ected. Newspapers not printed in !
he state are also allowed the men,
nd charitable persons have present-
d hundreds Of periodicals through
he efforts Of this paper.
Snpt. Downing ls a man whom
he stranger will usually underesi- Q
nate. He Is a cool and skillful