Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1893-09-29
THE STATE PRISON.
Warden Campbell the Right Mon In the
Right Extensive Improve.
mcnts Made by the COnvjcts.

I Warden Campbell the Right Man In the
Right Plsce-Extensive Improve.
ments Made by the COnvicts.
Never before has the State Peni-
tentisry been so we'll managed. and
never before have so many valuable
improvements been made to that in
stitution. Since John P. Cambell has
been Warden he has changed the
entire aspect OF the place. In one
year he has done more work than was
done in any four years under his
predecessors. All who were ao-
quainted with "Jaok" Campbell and
his deputy William Cuddy, knew that
when they took charge the Peni.
Tertiary management would not only
cease to be a reproach but would at
onoe become q credit to the State.
They have not been disappointed.
During the past year several
thousand dollars worth of substantial
improvements have been made, and
this without the State being put to a
cent Of additional expense beyond the
usual cost of maintenance.
A reporter for the Boise Sentinel
recently paid q visit Of inspection to
the Penitentisry, and published two.
column report OF it, from which we
make the following extract:
"Scarcely had the Sentinel man put
4 foot on the inside when he ran up
against an old acquaintance. Sweany
was Wood River miner of the early
days and good worker, but like a
great many others. would fill up on
whisky, and when in that condition he
would fight his weight in wild cats.
Would rather fight than not. In
fact, fighting was his normal condi>
ton. At last, somewhere in the
Occur d'Alenes. he committed some
infraction Of the law suffieie,t to
place him in the State jug, and here
the reporter found him. HIS expert.
eoce as a miner is being utilized by
Warden Campbell who has placed the
quarry gang under his charge. H.
makes himself agreeable aud pleasant
to his fellow convicts. you sec that
wall, SAID the Warde n, pointing to a
stone wall fifteen feet high and $50
feet long. He broke all the rock
used in its construction with two
shots. using about forty pounds OF
powder in each hole. In short he is
found to be an all round useful man.
Thus you see continued the Warden.
"a man who was Of little account when
at large in the world, is u valuable
member Of our society,"
"a great many items of interest to
the news ga.herer could be picked up,
but time forbade, and our attention
was directed to the improvements
under way. What strikes the OBJ
server is the cleanliness of the build.
'ngs and their surroundings, together
with the quiet and order tina, prevail
everywhere. All the men are KEEP. at
work, aud what will sound strange is
the fact that very often when man
is punished he is denied the privilege
of going to work. Some are assigned
to the garden, others do the house hold
work, while tho remainder labor in
qua'ries, dress stone, or assist ON the
buildings.
A few days before the reporters
visi. the community was throw into q
state Of excitement. Convicts were
called in and ordered to their quarters,
warden, deputy warden, officers, aud
guards were all turned out. The
general quiet Of the place was dis
PEELED xnd there was commotion
every where, the warden ran one way,
the deputy warden ran another, and
the guards ran in all directions. The
cause Of all the commvtion was the |
escape of . convict. He had been |
seen at nine O'Clock, working in the