The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-01-01
HERE AND THERE.
Tho Penitentiary ut Waiia Wa1ia-Ita
situation and Management.

At Naiia Wslla viii demand more time ana al
te1tion from the mex. legislature than any
other. With the rapid growth OF the state she
increase of criminals IS naturally beyond antlei-
ration and with the increase OF criminals comes
the next perplsxing question: Wha. 70 do with
themf How 10 so employ them that their iacof
viii not come in competition with ciiizen LABOR.
and 81 the same time not be a mere waste OF
energy
A visit TO TIE psnitentisry, therefore, a. this
time and a review of eli that the state ovas
and does there, will perhaps De % general
value. On hill not over hall a mile from the
town OF waIIa Wsila You see a large swo-ssoty
brick structure. II is surrounded b. sixteen
foot stocksde wall. with the necessary guard
walks and rails. Thi. is the penitentisry proper
or rather the place where the prisoners are
lodged and fed. This building has been en-
lsrged again ana again since its hrst erection IN
f5S6, so that il now has cell roon for about %
prisoners
The system Of caring for the prisoners IL what
Is known as the cell system. Two men are con-
fined il small iron cage Txo feet in sizs, with
no other furniture than two hunks and sop
bucket. and kept there every minute OF their
confinement excep. when At WORK. This system
has been adopted IN some states because IL Is the
easiest way OF taking care of prisoners. The
men are awakened a. 5 IN the morning; the
bolts are drawn, and the cells cleaned, when
breakfast is served, not IN a dining room, out
in the same cell where the two men have spsn.
from twelve to sixteen hours few prisoners
in whom the guards nave confidence, are pressed
into service as wsiters, and they carry the food
from the kitchen TO the cells The prisoners are
taken 70 work at little after in the winter;
are brought back at noon; fed in the same man
ner as at breakfast; taken to work again at p
II. aud brought home to rooes a. dark IN the
winter, and at in the summer. Supper Is
served in the same way az the other meals, aud
there the care for the prisoner ends. There Is
A-lfy.$ 81 a>6 M,
place 20 read write. no light in the cells, so
that those who could get books from their
friends could read them; and no intercom-
munication between prisoner and prisoner, or
prisoner and guard, OF any kind, Is allowed
except alter dark, when the ceil-mates are al
lowed 20 talk to each other.
This IL the routine, day after day, and year
after year. 1t Is very exceilen, system, so far
ss the warden and guards are concerned, bus
absolutely repulsive as far as the community
and the prisoners are concerned. For, instead
OF diseharging a man from the penitentiary
with acquired industrial habit, taste foc
reading and q sober and temperate constitution,
this sytem discharges moross. sulien, lazy and
rotten wretch who has lain on his back for
years average OF thirteen hours in the
tweuty-iour, and who has spent the most OF his
time in darkness, learning in his gloom and
darkness to hats mankind, and resolving 10
revenge himself upon il the moment he is again
Certainly it will be argued in favor OF the cell
system that a convict is sent to the penitsntiary
to be punished for the crimes committed, and
the sevsrer the punishment the surer we are
that he will take good care not 70 return 70
criminal life. Such argument Gf argument il
can be callec) 10 not applicable to our peniten-
uary.
For syery prisoner who has some OF his stolen
boo.yeto-ed away, or who has friends who viii
pu: up for him, can get all the luXuries OF the
season while in jail Every prisoner is allowed
to purchase anything he likes with the excep-
ton Of alcoholic liquors by depositng with the
warden monthly as much money as ne THINKS
he may need, or have his friends deposit the
money for him, and the warden will supply him
with all he wants.
Surely 1t is useless to 60 Into details as to
what length q system Of that kind can be
abused; how professional criminal who knows
the ropes can get everything he wants; can get
juss such kind of work to do IS he thinks will
suit him best, and can live and thrive prince
like while serving his term In the penitsntiary.
Ordinary knowledge OF human nature can easily
perceive that the printed rules passed by tia
commissioners for the governing of.the prison
ers are one thing. and things In actual opera-
ton quite another. Human nature will have TO
change materially before . guard working for
$50 month will be proof against temptation
from the crafty criminal who has cigars, deli
ca:e eatables, money. and perhaps many other
t0lngs a. ais disposal a peleu6ue!s
The worst part OF the whole system Is that
while the life OF the professional and wealthy
convict is made easy and agreeable, that OF the
poor unfortunate who is imprisoned the first
time; who was. perhaps, led By the profess
sionsl to the commital OF the crime which
he now eXpia,es, suffers all the rigors OF the
cell system. And in addition to that, Is often
forced to naturalization, and consequent loss
OF his Communication credit For he having
nothing with which to bribe the guard, is
naturally forced to do the hard est work and 81
the chores. A jealousy springs up that under
mines all discipline and makes the prison very
far from what il ought to be. During the few
hours that was there / found many convicts
smoking cigarettes. though the warden claims
that smoking is forbidden. 1t il no trick az all
TO ind We six convic.s huddled together loaf
ing and hiding themselves from the guards
And this brings us to the employment provided
by the state for the prisoners
There are two industries at which the prison.
ers find employment-iute and brick As TO the
jute factory much fox and little against can be
said. 1t Is ffty-loom jute mill provided with
the very latest machinery. II is located In a
very good fire proof building brick structure 24
feet long by nineiy-six feet wide with cement
floor and an iron root Tho windows arc ell
steel-barred. The boilers and engines well
placed and safely housed. having capacity of
$50 horse power. Tho mill has an output of
1000 grain bags per day aud is now working to
Its tull urnlc II mas very gooo prlck ware
house eoxl00 and enough iuts on hand TO keep
IL in operation until the next crop can arrive
from Calcutta Mr.. Brown, its superintendent,
is certainly a man who understands his BUSH
ness. Now tina: the state has a warehouse and
everything else in good shape. he expects TO buy
his iute next year in ship loads, having IL
shipped by sail instead of steam, as has been
done with the last supply, and to make his bags
as cheap as possible.
Already the grain bag making industry has
had very beneficial effect on our farmers Fer
where before the state placed bags on the make.
worth S1z cents each, they are now sold IN this
| state at 81 cents piece. Whether the iute in
dustry will be as profitable to the state a. is
advocates have predicted is questionable. A:
best, the benefits go 10 the producer only. and
not to the consumer. For, II is 3 fact beyond
dispute that the consumer cannot buy -four
cheaper because grain bags cost the farmer less
money; and yet producer and consumer pay
taxes to maintain the prisoner who makes the
bags. At present no charge is added TO the
peniteutiary product on account OF labor, and
even now the commissioners claim THAI the
state should not compel them TO pay interest
the 900 that the plant cost They claim that
| II competition from Calcutta bag makers were
TO push them little closer they would have TO
close up the factory. The law forbids them to
sell below cost or on credit And 81 cents, the
price for which bags now sell. leaves no margin
whatever for further competition. So they ask