New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-08-12

wl,hou, going into details. It may be added that
the changes Will greatly enlarge the PRISON yata
breathing spot" visitor finds. after passing
through The inner gate OF The prison Ie vacant
nm are the umble-town and the dingy stone ana
brick walls Of badly constructed buildings. An once
FOR the use Of warden has recently been erected
In about the centre OF the nclosure; at the eastern
end the conns and LAUNDRY nnep 70, an" the n
stituton. except the little brick building on 1ne
rai mans projected are carried forward to the fin
ish the present cell house will also come In FOR large
KIT the question was asked OF Warden Durston
why 90 ahead expendng money in ren ,,.Igs
this dsgraceful and dilapdated mass OF Dui qua rs
when II il conceded that the place itsef IS unh TOT
Warden Durs.on promptly replied II am only
do not think much Of the location In TACT l tn,nk
Is bad as L. can be- IKE nIi 5o w S men could
be employed out Of doors when there was no work
mus rsmain here 10 remodel ii thoroughly mod
"rn lines. with larger cells and comp.ete sanitary
,br~c stories while this Is double that height and
the occupants, 20 the number OF -" are righ, up
he ROOF and no P Sa Of tnou h IS no place
for the construction OF prison. particularly along
s .sn s o damp and where the fog accumu
laes'
INMATES SENT TO OTHER PRISONS.
nv reason OF the fact that Sing Sing Prison IS
located in a district which contributes more largely
that any other in the state to the convict popu-
lation this institution has come to be sort OF dis
trlbuirg prson-that is to say It's oVercrowded con-
d,,on necesstates frequent transfers in patches OF
0fty TO Clinton and Auburn. On OCTOBER
last there were in the three State prisons OF the
commonwealth 2o97 convicts from New York CITY
alone and there were confined In the three prisons
81 Sing Sing clinton and Auburn on that date
GAG II is hardly fair. however. TO compute me
numbers as Of that date inner pr Ie aw are
obliged to impose sentences with reference 10 IN, me
fact is the total state prison population curing the
year ending September 49, lss3 was oniy , n,..e
three prisons is only 400 Hence It is apparent
that Sing Sing prison can 2ny afstc show that
less than 400 convcts were sent TO Clinton prison
direct from the courts In mat luca aai
The number sent to Auburn direct by the courts
in thai district in any one year Wou,u a1' ia In
mates The population OF these two prisons there.
fore maintained by constant Transfers 1.oa fan, s
that n new prison must be soon supplied for TN. the
first and second judicial districts r Sg S sse is so
contracted that there is 70 Ground for IT 70 stdn ss
Another objection H To so River Railroad runs
through tunnel right at the base OF she p porn;
and Mr. Durson said b Inss spmbers are disturbed
nv fhc roar Of the trains as they enter the tunnel
or issue +, h hd, All night long heavy
trains are dashng along the open space sna bai S
eneed one standing in the dollhouse or on me @
~ the ground in front of the main entrarce VI re
prson can feel the vibration of the stones anu ea'th
beneath his feet :, IT,. .ho rrasent Sing Sing
Prison should be torn down II an li s e w
,his Kind Is 20 be continued az sing sing u new
site should be selected But the tact H. ,, ioH
siHerah,r majority of the residents ~ uno vliIds
are not pleased by the existence az thar Psnsv.
w ~. lr,a,T throughout the entire country H. now
10 >, s ~ remain in that vicinity there plrnty
e ey bjrh and healthy ground on which Us f9unda,
u 81 n'-m O. he laid On either side OF the hudson
hnra 80 .reat hills any one OF whlch would prove
n odmIrable site for such an institution ana me
ir cnm,J h. acquired by the State at comparatively
little cost ,D,. ,.ord, with rasnect
- he "reformatory" character or sing sing
t,r,son Whatever NAV have been the original pur,
nose Of is FOUNDERS there IS little in me practical
pnSration Of this penal institution calculated 10
,bs,sr a sentiment OF reform. II IL were styled
.An ESTABLISHMENT for the Condemnation OF Human
c.H,,is "a PsrlItion" ,he character OF the place
,nuiI no properly defined In its title. II Is 10 re-
Nec,on ,,pon the prison officials 70 make this broad
",,,er.nt or 10 thus deloT.nate the pace under
,hal- charge That they do their best and do II
sfaag,hfo,v there is no doubt l. is not 10 be ex.
nsr,ed that criminals snail indulge in Injuries; IL
Is expected that they shall conform TO strict DIS.
cinne and discharge the duties that devolve upon
them as q penalty for their o1er"- But thsrA Is