The daily morning journal and courier., 1896-01-07
STATE PRISON REPORTS.
Improvements in the Sanitary condit

Improvements in the Sanitary Condition.
 The annual report of the directors of the Connecticut state prison for the year ending September 30, 1895, has been submitted to the governor. It briefly reviews the work of the year, which has been largely devoted to im- proving the physical condition and the sanitary arrangements of the prison. These improvements include a new | system of heating and ventilating for the main cell block; fitting up the
 mems laundry with a new steam ster- liking apparatus; grading the grounds
 of the prison; equipping the workshops with elevators erecting exercise cages
 in the yard for incorrigible convicts, and the building of 8 new storehousa and kitchen. The appropriation of
 $30, 900 for the erection of new cells in the old west wing will temporarily re- lieve the crowding of the prison
 Of the new shirt industry introduced in the workshop the directors say "rhe new industry will materially in-
 crease the earnings from prison labor, and the compulsory idleness of able bodied conviets. which the board be- lleve to be altogether detrimental to the
 welfare of the men, is ooviated."
 The question of water supply, which has been q problem for some years at the prison, has not been satisfactorily
 settled. The report says No plan
 by which new better and adequate
 supply can be obtained without hsavy expenditure has yet been devised and the project which was under favorable lconslderatlon at the time of the boards last annual report did not, upon fur ther investigation, prove to be entirely satisfactory and it has been abandoned
 for the time
 The general health of the convicts has improved and this is attributed in | part to the changes in the sanitation and in part to the enlarged and more varied diet, while the hygienic results | of the outdoor exercise drills have continued to be beneficial In closing | the report the directors have this to say about the discipline of the prison: The spirit which has prevailed among the convicts has, in the main, been good, and the percentage of men who have been punished for lnfrac- tions of the prison rules has been grat- | lfyingly small The discipline of the prison aims to be firm without being severe, and kind without being weak, and in the administration of punish ments an effort is constantly made to adjust the penalty to the conditions and requirements of each individual case. The loyalty, willingness, indus | try and courtesy which have been dis | played by the officers during the year | have been important aids in establish l ing the standard of prison manage ment."
 | The directors report is accompanied | by the reports of Warden Woodbridge and other officers. Some interesting details are selected from his very full statement of the condition of the pris- | on:
 | On october 1, 1894, there were con- | fined in this institution 3S1 conviets, consisting of 331 white males, 2 white | females, 42 colored males and 1 eoloreo female. One hundred and eighty-six prisoners have been received and 172 have been discharged during the year,
 making the total number confined 567, and leaving in confinement. September
 30, 1895, S95, divided as follows: 363
 white males, white females, 26 eol- ored males, and colored female, being
 14 more than on the same date of the
 preceding year. The largest number
 in confinement was on the 4th day o ' | May-420, and the smallest number or
 the 1st day of February--36G. The av-
 craze for the year has been 40S, and for l the preceding year 351h, showing
 an average gain of over 50 for the year. | The amount expended for care, dis
 ciplne, detection of prisoners and
 care of the state property for the year
 was $25, ,0691 10. Estimating the average
 number of prisoners at 403. the daily
 cost of their support has been a trifle
 more than 1714 cents per capita The
 cost of food daily per capita has been
 g. little less than 7la cents.
 The farm account shows a profit of
 S999.45. The amount expended for to
 bacco for use of the prisoners was
 $477.40. The expenditures for provisions
 for the warden's family, officers an paid help was S5,GS9.9S. The average
 number catered for was 2Sls per day
 and the daily expense per capita was
 a little less than 55A cents per day. | The vital statistics have the unusual
 entry of q birth in the prison. the child of Emma Ttnkham. There were ! twelve deaths during the year l The warden gives a succinct account ! of the execution of John Cronin. De ! cember is, 1894, in which he comments | the officials connected with the hang | ing for the ''cooI and efficient manner
 in which they performed their grue- some duties" He also recommends a new system for Identification of
 cOnvicts, preferring the now well known Bertillon system. He specially comments Deputy Warden Baisden. Dr. Fox, the physician to the prison. and Chaplain Moses.
 The report of Dr. Edward G. Fox. prison physician, gives 7,O29 men on the sick list during the year. This does not include those who were sick
 in the hospital Twenty-Five prisoners