The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1896-05-07
PRISONS OF THE UNITED STATES

Warden Wolfer Gives an Interesting
Account of the Various Institutions
Visited on His Eastern Trip.
Manager j. S. O'Brien and Warden WOlfer
arrived home from their eastern trip Sunday
morning, having been absent since April 9TH
AS has been stated in these columns they visited
large number of institutions during the trip
both in the east and west. Being we'll aware
that the Warden would be extremely busy at
tending to matters accumulated during his alb
sence, and in preparing for the monthly board
meeting held yesterday, we did not request an
interview, but avail ourselves of the informa-
ton given in an interview to the reporter of the
Saltwater Gazette. Warden Wolfer said:
1--WE first visited the Jackson, Michigan, pris-
on where there are $50 cOnvicts, then going to
the Detroit house of correction, with popula-
ton of $50 with which, by the way. l was for
merly connected before l came to saltwater.
1t is very similar to our st. Cloud reformatory.
Next on the list was the Columbus, Ohio, prison,
with population of 400, and from there we
went to the Western Pennsylvania prison, which
has the finest and most modern buildings of any
similar institution in tine country. 1t has 1900
inmates and is conducted on what is known as
nearly every other prison, in contradistinction'
between it and the pennsylvania" or cellular"
system, in vogue at the eastern prison at Phila-
delphia, of which shall speak presently.
1--WE visited the Maryland state prison at Bal
timore. with it's $50 convicts, and then went to
Washington d. G. The District of Columbia
contains but small area of land but it has not
only a prison with $50 cOnvcts but also house
of correction with 200 mOre-bOth under govern
ment control
"The Eastern Pennsylvania or Cherryhill
prison at Philadelphia employs the cellular Sys-
tenn Just referred to. The 1850 cenvicts are all
confined the livelOng day in separate cells. en-
plOyed only at such work as they can do in their
ces-which is practically nothing-and never
see each other. When they are removed from
one cell to another or taken out for exercise,
their faces are covered with masks. 1t is en-
phatcally solitary confinement. The advantage
of it is that it cuts off all communication between
| them and they can form no prison acQualntan-
ces. The warden told me that at one time they
endeavOred to manufacture shoes there by hand,
but found that the receipts from the manufac-
| tured article were actually less than the raw
| material cost-machine labor killed the indus
| try. At Moyamensing, the county prison, in
Philadelphia, there are GOO convicts; this is also
conducted on the cellular system.
1--WE then visited the New Jersey prison at
Trenton. 1t has 700 prisoners and is one of the
finest institutions of the kind in the country. in
| New York city we visited Blackwel's island on
which there are half-a-dozen institutions necess-
tated by poverty and crime The city prison has
present population of 1000; the house of cor
rection 9OO the poor farm 500, and on the island
are also insane asyums for men and women, and
the foundlings home.
| "In Massachusetts we saw the state refOrma-
tory at Concord, the second best of its kind in
the United States. Its one thousand inmates
! attend trades schools and receive thorough
technical education. The CharlestOwn prison at
Boston is the oldest in the country, having been
built in 1905. 1t has population of 900 We
visited the Auburn, N. Y, prison and called at
Sing Sing.
incidentally it may be remarked that the New
York state legislature has enacted law, taking
effect next January, doing away with all manu-
featuring in its prisons, except of such few arti
cles as are needed by the state-which means,
practically, idleness. 1t provides, however. that
the convicts may be worked on the highways,
but this is not only a costly proceeding but
extremely hazardous, owing to the number Of
escapes that will follow predict thatthe eXper-
|
doned but am glad to see it tried there first,
as it has been advocated in this state.
eve then visited the famous Elmira n. Y.
reformatory the finest in the world Its 1900
inmates receive manual and military training
and attend general trades schools. They work
seven hours every day and then study, drill
being held on the parade-grOunds every after
noon in which they all participate-and l doubt
if the drills at West Point are any finer. They
90 through the movements with machine-like
precision to inspiring music by their own bands.
The uniforms of the first grade are of a greenish-
brown; of the second grade gray and of the third
grade scarlet. 1t is a fine sight.
"On our way hOmeward we visited the south
ern Indiana prison at Jetfersonville which is be-
ing reorganzed and under the present warden,
Mr.. Hert, who visited Saltwater recently, they
will have an excellent prison. We called at the
Missouri state prison at Jefferson, where there
are 1900 convcts, and then went to the Illinois
state reformatory at Pontiac, which is under the
management of Major r. w. McClaughry, under
whom first engaged in prison work in 1870. 1t
has 1900 cOnvicts. We called at the Joliet prison,
which has improved wonderfully in the past few
years under Warden Robert Allen. Its 1900 con-
victs are employed on the state account system
manufacturing chairs, shoes, reed and rattan
work, cutting stone, and in the machine shops
and knitting works. And then we returned
home, after most pleasant and profitable
trip
DR.. Morrison, medical director at the peniten.
tiary, is having excellent success with the in
lection of asceptolin in cases of consumption
This is the hypodermic remedy discovered by
| Dr. Edison. There are several patients in the
hospital whose condition has been vastly i'm