Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1896-01-09

walls. The prison is town in ITSELF
where the walking delegate is I'M
known, where strikes never occur,
and where all business is conducted
in an orderly manner. The work OF
the day begins at daylight In these
winter days the rising bell and the
blowing whistle, that is shrill and
loud enough to wake the dead, are
not heard until about $50 a. M,
though a much earlier start is made
in summer. Fifteen minutes are
usually allowed for each prisoner to
dress and put his cell inorder- Then
the marching bell is sounded and the
long lines Of men wind along, in
divisions Of about so each, night
bucket in one hand, the other hand
upon the shoulder Of the man in
front, close in step, out to the bucket
yard and back again, cmpty-handed
now, to the dining hall. Bread and
and hash and coffee is the breakfast
bill Of fare There is "plenty OF it
such as it is" as the little boy said Of
his hostess butter, but Of course
there is a difference of opinion as to
whether it is "good enough what
is Of it,
The prisoners who work in the
shops march to their labor direct from
breakfast. Most of the coal-miners
30 back TO their cells for n little
while, for only one division at time
can be lowered down into the bowels
Of the earth. 1t is $50 feet down to
the coal mine level. There are about
500 men now working at this in
dustry, getting out about $4,000
bushels of coal week. The miners
work two or three in u room, as a
rule. and are allowed TO talk at their
work. For this reason many prison
ers prefer the mines to the shops
though men not used to hard labor
find it a pretty tough place. The
miners dinner is sent down to them,
and about 20 minutes Is allowed for
eating it. There is no opportunity
for these fellows to wash up before
eating dinner, but that never inter
fercs with their appetites. The
dinner bill OF fare includes soup or
stew, beans, and beef or pork, rice
sometimes, and plenty of bread al
WAYS. The same dinner is served in
the dining room for the shop-men,
who also have 20 minutes for eating,
and then 90 back to their labors UNI
til supper time. Then they have
bread and tea or water and theu go
to their cells for the night.
In order to get the men all safely in
their cells before dark, supper is
served at five ?. m. now, so that the
prison day is not longer than about 0
hours. The coal miners work less
than eight, for 1t takes fully an hour
to get them down to their places in
the mines and back again. At $3.50
p. m. the evening count is taken, the
day officers go off duty and the night
watch take charge, Lights are not
turned of until 9 p No. so the pris-
oners have full three hours and half
for reading or study, or for whatever
purpose they desire. A great many
men do fancy work with needle and
thread, but the great majority read
or study. In many instances there
are two men in cell, but they are
not supposed to talk,
There are now $50 men in the pris-
on school, and these may be seen any
evening working arithmetic Gu their
states as il their lives depended on it.
Library books are changed once a
week. There are over 5000 books in
the library and about 2,OO0 oouhd
volumes Of magazines, one Of the lat
ter being issued weekly TO anyone
who desires it in addition to his Ii
brary book. Some prisoners go to
bed Immediately after supper All
must retire at P. m.
The daily routine is unchanged ex-
ccpt on Sundays and holidays. The
rising bell sounds an hour later on
Sunday. The men 60 back to their
cells from breakfast. Chapel service
is at 1880 a. m. Everybody goes,
and, unless sick, must stay 1t out,
however prosy the sermon may be-
Chaplain John Moorhead, Of Baldwin,
is the present incumbent, however,