Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-04-12
Report Of the Inspector for January.

Birmingham, Ala, Feb. g. 1896.
Hon. R. II Dawson, President Board of
Inspectors of Convicts-
Dear Sir: During the month of jan
uary visited and inspected the follow
ing prisons and eonvicts at each:
Pratt No. 2, January 5; Pratt No 1,
January s; Coalburg, January Z; Speigner
No q January 8; Speigner No. 3, January
8; Chewacla, January 10; Walter Bros. at
Spraeue, January 10; Boiling, January
IL; Pratt No. l, January II; Coalburg,
January IS; Pratt No 2, January 10;
Speigner No. 2, January 20; Speigner No.
3, January 20; Walls, January g.; ITALIA
poosa No. 4, January 8; Pratt No. 2, jan
uary 30; Pratt No. 1, January 81.
On January q L attended the regular
meeting of the board at Montgomery.
On the 10Th 1 went to Montgomery on
official business
At all the prisons at each visit, In
obedience to section 8, acts of general
assembly, 1S94-5, No. 49, / examined the
food, clothes, quarters, bedding, provis-
ions made for the sick and general treat
ment."
Food--At all the prisons belonging to
the state the food is abundant, of great
variety, most excellent in quality and
splendidly cooked. At all the other pris-
ons the food is sufficient in quantity good
in quality, of fair variety and well cook
ed
Clothes-The clothing at all the prisons
IL SOUu anu ABUNDANT ana kept We'll
washed. All are furnished once week
clean drawers. shirts and undershirts
Pants and coats are washed as often as
necessary.
Quarters-The quarters at all the state
prisons are kept Scrupulously neat and
very comfortable
At all the other prisons reasonably
neat, very comfortable and general sur
ronndings of all in good sanitary condi-
don.
Bedding-The bedding at the state pris-
ons is excellent abundant and exceeding
ly clean.
At Boiling, Sprague and Chewacla
very good, plenty and clean.
AT the mining prisons very good plen-
ty and as clean as could be expected of
mining prisons. All are free from vermin
of any kind
Provisions made for the .sick--At all
the prisons ample provisions are made
for the sick. The hospitals are we'll ven i
tilated, kept scrupulously neat have
abundant bedding of splendid quality,
are supplied with excellent cooks and
many delicacies, and all in charge of most
excellent physicians. The hospital at
Sprague, the new prison, is not complete.
This prison and Chewacla employ resi-
dent physicians when needed.
General treatment-The general treat
ment at all the prisons, L think, is very
good. Good order and strict discipline
must he maintained and to do so reason
able punishment has to be sometimes in
fiicted.
Among the convlcts are many very des-
perate and vicious characters, many
stubborn and insolent and a great many
very lazy. The records of punishment
seldom show over 10 per cent per month
and often under 5. No cruel, excessive or
unnecessary punishment is inflicted.
The prison at Fort Jackson has been
abandoned and the convicts removed to
state farm No. 4.
The new prison at No. will soon be
completed. The temporary prisons there
have been little crowded.
Nearly every building at Speigner Nos
and g. has recently been recovered with
shingles or boards entailing considerable
expense. The paper roofing, used In
building, only lasted two or three years.
think the report of the physician-in-
spector, DR.. Davie, will show the health
above normal and the deaths a little be-
low. Respectfully,
w CPAvcnN Tprpaot.,