The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-08-06
STATE PRISON WING
New Structure at Trenton
One of the Finest in
the Country.
-
LARGELY BUILT By PRISONERS
Nearly Ready for Occupancy
The New Hospital-BuiIding
Described.
spectal to The Jsrsev cstv Ncvs.

Sptctdt 10 INC IoTStV Cttu 1tHos
TRENTON, Aug. 6. 1s96.-The new wins
at the New Jersey State Prison is prac-
tically completed. but has not yet been
turned over to the State by the CONTRACT
tors. tanning & Barlow. The new wing
Is said 10 be the most complete prison in
the world In its appointment The cells
are of steel, twenty-five in a tier and four
tiers high. giving two hundred cells alto
gether. The stairs and pasageways TO the
upper tiers are all iron and the floors of
the wing are cement The backs of the
cells do not come together, there being a
space between large enough TO walk
through, where all the sewer pipes, water
aipeS, etc, are exposed to view, and can
be readily inspected in case OF leaks or
other Heterogeneous. The sanitary ar
rangements are adj of the most approved
system, the closets in each cell being
closed by sliding doors. A wash basin is
provided in each cell and a gas jet will
furnish light for the occupant. The cells
are all painted inside and out, no white
wash being used. The cost for each cell,
all complete, is $3.50, which is said to be
much cheaper than they could be con-
structed In the old way.
There are now 906 cells in the prison,
p6 of which will accommodate two prison.
ers. and there have been four crowded
in them. The large ones were built at the
time when the prisoners worked in soli-
tary confinement and more room was
needed for the tools and machinery they
used. That system obtains In Pennsyl-
vania yet.
A good share of the work on the new
building is being done by the prisoners.
Warden Moore says he thinks it much
better to have them employed at some-
thing when there is not work for all of
them in the shops. His theory is, and it
appears to be reasonable, that a convict
sent to prison and compelled to work
hard every working day stands a better
chance to come out with a purpose to re-
form and do better than one kept in idle
ness and solitary confinement for the Pc
Rod of his Imprisonment.
The new hospital, which is now about
completed, is a source of much pride to
the prison officials. For sixty years the
New Jersey State Prison had no hospital
other than a large room over the centre,
where all patients. no matter what mall
ady they were suffering from, were
placed.
The new hospital Is situated at the end
of the new wing, and is two stories in
he GIT, with basement. In the basement
are the provision cellars for the hospital,
the kitchen and dining rooms for the at
t~endants and convalescents. Tit food
a aSF ts %ilI sick astn Mib Be BE P pr 9 sSms% afrsi
better quality and in greater variety than
that served to the prisoners. On the
oispensary, where the ailing prisoners
able TO walk there are treated. On this
flsSF are IRE, three Re Sooddsizsd wards IN Whlsa
separated as to d-isease-that is, con-
siisnptives VIII not be placed in the same
tackled with various other diseases can
be more or less isolated.
The operating room. airy and we'll
cement floor, with a sewer inlet in the
Heretofore there has been no
treatment could be given There are
also three. wards for patients on this
floor, similar to those on the first floor,
ing an abundance of light and air. In
addition there are two small wards
or contagious diseases can be entirely
The average number of PRISONS sick
IS from twenty tb to twentV-d ~ 'ns 81 prttF Saa
the present hospital accommodations will
serve for many years to come. There
consider themselves we'll provided for if
they had a hospital as large and as we'll
arranged as this.
The walls for the new cook house are
going up, and when completed It viii be
a great addition to the prison economy.
rooms for supplies and an ice plant with
a capacity of 1000 pounds of ice per day,
which is considered amply sufficient for
all the needs of the institution. The
prison authorities will then be able to
receive provisions in larger lots than they
can now. thus effecting considerable saw
ing. The new boiler house is also going
forward. Two new boilers for heating
VIII be placed in 1t, in addition 10 the
three already in use.
When all the new buildings shall be
ready for use the prison will be in ex-
cellent shane and well equipped for It's