The San Francisco call., 1897-10-21
Climate Always Agreeable and
the Point Free From
Malaria.
NO WEARlSOME HOURS OF
TOLL.
tunity to See Relatives and
Friends Inside.

Convlcts say that San Quentin is pre-.
ferred as prison because the temperature
OF the atmo sphere all the year round is
agreeable, and for the further reason that
malaria is almost unknown there. At
Folsom the climatic conditions are not
acceptable. The days are hot in summer
and the nights in winter disagreeable.
As health resort San Quentin is not
SURPASSED. Many convicts who have gone
there broken in health and almost dis
couraeed in the pursuit of criminal enter
prises have emerged from the prison with
restored health and strength. District
Attorney Barnes believes that the climate
at San Quentin and the absence of malaria
indu e convicted offenders to request the
court to designate that institution as the
place of imprisonment. Again, the Of
tenders consider that the work there is
much Lighter than the quarry work at
Folsom, and the opport unity for seeing
relatives and friends is frequent.
Chief Lees is inclined to believe tn at the
good climate a the point on the bay is
the main reason why the offenders always
request the Judges TO name San QIentin
as the place of servitude. Offenders sent
from San Francisco want to be neGr the
city SO their relatives and friend, can see
them often. The trip across the bay ca
be made at an expense o! 80 cents, while
the round trip to Folsom. count ing the
charge for remaining in Sicrame nto or
Folsom over night, cannot be made Tor less
than $40
Tne vigilance of man has not yet de-
vised scheme to prevent the introduce
tion of opium to prisoners confGei in
j llls and penitentiaries. Prisoners at Fo-
som as we'll as those at the prison in
Marin County manage through their
friends and their old pals on the outside
to get possession of the drug. 1t can be
more readily obtained in San QnentIn
than in other institutions OF a 5 milar
character.
A ccording TO prison rules the money
that a convict may have in his pockets
when he goes to prison Is taken from him
and deposited in the Office. The enforce
ment of this regulation does not signify
tnat convicts cannot obtain money while
serving a term of imprisonment. Not
| long since an ex-conv CT told he District
Attorney that man could get a hundred
dollar bill changed nearly any time from
the prisoners IN the yard.
The general story told by ex- convicts is
that life at San Quentin, barring the re.
stric,ron on the personal liberty of the
=
altogether easy. Many man, broken by
| dissipation and suffering from phys cal
disa bility, has been so recruited in health
by ojourn there that his friends were
asiOnisned at his apparent vIgor and ro-
| bust health.
While the Institution across the bay
cannot be classed as pleasure resort, II
surely does not possess the terrors for the
criminals of the community that the pen
| ltentlary In Sacramento holds out to evil
| doers. There is no danger of a convict
losing his life for crossing tbs dead line,
as the prison walls mark the boundary OF
| the promenade. The convict may receive
from his friends dainties of the table and
| the con>oing visits OF his friends and
relatives. The everyday 1are is good and
| wholesome. the clothing comforIab bic and
| the society as good as Is found In any
| other institution OF a similar character. 1t
is fact readily recognized by tho prison
author ties that there are some men In
| prison who ought TO be outside and some
| men outside who ought to be in; but that
is tho fault of the law ana the courts, for
which the prison management Is not re-
! sponslble.
A score OF convicts stretched out fu
| length on grassy slopes amid banks and
beds OF rarest blossoms is rot calculated
| 10 inspire one with the terrors of prison
| life. but that is one of the first sights 10
greet the visitor TO San Quentin prison.
At Intervals on the surrounding nil slopes
| are stationed sentry boxes with wicked
| locking Gatl!ng guns and alert guards, but
| no parIIcu lar attention apparently is paid
| TO the men in striped suits who come and
go outside the prison walls, seemingly
without let or hindrance.
Inside the prison he same life OF indo-
leLce is observed among the hundred of
men who have been sent there as a pun
isnment for their misdeeds. To be sure.
work Is provided for every convict who is
able to work. but the working hours are
few at most, and the tasks imposed are so
mild that ample time is found by all to
bask for hours in the warm sunshine.
Thirteen hundred and twenty three
prisoners are confined in San Quentin at
present, divided into three cIsSses-non-
productive, productive and lost labor, as
follows:
Number
NoN-PRoDUCTIvE CLASS. Employed.
"afoehs once ...-.-.......''.'-.'..-.-
captain Of yard office. ........,... ...........
pain o1 guards Office.
COmmi depart mt.
Laundry dep srtment- --..-..----.--.....-.- ZS
Library department.
roer-snop -....-.'.'''- o
hoeshop 10
Tai or-snop. 2Z
Lam Snters --.--.----- --.---.-----
B .th-tauk l. -nder
Cell and room lenders ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 80
Gate and door tenders. Is
Hospital uurjeS..
Swrepers 10
ScavenCerS- IS
WhltewasherS
General Kitchen and dining room. ~