Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-03-27


scarce five acres Of land. One would
suppose that the fact of so many men
being thus crowded together would tend
TO create the greatest possible amount OF
sociability and afford unrivalled facill-
ties for forming and cementlng extensive
personal friendships. But there seems
Ia be as much isolation OF individuals
and as many little cliques and coinnluri-
ties az in the largest cities Of the Worid
outside. This is phenomenon OF prison
social life to which we can only can at
tention at present, and leave Tor lonset
experience or more profound ana skiilul
annotations TO explain. AS our kno"l-
edge of the great world OUTSIDE Is last
becoming traditionary, or at leasl con-
fined to freakish stories, our news items
will he necessarily of a purely local char
acter. In our humble efforts to portray
the prison times we shall labor to keep
our readers posted on all the events OF
our little world worthy of record, ana
afford them every facility for knowing
who Is here and what is being done
Trusting that the difficulties Of conduct
ing an enterprise Of this kind under the
circumstances are duly appreciated by an
Intelligent public, we send forth this, our
first number, hoping that ere we can nave
time to issue many more numbers the
Prison Times will be discontinued lor-
ever, and our patrons and ourselves Dc
far away in our loved Southland.
In another column on the editorial page
is the following article, under the cap
ton Of "Our Prison World:
"a glance at our advertising columns
will show that to call our barracks a
miniature world is not so great mis-
homer as It might seem to be ar hFst 10
the uninitiated. True II Is we have not
the genial presence of lovely women, and
the very few babies we have with us
are too old and too large to awaken that
sympathy and interest We might have
taken in them at an earlier stage or
their existence. But excepting the want
OF these two grand essentials to per-
feet world. women and little children,
our prison world is quite a good abridge-
ment Of the great world outside. We
have here our men about town and
gentlemen of elegant leisure many or
whom play the games of chess, draughts,
&c. with the greatest proficiency and
skill. There are also several accom-
plished musicians, vocal and instru-
mental, who occasionally enllyen ana
charm us with the concord Of sweet
sounds The Prisoners Benevolent Musl-
cal Association has lately earned and re-
ceved the gratitude OF our community
by their generous efforts in behalf OF the
sick and destitute of our number as
will be seen from the statement given
in another column Of the receipts given
in the Mess Hall for this purpose. Owing
to the difficulty I'm procuring the neces-
sary material the rest of the fine arts
| are not so extensively cultivated. But
We have several artists who display con-
siderable skill in drawing and sketching
The learned professions, theology, law,
and medicine, have their representatives,
| and though Othello's occupation is gone
| as far as the practice of law and medi-
cine are concerned (our law and physio
| being imported ready-made at presently,
| there are students to be found porting
| over Blackstone or Esculapius. There are
| debating clubs in Divisions p and 3d.
| Every Thursday night these clubs hold
meetings open TO the public and ques-
| lions Of interest are discussed. Then
| there is tho Christian Association. We
| have time and space at present simply
| to direct attention to the directory OF
| this most excellent institution. The list
| of the standing committees there given
! will afford some faint idea OF the noble
| objects and plan Of operation of the as
| ISOLATION. There are also in our midst
! busy at work shoemakers, tailors, bar
| bers, washers and ironers, engravers,
machinsts, and ring. chain, and breast
pin makers. Many specimens of work
manship we have seen reflect credit upon
the ingenuity, patience. and skill OF the
| workman. This much for some OF our
| public institutions. We have others
which we expect TO notice. En- temps ct
| lieu"
The first column OF the first page con-
| tains the following Introductory remarks,
| headed "Our Paper:
I'm presenting 10 the public this, our
first edition of the Prison Times we are
aware that there may be many criticisms.
| AS public Journalists, we intend TO steer
| clear of all personalities unless of plea
1 SAINT nature Nothing political will be in
| dulged in. We will on all points Of public
interest speak candidly, as the interest
of the public is our own. Public i'm
provements, the fine arts. advancement
| i'm literature thorough school system; we
| are advocates Of all these, and Will do all
we can TO promote the interest Of each.
! we have secured the services OF able
| gentlemen as correspondents We feel
! sure their contributions will be perused
| with pleasure In our miscellaneous
| columns we will have extracts from au-
thors which will be interesting and edi-
| fving. In our poetical columns will be
| found gems from celebrated authors
male and female, whose regulations are
| Incoming known. So far as We can we
| will publish selections that have not APP
peared I'm print. We intend TO make the
Prison Times a good advertising me-
| dunn, and ask the support or liberal
| community. Our terms are moderate.
| Manufacturers will find It 10 their interest
| 10 give us a trial.
| The barracks directory contains the
| names of a number OF men who since tht
war have attained prominence and fame
in science, literature, and In all branches
OF commercial life. Here Is the list:
"Division 22-Captain j. f. Roberts
| Fourth Virginia Volunteers, chief; Ad)u
tant ]. Law, Thirty-eishth Georgia Vol
unteers, adjutant; Captain f. j. Dean
| Twenty-second South Carolina Nolun
teers, and Captain w G. Sham. a. d. G.
| postmasters.
division 3-Maj0r ID. Hammond, FRS
| Maryland Volunteers, chief; Captain II
+. Grimes. First Maryland Volunteers
adjutant: Lieutenant c. j. Bluitt, twenty
fifth Virginia Volunteers, and Lleutenan
]. ID. Irwin. Second North Carolina VOL
unteers. postmasters.
division 24-Captain F. T. Bridges
Thirty-seventh Virginia Cavalry, chie,
Captain T. j. Pritchett, Sixty-tour''
Georgia Infantry. adjutant; Leutehsh
n. b. Roger, Twenty-ffth Virginia IN
fantry, and Lieutenant l.. j. Pricke.
Third North Carolina Infantry p'S'
masters.
division 25-IAeutenant A. T. turner
III aE