Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-01-05
WEDNESDAY. JANUARY 5, 1885,
AN IMPERATIVE DUTY.

AS heretofore stated in this paper the
Protestant Ministers Alliance OF Norfolk
has adopted a resolution calling upon the
senator's and delegates from Norfolk TO
use their best efforts to have a law passed
looking to prison reform in Virginia. The
4. proposed law contemplates separate cells
for prisoners confined in the penitentiary
and other prisons Of the State: modern
sanitary arrangements; the classification
of prisoners, looking especially to the
keeping of the young in crime from assoc
chatting with more hardened criminals;' the
Improvement of the penitenuavy plant
from the annual revenue from that insti
tuition, and the reformation of the charac-
tiers of those confined therein.
This general subject is at this time re-
ceiving a degree of public attention in
Virginia that 1t never had before. In
vestigation proves that many of our jails
are unfit for the purposes for which they
were erected, and 1t is a notorious fact
that the cells of cur penitentiary are
packed TO a degree that denies to the men
not merely the comforts. but the decencies
of. life. AT the farm, too the barracks
and hospital are crowded. but It is within
the power of the penitentiary authorities
TO add to the buildings there. This they
=, will no doubt do. unless the Legislature
expresses a purpose to make some other
disposition of some or all of the con-
& victs who are now confined there Thers
are about $50 men on the farm. Probably
100 of these are unfit for hard labor.
Ill tbo
OF these dead heads as they are term
!. ed In the prison vocabulary, there are
twice as many men on the farm as can
be provided with profitable labor. The
farm is about 1000 acres in extent, and
though several hundred acres of Deighbor-
ing land (river bottom. mostly has been
cultivated by the State upon shares, it is
clear the farm has now, and will con-
tlnue to have, more hands than it needs.
What ought to be done with this sur
plus of men? Ought the State to buy an
other farm, or should it hire out the sur
plus convicts to persons who propose 10
engage in beet culture or other work
which will be of general advantage to the
State? These are questions that the
Legislature will have to answer. The
public opinion that has been aroused upon
behalf OF prison reform will not suffer
things to continue as they are.
Tie shoe contractors at the pententiary
now employ about $40 hands. and they
have been steadily extending their bust
ness ever since they made their first con-
tract with Virginia. Their specially is the
manufacture of women's shoes, and their
operations are conducted upon a large
scale and with abundant capital. More
over. their contract is very profitable to
the state. 1t Is. therefore, necessary
that sufficient cell-room should be pro-
vided to keep all of their hands properly,
and the convicts who must cook and wash
for them and do other work towards
keeping the prison in order. There is
also a considerable number Of men who
are OF a character so dangerous that it
would be unwise TO allow them to be
taken beyond the prison walls.
An escape from the penitcntiary is an
exceedingly rare thing. On the other
hand, opportunities for escape from
farm or from public works are numerous.
There have been quite number Of es-
capes from the State Farm. During the
little time that the county of Hanover
employed a gang OF convicts upon Its
public roads five or six of the prisoners
escaped And only a few days ago
prisoner that had escaped from small
gang that Is now at work in Henry
county was arrested here. SO 1t Will be
seen that in no event should the extra
DANGEROUS class OF convicts be sent TO a
farm. IL they can be employed upon
the shoe contract very well; if they can
rot be so employed. they ought. neverthe-
less. 20 be retained within the four walls
OF the prison.
II would. therefore, appear that
}, this Legislature ought TO make pro-
vision for more cei-room here. and
ought TO decide what disposition 1t
win make of the surplus conyets AT
the farm. II the State had another
farm, and one whose soil was spe-
claliy suited 20 beet-growing, It might
go 3nto beet-culture upon large scalt
or, II might hire out the surplus force
now ~ the farm 10 some one who would
provide the land upon which 10 work
them
~'e understand that ali these questions
Will be considered at an early day by
the legislative commIttees and we trust
the result viii be that the condition