Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1899-10-19
A Model Prison.

Tho Montana state pcnitentiary IN
its care for and management Of its pris-
onors, is n unique institution and might
woll be taken as model by many in
stitution Of like in older states. Not
only is every effort made to benefit the
unfortunate inmates and fit them for
honest life after they shall have left
the prison walls, but much is done to
render their present condition cheerful
Wardens Conley and McTague, who
have had charge Of tho prison many
years, act upon the theory that with all
possible allovations, penitentiary life
is severe punish hment and that large
percentage Of the men of the men will
quickly show their appreciation Of Kind
ness by being far more tractable than II
they were not accorded any privileges
The latest innovation if the intro
duclion Of a brass band within the pen
Iilentiary. The band, consisting of
twenty-four pieces, has been recently
organized and is under the instruction
OF bandmaster who also acts as one
Of the guards of the prison The peni-
Tertiary might almost be classed as an
educational institution. In the prison
school, organized four years since, are
taught all the English branches Of the
ordinary grammar schools in addition TO
to penmanship, tolegraphy and photog-
raphy. A telegraphie apparatus has
been set up for the use Of pupils,
Teachers as well as pupils are taken
from the ranks OF the inmates.
But the prison school is not the only
remarkable feature of this institution
in the work performed by the convicts
within the past few years the Montana
penitentiary has made record which
is to the credit Of its managers. Until
the last Il We or six years the state pri 8
on consisted of few log buildings Of
various siz. g and one small stone sLruc
ture, all surrounded by high board
fence. The present prison ranks a
mong the finest in the United States.
The building is Of brick rivited will
rugged, native granite, 1873 feet il
length, Atty feet in width and nearly
forty-hve feet in hight, with four tow
ers rising to hight of 50 feet, the, whole
containing floor space of over 1886
square feet. In addition to this is wha
is known as the Assembly Hall"
building two stories high 17OX6J feet
composed entirely of brick, with trim
midgs of granite blocks. Surrounding
both buildings is a wall OF native rock
evenly cut and perfectly matched, ex
tending njne feet into the ground TWEEN
ty feet in hight, finished with copinJ
three feet wide, with massive entrance
and with towers forty feet in hight
These new buildings and improvement
which ordinarily would have involver
in their construction an expenditure o
nearly quarter of a million, have beei
built by the inmates of the prisons, al
within four years, at cost to the stat
Of less than $4,000,
There were no quarrels among th
/ men, no insubordinaJion and no aCtemE
ted escapes whilo the work was in pre-
gress, Without chains or fetters an
with but few guards, the men quarre
the rock, cut and dressed the grant
blocks, nodded and burned the bricks
lug the sand, burned the lime, cut th
ogs and sawed the lumber.
In less than year and half tho
completed the massive and beautlfl
r structure. With the exception of th
I perintendent the foreman OF tn
= brickyard and timer employed to 81
r perintend the covering OF the roof, it
r wholly from beginning to end, the wor
). of laborers, mostly unskilled, and a
y designated as criminals" Even tt
o architect who furnished the design I,
n, the building was himself d ptisone
! whose sentence expired a few *eel
4 prior to the comrhencemeht Of cofistru
tfou. The two buildings will aCcOmm
date over 500 prisoners.
" 1t is rather unusual to see within Il
q prison walls hundreds OF men, of a
d ages and nationatiLies patiently ma
v tering the various branches, from rea
ing and spelling up to the higher mat
emaUcsl TO hear the click Of telegral
instruments, the clatter Of type write
and the hum Of recitation classes, int
N spersed with lessons in music both !
e, cal and instrumental, but this is VIII
v may be seen and heard in the state DC
- itentiary of one Of the youngest stai
Ie in the union, thanks to a wise board
nd prison commissioners and to the intel
20 gent and untiring efforts of its man,
,f5 rs.-Helena Letter.