The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1899-08-05
THE O.S.P
Condition Of the Place for Detention
and Reformation Of Prisoners.
Employment Of the conviets, Arrange
ment Of Guards and Management
Of :he Foundry.

The condition Of the penitentiary.
sanitary and otherwise, is a credit to
the new management and to the state,
and offers an example Of a man at the
helm who has the ability and depends
solely upon himself ~ carry 10 sue
cessful completion any thing be under
takes. Such a man il J. u. Lee, the
present superintendent Of the state pen
itentiary. Since the removal Of the
penitentiary from POI tland in 1871, un.
III the present time many changes have
been made by superintendents in charge
20 improve the sanitary conditions Of
the buildings and reclaim the swamp
lands that surround them; to enlarge
workshops, make needed repairs 10
floors and walks, grade and keep in or
der roads leading 10 the building, build
and keep in repair bridges, etc, and these
superintendent have accomplished
much with the means at their disposal.
But it has remained for the present in
10 take up the work where his
predecessors left off and finish the same
in a manner which reflects much credit
upon him and cannot help satisfying the
most exacting taxpayer in the state.
Much Of the land around the build
ing is low, wet and cold, and in order to
make anything grow upon it a liberal
supply Of sand must be mixed in with
the soil. These cold, barren spots have
been reclaimed, and, where short
time ago there was no vegetation, green
peas, beans, onions, cabbage, and in
fact all kinds Of garden truck and berries
OF the finest quality grow, and in guam
tity sufficient 10 supply the inmates of
the institution. Every available square
foot within the prison walls not needed
for other purposes is planted TO vege-
tables and berries. A few OF the more
useful TRUSTEES have small gardens, and
grow vegetables and tobacco. In all
there are about five acres under cult
yatiOn inside the prison walls. Outside
the walls one hundred and twenty acres
are planted 10 corn aud potatoes and
from present appearances the yield
will be large. The work is all done by
convicts, and therefore the articles OF
food raised costs the state but trihe
and is a great saving 10 the taxpayers.
Its the intention Of superintendent
Lee TO grow more berries and prunes
and lac will aid bushes and trees when
the planting season arrives. A
dryer will be put in 10 take care Of the
prunes.
The grounds inside the walls are well
kept and present a neat, clean appear
ance, the walks are in iirst.class order,
aud the wafer channel il free from dirt
and rubbish, which tends 10 promote
healthiulness.
AT the present writing there is one
female and 332 male prisoners confined
in the prison. The health OF the in.
mates could not be better. The build.
ing is well ventilated, and the floors look
clean enough to satitfy the most fastid-
ious. While the discipline is strict, the
inmates are treated kindly. The pris-
oners are divided into two classes, con
victs and TRUSTEES. Over the former a
vlgilcnt watch Is constantly kept while
the latter are given all the latituda
of trusted servant. The men seem
orderly and ~ q rule well-behaved.
Those that are not at work are taken
out every day and given exercise in the
yard. The food is Of the good, whole
some order, and would do credit To the
table OF any laboring man in moderate
and each prisoner is