The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-09-17

/ tomatoes, cncuInDerS, ana some lrisn pO-
| tatoes. Down near the opposite side was
a little fire where Uncle Tom or ''Ole
Uncle Ned was roasting some potatoes
for his afternoon lunch between dinner
| and supper. The intendant added after
| calling attention to the matter that it
| cost the District nothing to have that lit
| tie garden, and it gave to the old men en-
| pioyment and the satisfaction of having
something they could call their own How
well the work is done may be inferred
from the fact that not a weed raised its
! head in that half acre.
Male and FEMME workhouse.
The male workhouse is the building
farthest south upon the grounds, and was
erected several years ago when the num-
Der of prisoners was much smaller hat at
present. 1t was badly planned for the
purpose and is always much overcrowded
The conditions being almost intolerabie
such representations were made to Con-
| gress that at the session of 1898 and 1899
| it appropriated $50 600 for the erection of
a new building All the last session $50, 600
| was added to the appropriation and the
| building will be begun during the present
| year. The present male workhouse con-
| tains twenty-siX room, each about % feet
| by IA, and it has been necessary at times
| to house 400 prisoners. Under ordinary
| circumstances
| lodged in one ROOM and al eight in win
ter they are literally packed like sardines
| in box. 1t becomes necessary at times
to place two men in a narrow bunk, where
| sleep to either is possible only by the
greatest economy of space. The average
: number accommodated in the building is
| $50 or about ten men to each room. This
| crowded condition of the worhhouse
| greatly aggravates all the problems Of
.ftr If
| der among the prisoners. Mr.. Stouten-
! burg explained that when one in a mess
! of ten mispehaved and had to be taken
! out one or even two of1eers who attempt
ed to do it, had to be pretty good men to
accomplish the task.
To the workhouse are sent from the
Police Court all those brought there
charged with petty crimes. The sentence
is from ten to sixty days at hard labor.
In the male department the work consists
of labor about the grounds and buildings,
on the streets of the District, removing
snow and ice in winter, and upon the i'm
provements being made in Rock Creek
Park.
Mr.. Stetitenburg explained to the re-
porter method of punishment employed
in the male department which has been
productive of good result Formerly pun
ishment was inflicted upon unruly .pris-
oners by placing them in the dungeon"
in the basement but the room was COM
Portable, had bench in it. and the man
TO be punished usually slept out his period
of disgrace, suffering little or no incon-
venience. The intendant changed the
mode of punishment by placing those to
be punished in the glad ROOM This is
a well-lighted apartment, entirely empty.
1t has no bed, chair, stool. or bench. and
it is so situated that the man or men in
it can see what is going on outside. The
rations are just enough bread to sustain
life and small allowance of water. Even
the most refractory men generally fail to
stay twenty-four hours in the glad
room" and the intendant significantly re-
marked that they always came out per-
fectly doclle. The wearinecs of standing
in an empty room or sitting on bare floor
breaks down in little while the most
stubborn resistance.
In the female department the women are
employed in sewing in scrubbing and
cleaning about the buildings. and in as
sisting where any work is needed. The
building is the old powder magazine, with
walls four feet thick, and made as solid
as brick and masonry could do. II it had
ever exploded, it would have shattered
everything within mile. But it affords
a comfortable place for the women, and
is large enough for present and future
purposes. It is the only building on the
grounds that does Eot present the appear
anee of being crowded
How Paurers and Prisoners Are Fed.
The number OF people connected with
the Washington Asylum, including pau
pers, prisoners. attendants, supervisors,
watchmen nurses. etc, is about 0J0.
The feeding OF this community is one Of
ba nd pF adm c T. at
is the largest single item of expenditure.
and economy here is a virtue to be
spected. But economy is not the Cnly
thing to be considered. The thousand
waiting mouths must be filed three
times day, and modern prison regimen
prescribes that it sh II be with n0urish-
ing food and in suhic ent quantity 20 APP
pease hunger and give health to the per-
son who eats it, AS result the two
chief cooks with thei- assistants are
called upon to provide repasts for their
numerous family which are good and
wholesome, even if they do not size up
with the menus of the fine restaurants /
and the grand hotels.
The kitchen in the basement o. the
almshouse is a busy place, and culinary
operations are carried on there upon a
scale calculated to surprise the I'M
mi tiated Four huge caldrons on one side
of the room holding nearly eighty gallons
and heated from below by steam a. Us ID
daily for cooking vegetables, met fruit,
and oatmeal. Two copper receptacles
five feet high and two feet in diameter .
are respectively for making tea and cot
fee Every enc OF the thousand to be led .
gets coffee in the morning and tea at /
night. if ii is desired. A days liet was
roughly sketched by the matron of the
almshouse as bread, coffee, oatmeal for
breakfast for dinner, soup, meat, ami |
vegetables two. bread. water. ana some
form OF dessert for supper bread. tee.
and stewed fruit. Twice week fish
takes the place OF beef or lamb. AMI at
intervals pork is served from the hogs
raised and killed on the place. Corn
bread takes the place Of wheat bread
and milk is served to the old won II and
men at the almshouse table. Fer the
warehouses rations are made up Ii tin
boxes and carried from the kitchen to the
prisoners. The changing WORKING On
the, streets or in Rock Creek Park have
their dinner carried out to them in the
ration boxes. The food Is plain, but in
sufficient quantity fer hungry man, AMI
of such quality as to nourish a working
man A huge bakers oven near the
kitchen is always employed furnishing .
bread and roasts for the tables.
As means 81 sowing the milk problem
and at the same time 10 give employment
to as many as possible, Mr.. StouteRburg
some years ago set to work to establish a
respectable herd of booded Jersey cows.
The first step =Tas TO secure suitable
Bears Bear s. the - u0z