The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1900-01-17
CRIMINALS TO RAISE ROSES.
Chicago Women Hit Upon a Plan fol
Refining the Outeasts Of Humanity.


Chicago Women Hit Upon a Plan fol
Refining the Outeasts Of Humanity.
Roses, beautiful roses, to be worn al
throat or waist belt OF fashions favor.
ties, raised in the grounds Of a city
prison by the women Of the slums, con.
fined for misdemeanor Chicago is go
ing to do IT, Unfortunates who find
their way TO the house of correction in
the Western metropolis are to be put to
work cultivating flowers for the market.
The idea originated with Superintend-
ent sloan, who has charge Of the institu-
ton, and he has looked ahead before
trying the experiment TO the extent OF
cnlisting the assistance of many women
Of social positions in that city. When
the proposition was laid before them as
surances were general. Leaders in the
social world expressed pleasure at the
idea Of buying flowers from that institu.
tion.
With this understanding, Mr.. Sloan
went ahead and has Just built three
greenhouses, each 75 feet by 10 feet
covering 1000 square feet of ground. 1t
is his purpose TO employ in the work the
most ! ardened women who are commit
ted TO his care, and he believes that il
will have a more softening and beneii.
cial effect upon them than the heavier
labor In the laundry, which In usually
selected for the women prisoners.
81 am sure" he says, "that my ex.
pertinent will prove success. have
seen these women, after all sorts OF hard
work, sent to their cells at night so tired
that one would think they would imme.
diately want to rest. But IL was almost
impossible TO keep them still. They
wanted TO handy words in no choice lam
guage with their cell mates and imme.
date neighbors, and when they left the
house OF correction they were apt to be
worse than when they arrived. There
seemed to be no possible hope of reform.
ing them"
How Mr.. Sloan got the idea OF trying
Horticulture as refining influence ON
hardened womankind is OF pathetic in
terest.
zone day" he said, "a beautiful girl,
the only daughter OF one OF our great
merchants, who was deeply interested in
work, came here and asked 10
see the women prisoners. took her
among them where they were AT work.
She wore red rose in her hair, and the
minute the women saw her some began
cursing, others stuck out their tongues
at her, and seemingly all resented the
sweet-iaced woman who lad come TO
cheer and comfort ii she could. There
was one Maggie the Terror. /
"Maggle was little woman, with a
irightful temper and great scar across
her face, whore she had been wounded |
IN a brawl. Maggie was more dreaded !,
by the other women in the institution
Than any of its rules, and was the ring
eader in frequent revolt. She would ]
be- released at the end OF a sentence, to !
be- brought back within week. I
Just why she did it don I know, but !
.he visitor walked 'up 10 Maggie, and,
aking rose from her hair, handed il to
he prisoner. Maggie looked worried,
md then she smiled, and, although
lad known her for years, Tor the first
lime | heard her say, God bless you.
This gave mo the idea OF putting the
most uruly OF the women in my charge
II work raising roses. Maggie, | may
'dd, is now u faithlel servant in the
nome OF the young woman who handed
ler the rose, and II the flower did so
much Tor her, cannot see why flowers
hould not help others.
81 ann convinced that the occupation
Il tending the tlowers will soften the
pirit OF even the most hardened wom-
m, though | must confess | fear that at
lrst the flowers will suffer and thai
ome of the prisoners will not be sub
Iued 10y the beauty Of flowers. as was
he prisoner | have mentioned.n
Within week or two the plan will be-
n full operation. Students of sociology
viii watch the movement with the
reatest interest So, undoubtedly, will
he gardeners aud florists, whose bust.
ess will naturally be interferred with.
lat apart from the material aspects of
he matter, the idea commends itself
nd makes one hope for its success.
MY Ladys Table.
Little sheli-,ables are now the iad,
nd the woman who has tested theh
would be loath to part with
....,. M III. IL a.. e "a