Evening journal., 1901-08-21
COUNTY WORKHOUSE A
PARADISE FOR CRIMINALS
Problem Of Prison Reform Solved in tn
Building Commonwealth is Erect
ing at Greenbank
WHAT VISIT TO 1T DIsCLOsEs

inal win be separated from the hard
ened one in this model prison surely
is step in the direction Of reforma-
tion. On the same floor wih be the
lprison dining room. That the trustees
have provided for this inviting place
may be a surprise to people who are
familiar with the New Castle Jail. but
it exists nevertheless. and at morning.
noon and night the inmates OF the in
lstitutiOn will be found seated at tables
there, faring better than many people
outside prison walls Armed guards
will keep watch over them but the
presence of these will not cause the
prisoners much discomfort, it being
granted that the inmates will be the
lmost orderly while partal1ing OF a.
good meal Above the dining room
will be the worlSroom. in which brushes
viii be made by the male prisonera
Returning TO the distributing oorTi-
dor, a flight OF spiral steel stairs isl
seen pointing the way to the second
floor Of the building where the
wOmen's department is cut off en-
tirely from the mems quarters and in
charge of a matrOn. Entering through
a heavy solid steel door the visitor
finds himself yet without the female
apartments but on turning to the west
ten cells in two tiers are seen. They
face an open stretch of country pleas
ures Of which are denied the prison
ers. however, because OF the presence
of equally as strong safe guards Rs
those which are found in the mems
quarters elsewhere. The doors are
c.osed and blocked bytheingenious lock-
ing device and the cell interiors fitted
like those elsewhere. Before entering
them the prisoners will be Obliged TO
wash in a large bath room and send
their wearing apparel to the laundry.
pected to reign there, cleanliness viii
be compulsary and ever present
Employment Also FOR Women
: There VIII be employment for the
women as we'll as for the men, but
aside from the men. It will be their
duty to keep clean and repair all the
clothing worn by the prison inmates,
diversion that doubtless will prove
peasant 10 those who will be COM
PEELED TO fellow it,
Returning to the ground floor and
passing through the distributing cor
ridor again to the basement of the
building, a long underground avenue
is seen. IL connects the institution
with the power house and Jail yard
Perhaps a description OF the yard and
the uses 10 which it will be put, will
be most interesting. 1t ia oon-
tracted sort of pace, being about
80 feet square and enclosed by a wall
towering to the height of 16 fest, re-
sembling a cock pit more than n prison
yard. In one corner lines are laid for
the whipping post an institution yet
looked upon as a factor in the re-
formation of criminals in these days
OF modern prison houses. 1t will be
somewhat unlike the present post in
the New Castle county Jail, being
covered and devoid OF other features
which have made it's scenes revolving.
In another corner the death dealing
scaffOld is planned. It is probable
that the EcaffOld eventually win be
succeeded by the electric chair.
although the substitution OF this
means Of execution for that already
in vogue here, has not been discussed
in a formal way by the trustees.
Moreover it would require legislative
enactment on the part of the State
10 introduce this reform and it need
cause no surprise if effort TO estsb-
lish the chair at the institution is
made at the coming session Of the
Legislature.
The fact that the prison yard is
reached by the underground avenue
will prevent public parade Of crimi-
nails to tho post. The yard gates viii
be opened, however and the whipping
done in public, but in the presence Of
crowd of limited number the en-
closure accommodating but about fifty
people
Immediately adjoining the yard is the
powerhOuse, fitted out with two en-
gines and two dynamos, the former
capable OF 10 horse power, and the
latter Of sufficient power TO generate
more than enough electricity to light
the big building for years to come
Across the road is the quarry, covering
six acres of land and in which short
term prisoners will be compelled to
work. Already much stone has been
taken from the ground, it having been
used in the construction Of the power
house
Mindful of the fact that the end of
man is death. the trustees have fitted
up an apartment ON the second floor
OF the main building in which pris-
oners viii spend their final days in
rest and comfort. 1t is a commOdious
hospital fitted as completely as is pos
sible under such circumstances. and
the most striking feature of the big
institution.
Purposes Of the Act
The act Of Assembly creating the
trustees Of the New Castle County
lWorkhouse and providing fer the es-