The Wilmington daily Republican., 1901-08-03

AT W0RKH0USE


the New Castle County Workhouse.
Mere words as meaningless notices will
not be found inscribed in any part Of
the building, inside or out, but in all
appearances throughout the institution,
when the county prisoners have taken
up their quarters there, visitors will be
impressed with the idea of reform in the
management AS opposed to the old feel
ing that punishment of criminals is the
greatest satisfaction of justice. In fact
the idea of reform will be the keynote
Of the principles of the administration of
Warden A. s. Meserve.
Situated ut Greenbank, half hours
ride from the heart of the city, along the
line of the electric railway to Brandy
WARDEN A. 5. MESERNE.
wine Springs, is the workhouse, an in
stitution which, when completed, will
compare favorably with any similar
penitrntiary in the country. To all out
ward appearances the buildings are com
pleted but there is considerable inter
ior work to he finished before they are
ready for occupancy.
Many Of the steel cells are yet to be
installed and workmcn are now busily
engaged in erecting them. When they
are in place and painted Warden
Mcserve will be ready to take charge of
the county prisoners. Under the law all
prisoners confined in New Castle jail
must be delivered to him and when this
is done the old jail and the old methods
of dealing with criminals SO far AS New
Castle county is concerned will be
things of the past
This will not be until the middle OF
September as the workhouSe will not be
completed until that time. The sheriff
of the county is required by law to de
liver the prisoners to Warden Meservc.
Visitors, and there are II number of them
daily. are impressed with the compet-
ness of the institution. scpeaking in
general sense.
Warden Meservc generally starts on
an inspection tour in the south wing.
Here on the second and third floors are
the cells for women. twenty in all. two
tiers Of ten each. Here also is the work
room for the women prisoners. the bath
room. a hospital room and the mntroG'S
room.
On the scrnd floor is what is known
as the administration wing. Here is 10
Gated the hospital and disrensAry for the
whole institution. There are also various
rooms for the accommodation of the
guards.
On til" third floor is the guards dor-
tory. This room is furnished with Six
hr,ls and that number of guards will be
required to sleep in the institution every
night, besides the regular number of
guards on duty. so that they will hn On
l.,,t l.,,
In the east wing. on the ground floor
twenty cells. two tiers of ten each. will
h." erected. These will be for boys.
The remainder Of the space in this large =
room will be used as Il wolkrouln. untIl
the needs If tb" institution are stlrh that
more cells must be erected.
The larger number Of cells will be in
MRS. a. $. MESERNE.
thr west wing where men will be I'M
pri~onrI. These cells are now being
Ing rapidly erected and there will he l5O
in I'LL, forty on each floor and four rrS
high .\bov" all will be- Il solid iron
door covered with fun inches If con-
crete" Thirty feet above this iluor is tn"
roof. The roof could burn off without
the prisoners knowing il and the cntil"
arrangement is Il model ON" to prevent
escapes. There nssurrdly will he no cut
ting olll through the roofs Of this de
partmcnt.
Another thing that attracts notice in
this wing is the arrangement of the
corridors. Extending along outside the
cells * II corridor about four feet wide
for the use uf the prisoners. Outside of
his. and separated from il by II part
liun of iron bars is Il corridor Of the same
width for the guards. BY this arrange,
mcnl the gNal,lS ran always sae tho
prisoners and at the same time he pro
tr"trd from all danger.
IN the rear H the west wing is the
receiving cage where supplies are de-
y'rrd. Extra precautions To prevcid
thu escape Of prisoners are also provlrt.
here hy an arrangement of the inOrs.
The inside doors always will he closed
when the outsir door is open: and be-
for" the inside doors are opened to
ah',it tn" supplies into the interior the
outside door will he closed. This ar
rang"mout will rffcrtrmly prevent any
stamped" of The prisoners.
Ih" hutlm"uln for the men and hoy
Iul~Ono,s is located in the basement ia
III" south wing This large room is
fitted M with sixteen shower baths,
Also IN this wing are thu kitchen, bake
room and laundry. \ freight elevator is
Installed to carry supplies from tho
first floor to the basement. There also
is Il dumb waiter which can ho operated
between the basement and III" top floor.
Au interesting pNrl Of HE institution
is in til" north wing Of the basement.
Her" the prisoners will b" received.
They viii first b" admitted tu !; room
whr" their l"digrccS will hr taken.
Then they will he escorted TO another
Iu'u where they will lc stripped Of their
clothing, aud h" clothes will b" stored
IN thi, room after being Sterilized, ,nil
their release.
"Now her" is the very first case Of
reformation said Mr. Mcscrvc enter
in" n small room equipped with Il shower
bath atrHchm"nl To this room the pli
sourrS will hp taken after being stripped
of their clothing aud given bath. Thcu
they will he taken to another room and
clothed in the prison carh.
Through Il t,IuGrl 225 feet long visi-
tors are escorted to the pit where the
whipping post and the pillory Will he ST.
toned. The prisoners also will he march
ed through this tunnel to the pit for the
carrying ont Of the letter Of their srn-
trn"rS ard to the qnATricS to work. lhr
pit is Il circular plot Of ground surround
ed by a high Siom" wall. The whipping
pos, and thu Iill"ry will be erected un1rl
u shed IT, protect the prisoners from eX
pasture To the elements
The tunnel also leads TO the power
hou$" where heat and power for tnr
whole institution will be generated. The
power plant is fine one.
In the front part Of the big huildinr
arc the WArdCnS quarters and a meeting
room for the trustees. The rooms are
comfortably and neatly furnished