The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-08-17
The One at Leavenworth Takes Place
of an Old. the One mt Atlanta
Is Entirely New.
WILL BE MODEL INSTITUTIONS
EVERY IMPROVED FEATURE KNOWN
TO PRISONS BELONGS To THEM.
Uniform system of Discipline to BE
Adopted in Both PIaces-stripes
Abolished.


CORRESPONDENCE OF the indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 15.-Uncle Sam Is
putting his finishing touches upon the most
modern and best equipped penitentiary OF
the world-a great prison which penolo-
gists at home and abroad are expected 10
regard as a model for construction. MAIN
tenance. management and discipline. This
institution is the federal penitentiary at
Atlanta. Ga.-our first elaborate national
Jail built for the exclusive confinement Of
offenders against the United States proper.
A still greater federal penitentary is ris-
ing on the national reservation at Fort
Leavenworth. Kan. Although each of these
institutions will cost a round half million,
the latter will be much the larger and more
complete. because IT is being erected en-
tirely by convict labor. The federal prison
ers of the temporary p~enitentiary at Fort
Leavenworth are toiling day by day TO
erect massive walls for their own confne-
ment. Not a few of these unfortunates
work with the consciousness that they are
weaving about themselves a fearful web
which must entangle them for life The
Atlanta penitentiary has been built under
private contract. The labor, while more
expensive than that done by the convicts
IN the vest, mas Dten more fdllu- ~
the big jails will be conducted alike.
The Atlanta penitentiary is a colossal
letter ct" laid fat upon the ground. The
top of the IT" is occupied by cells ex-
clusively; the stem by the dining room,
kitchen. chapel. hospital. storage. ice, heat
ing and electric plants. At the point OF
junction of the base and the stem of the
''T" is a rotunda, within which are the
penitentiary offices. All departments are
under the same roof. The warden and his
staff may, from the rotunda, view every
part Of the great building.
L CELLS LOCKED AT ONCE.
The long, rectangular front structure Il
a weIl-lighted hall from whose center rise
five tiers Of steel cells. In each tier are
two rows, each containing thirty-eighi
cells. Thus there are $50 cells. each with
two hunks. The total capacity of the bis
prison therefore is 760. Each cell Is 5h feet
wide. 9 feet deep and 81 feet high: is made
of the finest tool-proof Bessemer steel anc
is coated inside with silver-aluminum
paint. Every one contains a white enames
stationary washstand, hygienic closet anc
table. in addition to the two folding hunks
which turn up against the partition wher
not in use, and which are provided with
mattresses, pillow, sheets and spreads
The floors of the cells are granitoid. A
novelty Of arrangement is that a utility
corridor separates the two rows of cells in
each tier. This improves ventilation and
affords space for heating pipes. electric
wires and repairs. Each tier is surrounded
by a steel gallery. The rotunda cuts the
entire cell space into separate blocks.
A novel looking mechanism is placed al
the end of each sell row. This consists OF
a steel box. which, when opened. displays
a crank and lever. BY turning the crani
all cells in the row can be locked or un.
locked simultaneously. The lever. how.
ever. may be set to keep any individual cell
locked while all of the others are opened
as in the case where one prisoner is de.
prived of his liberty for purposes of dis
cipline.
This great prison has it's own ice factory,
electric plant, chapel. pharmacy, hospital
and laundry. Great whirling fans always
send a breeze of fresh air through the cells
and other apartments. In fact. the water
supply, ventilation, drainage, electric light
ing and steam heating are as excellent as
those Of the Waldorf-Astoria. The hospital
contains fifty beds, and there is continually
on hand a resident physician receiving a
salary Of $1,000 a year. The chaplain is
given $500 a year.
The discipline OF this new prison will be
firm. but not severe. No corporal punish
ment, no lock-step will be allowed by the
Department Of Justice. into whose jurisdic-
ton all federal prisoners fall after convic-
ton by the courts. There Is TO dungeon in
the entire Institution. and the most ex-
treme punishment co-untenanced by the
Washington authorities will be solitary
confinement in the cells Of the lowest tier.
BY good behavior each convict will earn
the privilege Of joining the daily assembly
Of prisoners In the chapel during certain
prescribed hours. Here they may read.
write and enter into conversation with one
another.
A COMMON DINING ROOM.
The congregate system OF feeding prison
ers has been adopted for this institution. In
other words. all OF the convicts viii be
marched three times daily into one large
dining room. Here are arranged long tables
OF plain board. along the sides Of which are
stationary opera chairs. whose bottoms lift
TO provide an aisle through which the con-
victs may march. single file. TO and from
meals. They will be permitted 10 use
knives. forks. spoons and china dishes. but
Will be denied the luxury OF table linen.
They will have breakfast daily at $50. din
ner at noon. supper at $50. The average
cost per man per day for food will be about
IL cents. Here is a sample menu pre-
scribed for one day in the new peniten-
tiary:
Breakfast-Rice prunes. bread and but
ter. coffee.
D~inner-Baked beans. salt pork. toma-
toes. corn bread.
Supper-Hominy, beef hash. bread. coffee.
On some days fresh beef. liver. bacon.
sausage, syrup, currants. raisins. peaches.
apples. etc. will be items allowed. The
walls OF the kitchen. dining room and Gel
houses are lined with white enamel brick
TO a height OF six feet above the floor.
One of the most striking reforms which
goes into effect with the opening OF this
model penitentlary is the abolition OF the
stripes, except as a safeguard when the
cOnvicts are working outside the prison
walls. II is Uncle Sans theory that such