Sunday Washington globe., 1902-02-16
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charge in May, 1896, amazed the new adj
ministration. Exteriorily and interiorily
every building in the prison needed some
repairs or overhauling. The smokestacks
were a menace to visitors, as not infre-
quently loose bricks tumbled down on the
streets and sidewalks to the imminent
danger Of life aud limb.
That some idea may be formed of the
thorough and extensive Improvements
undertaken and completed in the order
named, selected list is here given, taken
from the records of the Office Of the super
intendent Of construction, Mr.. ]. G. Rora-
beck Of Fulton county a gentleman
superiority well qualified for the position
he has so worthily and satisfactorily filed
under Warden Coffin.
The re.equipment Of the prison ere de-
partment on practical and efficient basis
this important department had degenerated
into a grass watering brigade, It's most seri-
GUS labors consisting in flushing sewers and
closets with patched and worn out hose.
There was apparently no provision for ex-
tinguishing iucipieut fres, and as for
serious conhagrations the Colum-
bus FIRE department was invariably
called upon at unnecessary and large
expense, to save the shops OF fac
tories. The reorganization of the depart
ment included, besides new material and
equipment from hose to carriages, the sub
stitution of practical and experienced fire.
men from among the prisoners, for the in
frm and inexperienced men in charge An
elaborate system of signal boxes, connected
electrically by wire with every building
in the prison. was at once established, with
headquarters at the prison engine house,
where dial indicated the box or number of
the factory whence the alarm was turned
in. Twelve hundred feet Of two and one
haIf-inch, four-ply water, and one hun
dred and fifty feet Of chemical hose
We're at once provided, and the car
rages, as we'll as the Babcock engines,
overhauled and repaired, making them ser
viceable instead of ornamental appendages
of the department. The results of these
wise provisions are demonstrated ia the
trifiing loss by FIRE during the Coffin ad-
ministration, not a single building being
lost or damaged to the extent even Of one
hundred dollars. Every 6re in its incipi-
encY was discovered and promptly extin-
guished and the expense Of calling on
the Columbus ERE department totally elini-
mated,
In the prison wash house one of the
necessary adjuncts to the pententiary, a
complete revolution has been effected,
owing as much to the increased number Of
prisoners as to Its heretofore inadequate
facilities for supplying the clean clothing,
bed clothes, etc required. A new washing
machine was purchased and put in place
the building was reftted throughout with
other necessary appliances and an annex to
the main wash house opened, where laun-
dry work OF all kinds is done. The wash
ing for an average Of twenty-three hundred
prisoners, including sheets, blankets, COM
forts and other bedding is, as may be sur
missed, a large undertaking and requires, be-
sides most perfect system, the latest inn
proved appliances and machinery. These
were supplied for the FIRST time under the
Coffin administration.
New gates at the stoekades-Even the
gates at the stockades were falling down
and bade fair TO be entirely useless as pre-.
ventives of escape for prisoners able to
reach their vicinity. This was illustrated
in the successful escape Of three prisoners
from the prison asylum, short while be-
fore Warden Coffin took charge of the in
stitution The semi-lunatics easily scaled
the gate leading to the stockade near the
female department, and thus made their
way to the outer world. where they are still
at large New gates we're constructed and
hooded at the top to prevent repetiiions Of
such easy egress and scaling.
New acknowledgement ankles were OF
frequent occurrence among the prisoners
compelled to march in lockstep over the
apologies for brick sidewalks which rami-
fed the prison campus The streets, also,
were in an almost impossible condition for
the heavy teams used in hauling the pro-
ducts of the shops and factories or In sup
plying coal provisions and other neces-
saries to the prison. Eight thousand feet OF
Acme (artifcial flag stone) paving and six
hundred feet of brick pavement were laid
the first year of the Coffin administration,
while in the cellars and other necessary
places asphaltum floors were laid. In the
kitchen cellar this improvement saved po-
tatOes, onions and other large stores OF
vegetables from the heretofore annual per
centage Of decay and rottenness. This was
no small item of expense saved, as on
several occasions, by the overflow from
cloeged sewers and the back-water of the
Scioto river into the seeping and mud-hoor
cellar, hundreds Of bushels Of potatoes aud
large quantities Of other vegetables were
rotted or so damaged as to be uuiit for con-
sumption, even by conviets.
10 add to the beauty, as we'll as the ne
cessity Of even sidewalks fot the prisoners
to march over to the dining room and to the
shops and factories where they we're en-
ployed, the prison campus was improved in
the laying out OF handsome grass plots and
flower beds; trees we're planted at regular
intervals bordering the walks, afordiug
shade in summer and gladdening the eye
with foliage. shrubbery, flowers and shaven
lawns Of greenest and weedess sod.
Engagements and repairs Of building
An entire new story was erected over the
old wash house and the old hospital re-
modelled IN connection herewith, so that
the connected buildings we're utilized as a
factory for the manufacture Of gloves-a
new industry introduced into the prison
under Warden Coffin, and employing three
or four hundred Of the erstwhile idle pris-
oners.
The enlargement Of Reynoids's foundry;