The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-01-18

the middle. There were twelve OF these
cell buildings. Each was twenty IeeI
square and in each were twelve conVlcls.
All overhead was a dry airy rooIl'
32x150 feet, fitted up for the use OF con-
valescents in the day time" 1t was
really a big loft. Guards walked past
outside the cells at night, while Dig
lights dispeled the darkness. Other
guards watched the passageway, which
was about as wide as the cells. Later
another double row of these cells was
built. 1t is now gone; part burned, the
remainder removed.
As stated, the penitentiary was opened
January s, 1870. Judges had for some
ime previous sentenced criminals Ito
the penitentiary, so they would be ready
for 1T when it was ready for them The
first to arrive were a batch of thirty
three. Number l was Charles Lewis. a
mulatto, aged %, a native of Virginia,
convicted of robbery and sentenced to
four years Imprisonment. The next in
order were Eliza and Nancy Richardson,
negroes, who were in the gang with
Lewis, and who got two-year sentences.
LeWis was discharged September rs,
, 1873, while the women were discharged
September IS, 1870.
In April, 1871. NJ. A. Bledsoe was made
president of the board. The report on
the number of convicts in the prison
November l, 1870, was 202, and Novem-
Der l, 1871, was 343. Coleman & Bros.
of Ohio. had the contract to erect the
building. They quarried granite some
on the spot. and some in the eastern
suburbs of Raleigh and got the found
tn hrio1
gave out. the Treasury was short
and Coleman & Bros. dropped out The
expenditure on account of the peniteu-
ttary for the fiscal year ended Novem-
Der /, 1870. was $1O4 ,O00 and for that
ended November !, 1871, was $145,74
while the value of the convict labor dur
ing the two years was figured at $50, 71G.
The first contract for a building was for
one With 500 cells. and it was recon-
mended that $50 more cells be construct
ed. The cells were calculated to cost
S171.50 each. In the report for 1871 ii
was said that "of the $3.50 convicts now
in the prison only have liberal edu-
cation and only So can read and write"
The penitentiary was then and for
quite a while afterward, spoken of as
"the poles" because of the pine poles
or logs. used in the stockade. 1t was a
rough looking place. The State soon
sent away the greater part of the con-
victs to build the Western North Caro-
lima Railroad from Old Fort to Ashe-
vile. Hundreds of them pulled the
first engine across the mountain using
team for any track. Cars were pulled
over too. so that work could be done
between Asheville and the Buncombe
end of the tunnel as we'll as on the Nc
Dowell side.
During 1872 railroad track was
built into the prison The chapel and
dining room combined was also built,
to seat $50. The cost of buildings (tem-
porary) and site up to November LIST was
$50, 1855 Work was begun on the great
granite wall The cost of permanent
buildings to the same date was $161 .973.
Coleman Bros. were paid $4,000 for the
REIMBURSEMENT by the State of the uncx+
pired part of their contract to complete
the permanent buildings, the penitentiary
authorities having decided to do the
work themselves and solely with con-
victs. The shoe shop was established.
The number of cOnvicts November LIST
was $50.
In 1873 the quarry adjoining the pris-
On was bought for $4,000. The number
of convicts was. November list. 400. The
States expenditure was $67 ,019.
In 1874 the mortality was great. 1t
was due to crowding II to IA men in a
cell with bad ventilation, and Az per
cent. of the whole prison population died
during sthe year. The Governor (Brog-
den) announced that following the rule
established by Governor Caldwell he
would pardon no convict who was no.
recommended by the prison authorities
for good behavior.
The grading of the grounds was be-
gun; a great task During the year the
heaviest part of the work on the wall
was done. The stone work was done by
convicts, trained under the Coleman con-
tract, this being the best thing the State
got out of that contract tin shop
was started and the making of cell doors
begun, n contract with private firm to
! furnish them having been annulled by
the State, which made them at $50 each;
lust half the contract price. The number
of convicts was 455. The Legislature was
sked for s11S,000 and gave $4,000. The
| cash paid to Coleman Bros, was S116,204
exclusive of the $1,000, and they had
convict labor worth $1S,71S.
| In 1875 the number of convicts in
creased to 647. A shoe shop was built. A
contract was made to furnish the Spar
tanburg and Asheville Railroad with 20C
convicts for two years at S31.2O year
| and 90 went TO the North Caroline and
| Georgia Railroad, while so were sent tc
the Raleigh and so to the Morganton asy-
lums to work The total expenditure tc
November 1st for permanent buildings
was 1852, S29. The State appropriation
for 1S74-'75 was $106,S31.
After the constitution of 1875 was rati-
fed biennial reports began. The prison
| Sunday School was established in 1876
| It has been conducted ever since. The
prison received 100000 from the STATE
for the year ending November 1. 1876.
In 1875 the State put 81 and in 1876 29'
more convicts at work on the Western
North Carolina Railroad on the Swan
nanoa section. Money was short sut
that was why the 200 were farmed on
to the Asheville and Spartanburg Rail
road.