New-York tribune., 1903-03-29
4 PRAIRIE JAIL.
Description of a Visit TO the Manu-
to6a PenuentiG1y.

II Uas loyelv morning in early October. with
a bright sun and just twanS OF lmPehoihs -Iosl
in the air, says "Chamberss Jourhal. oh 'iie
prairie the surface left by the late rains was
evsporstfrs rapidly and the sere hay stuoble
spread crisp and yellow from the OUTSKIRTS OF the
town to the distant sky line The DAY was ul-
usually clear and we could distinguish the outline
OF the buildings Of the penitentiary on the TOP
~ O +ar auyav hillock to the northwest, the only
bit of rising ground endless miles OF pfalfie
The prison stands on the crest OF the moarlal"'
inclosed on two sides and part OF th.ro pS d H's
stone wall the work of the convicts themselves
who snpear rather to enjoy building their own cage
hhou+ halfway ND are the residences OF the Oh
fcials, and yet little higher up the stableS anu
farm buildings of the institution. AS we oroFe 10
the warden's house a long line OF prisoners
marching in single file from the potato field. a
couple OF guards in charge, and mounted
man was riding behind. convict came % take
charge of the horses; for a good zeal OF the OUT
door work is done, under careful SUPERVISION pS
men whose of imprisonment has nearly eN-
pired, and who can therefore be trustee Hot ~ a'
tempt to escape.
A large proportion OF the outdoor work In thls
agricultural region consists Of course, IN FARMING
ooerations therefore, the cOnvicts raise crops OF
barley oats and wheat Besides this. they grow
va1etabIes raise pigs rear cattle and generally
arc beginning to realize the ideal OF the warden IN
charge that ultimately the penitentiary shall be-
come the great model farm of the province. The re-
turns from this labor largely help to make tie
in the open air is an inducement to good behavior
There is, also. the usual indoor work-ta1Iorlng
bootmakng etc. all the clothing worn by the con-
vtcts being manufactured by them. and even part
OF that worn by the officials in charge. As
suit some prisoners, anxious to reform, who en-
tered the institution unletered and ignorant of any
kind of honest labor. have liberation been able
to read and write and have possessed good knoWI-
edge OF some trade. These men now look back on
their term of incarcera ton a blessing in disguise
The whole place seems to be as clean, tidy and
extraordinarily fresh and pure blowing straight
off the prairie, and the inmates. though somewhat
pale owing to the confinement, present generally
an appearance Of robust health.
The prisoners generally are motley crowd. One
file 1 particularly noticed led by tall, stout
and apparently emnently respectable man.
looking like a prosperous banker; but he was a
cattle thief. Behind him Blackfoot Indian
ard a little further down the line was Villanous
negro who should have been hanged for his facial
angle alone, the being brought up by an
Es0uirno murderer, who wadded about like a duck
in his efforts to keep step. That poor creature
could not speak English. but it would have been
interesting to know his ideas OF his surroundings.
Imagine being dragged off from your peaceful home
in 8 snoWcoop and carried couple of thousand
: had never before; and being locked up with
strange black and white and red goblins, and haV
ing TO wash! 1t would have been more mercifu to
hang him, for II he does return to his own
was really delightful old gentleman, with white
hair and clean cut, clean shaVen face, who was
engaged In laying flower bed. E5e looked ike a
pere ncble and was serving his third term for