Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-16
A FEDERAL PRISON
ONE SHOULD BE BUILT NEAR
WASHINGTON.
Chairman Mercer Of Public Buildings
Committee Expresses His Views
Maj Sylvester's Opinion.

federal prison, Chairman Mercer of the
House committee public buildings and
grounds said this morning to a Star man:
There are many very excellent reasons
why such an institution should be erected
and maintained by the government and
why it should be located at a point close
to the nations capital. say, on land closely
contiguous to the District line.
THE southernmost portion Of the District
line extends much farther below the city
on the Potomac than is commonly consid-
cred. extending, In fact, to a point on the
Maryland side opposite the city of Alex
andria. large tract of land could be pur-
chased at reasonable price, and the prison
could be made the model one Of the country.
THE proposition. it seems to me, is this:
Shall the government continue to farm Its
federal prisoners out among the various
state penal institutions at so much per
prisoner year, or shall 1t care for them
itself? The farming-out method belongs to
a past generation. and while it may be
cheaper in one sense 1t seems to me that
the government should care for its prison
ers as 1t cares for its insane at st. Eliza
beth's.
Here we have very large institution for
the confinement Of certain persons who cam
not be at large, right IN the District, and
1t is so successfully and quietly maintained
that We scarcely know that We have It
with US except when we ride past the
grounds. / concur with the view expressed
by Major Sylvester that the government
should have its own blind asylum here as
a public institution.
Should Look to the Future.
with between 800 and 600 federal pris-
oners of the District scattered about the
country in the different state penal institu-
tions, we have enough prisoners now to
fill a good-sized prison, but should one be
x@I
large enough to hold at least 1000 inmates
as it should be built for future as well as
for present needs.
The main objection, fancy, on the part
OF Congress would be the initial cost Of
the grounds and buildings but this is an
objection which has been made more or
less to all buildings erected for public
use from time immemorial, and will so con-
tinue. no doubt, until our federal governing
body Is Of mind to erect promptly all build
ings 1t requires for its use, and not go on
paying 100000 year rental for such make
shlft structures as the growth Of the coun-
try demands shall be pressed into use.
The government maintains military pris-
ons in Leavenworth, Kan, and on Alcatraz
Island, In the Bay Of San Francisco. 1t
also maintains a federal prison at Atlanta,
Ca. new institution, and I can see no
reason why II should not maintain such an
institution near the capital for the accom-
mediation of the District prisoners and such
others as may be deemed proper to send
there from the other federal judicial dis
trfcts along the eastern sea board. In fact,
this prison could be used as a military
prison as well as the others have named.
1T would appear to me that the proposed
prison should be located near this city.
Convenience and lessened cost Of Transport
tation, and the further fact that this is the
capital, easily reached in the section Of
country named, are contributing elements
institution should be located at Washing
ton; not IN the city, of course, but so con-
tiguous that it may be considered for pur-
poses to be Washington institution"
Maj. sylvester's Views.
Maj. Richard Sylvester, chief Of police, Ia
also strongly in favor Of the establishing
Of a federal prison close to the District
line.
Reports go to prove" he said this morn
Ing, the overcrowded condition Of the va
rtous state penal institutions in which pris-
oners from the District are confined and It
Is matter we'll understood that all state
institutions of this character are crowded
usually overcrowded with the convicts sent
from their respective Jurisdictions to say
nothing of the additions from federal
sources
THE proposed prison should be estab-
lished as close to the District line as suit
able situation may be found. The new fed
eral prison at Atlanta is one of the show
places of that section, is ornamental in
style, is kept up in excellent condition, the
grounds well taken care Of and II Is a
place shown rather than not shown to WIS.,
itors. 1t Is just outside of the city, and I
have never heard any complaint, but rather
on the contrary, from the citizens as to it's
location so close to the city. In fact, the
citizens of Atlanta made a fight to secure
the locating of this institution at that point
when the proposition was before Congress.
The penitentiary in Albany, N Y, Is in
the city, as Is the prison at Auburn, and
there are many other large penal institu-
lions in different portions of the country in
the centers OF population. 1 fail to see the
advantage to be gained by putting these
places Of confinement in the wilderness: in
fact, think prisoners should be confined
in or very closely adjacent to the police ju-
risdictions from which they are sent. There
are many very good police reasons for this
conclusion which need not go into at pres
ent. The closer the supervision Of the po-
lice over criminals the better for the public
whom the police protect. We at present
look out for District prisoners DISCHARGED
by the Moundsville and other penitentiaries
and when they return to us they are ex-
pected to devote themselves to honest en-
ployment or get out of town. With a prison
close at hand the supervision of the police
over discharged criminals would be even