The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1909-04-04
.REFORMATORy men
CONFER WITH REED
BUILDINGS OF LOCAL PENAL IN
STlTUTlON INSPECTED
BY PARTY.
Will Build New Structures at Monroe
Everything to Be Modern
Several Years Required.

Officials Of the state refOrmatOry at
Monroe arrived yesterday at the peni-
tenitary and conferred with Warden G..
5. Reed for the purpose of inspecting
the buildings at the local institution
and getting the best ideas of Warden
Reed on administration and in con-
struction of a modern reformatory
The members of the party who ar
rived yesterday morning are Cleon B.
Roe, superintendent of the reforma-
tory; John Hansen of Everett, men,
Der Of the board of managers, and G.
w. Lawton, a member Of the firm of
Saunders and Lawton of Seattle, and
the reformatory architect. Fred
Reeves, another member Of the board
Of managers, of Spokane, was ex-
pected to arrive. Frank G. Jackson
of Seattle is a member of the board
and a prominent member of the last
legislature. Corwin S. Shack of Sc
attic is president Of the board. Maur-
ice A. Langhorn is a member of the
board from Tacoma. The board meets
once a month
The state legislature at its last ses-
sion appropriated $250,O0O for new
the next two years and the visit of
the supervisors yesterday at the state
prison was for the purpose of picking
up any new ideas before they decide
definitely on their present building
plans. The gentlemen gave special at
tention to the administration building
while here, the relations Of the build
ings to each other and the general
plan of the building On the ground.
superintendent Roe in describing
the plan Of the buildings at the state
reformatory said: "The main build
ing will be 6S4 feet long, three stories
high, with four tiers of cells, with a
total of $40 cells for this building.
The next building is the domestic
building, parallel with the main cell
building, but not so long. This build
ing will contain everything in a do
nestle line, barber shops, shoe shops,
dining rooms, laundries, etc. Parallel
to these two will be another cell build
ing and the hospital building. all con-
nected by a central aisle. A wall 20
feet high will be constructed around
an enclosure Of Is acres. In the rear
of the tract will be a row of shops of
various kinds, probably five to seven
shops. There viii be 1000 cells when
all buildings. are completed
with the present appropriation we
hope to build the administration
building and part of the main cell
building. All that we do build will
be of the best possible construction
and will he permanent. Every part
Of the construction will be modern,
even to the smallest detail. The front
of the buildings will be constructed
of pressed brick. We have now
brick plant installed and the clay con-
venient from which to make the brick.
1t may be several years before the
prison is entirely completed. but when
it is done it will be one of the most
modern of it's kind and will be credit
to the state. The estimated cost of
completion is $2,225,000.
Mr.. Roe has been in penal work for
many years and he has visited within
the last year the largest and best
equipped institutions in the United
States. Previous to coming to Wash
ington he was five years and a half
engaged in this work in West Virginia.
Monroe is 40 miles east of Seattle
on the Great Northern railway. The
reformatory was opened August 1,
1908. Seventy-two inmates are now
confined there in wooden buildings.
The object Of this reformatory is to
segregate the criminals Nearly every
eastern state has two prisons-one for
the long time criminals and one for
those of shorter terms. At the state
reformatory, criminals between the
ages of 16 and 80 years will be ad-
mitted and when the crime is less than
a second degree murder. Washington
is increasing rapidly in population
and room for her criminals is becom-
ing perplexing problem. This over
crowded condition is one of the main
reasons for constructing the new
buildings at Monroe.
The official party remained in the
citp last night with the exception of
Superintendent Roe, who returned to
Monroe last night.
C-p