Carson City daily appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1907-1930, 1909-02-26
HE PLEADS
FOR BETTER
CONDITIONS

of this paper an old time friend
Mr.. Williams has been over a good
deal of the world and ne wanted to
see the famous land marks of Carson
City. We gave him very hOspitable
attention We could extend to him and
Warden Maxwell was held up that
Mr.. Williams might be shown the
state prison, the prehistoric tracks
and the warm springs.
When he returned to the city we
asked him what he thought of Car
son City. He said that the sights at
the prison had wiped out every other
interest and We asked him to write
us when he had time, what he
thought of the prison.
Servative that they are criticised very
often by their clients, and his letter
on the prison, published herewith is
no exception.
The Ietter follows in full:
BY r. x. WILLIAMS
The present legislature should GER
tainly make an appropriation for the
prison at Carson. A visit. ever so
curSOry. to that penal institution is
sufficient to impress upon one the
absolutely inadequate facilities at
hand with which the Warden, Mr..
maxwell, has to do
l am satisfied that the public-spirit-
ed legislators now at Carson wrest-
ling with mOmentOus questions have
not given the Slumbering volcano out
on the fiat visit. else err this there
would be some means presented to
lessen the dangers from the immur-
ed, idle and dangerous men incar
cerated there.
Myself and friends were guests Of
Mr.. Maxwell a short time and with
him as guide we were permitted to
go through. around and over the
prison. l assure you | was vVv
much surprised when on going into
or 50 striped derelicts IN absolute
idleneSs and cOngr1gated on the sun
ny side of protecting buildings. lOll-
ing at i'll ease and COnversing, about
what? That is the question, about
what were they conversing. They
have no employment. nothing but
in to hn a i,,
the gOssipping plans may be matur
ing the working out of which may
waken the country to massacre alb
sOlutely astounding
The prisoners at Carson are to be
congratulated. Without question
there is not a place in the country
where criminals of all classes are
thrown ,prOmisciously together land
have SO little to do. In fact there is
nothing to do but to enjoy the sun
shine and 10 hours in the open air
For criminal this is not such a
hardship.
In the first place the buildings are
not staunch enough. They have been
standing almost half century and
were originally constructed out Of
sand rock. which under the elements
has disintegrated and now present d
picturesque appearance through sheer
weakness. For instance, the Ward
en- demonstrated the lraiiable con
dition Of some of the water soaked
blocks by kicking a hole in them with
Hls shoe. An enterprising burglar
with a lie and hammer could enlarge
hole sufficient to permit a hundred
men to escape in space of two
hours. The buildings are bul@e'l
outward in various places, the plas
ter, not cement, with which the
stones are laid upon one another, has
disappeared SO that here and there
far as six inches.
Then again. look at the sleeping
apartments OF the men who give VI
their good lives to watch the men
who are sent there to be out OF
harms way. These guards deserve
wonderful praise. They are staunci
and true, and strange as it may seen
they are following the most danger
Gus occupation of any class of mel
in this state, for they are brought
daily face to face with latent, slum
uering, murderous passion that only
requires a spark to ignite to flame
into a fury. This band OF devoted
men, have little dungeons not much
better than the prisoners themselv
es, no ventilation and no light, witt
walls dripping and slime covered ir
places, from the constant seepagt
from the roof and ground. A mar