The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1910-03-29

IN addition. | asked my
guloe whether logging was
ana then to keep the convicts in or
der
The tonNicts Knee to Our Core
spondcnt.
Leaving the solitary cells. | walked
on through inclosure after inrl0surp
containing workshops OF various kinds.
Inc doors were opened by black
skinned jailers and the guards nra-
sented arms as we passed. The Dris-
onerS We met Saluted us BY dropD;ng
on their bare knees or squattine on
their heels and folding their hands
IKE the little cherUbs who look I'D
aloft. At first ! thought they were
praying to me, but [ aftervard learn
ed that they are required to do this
on the grounds OF good order. No
one can Jump at Q with q knife or
knock you " il he keeps his hands
olded and while on the ground YOU
have him at a sadvantag 1t look
ed odd, this squatting down Of hun
dredS Of men as We passed. In some
cases they took tubs OF water from
their heads. and in others laid down
their tools that they might clasp their
hands before us.
Prison Labor.
During my stay | spent much time
in the workshops. They include al
most every industry known to the
Burman and are Il living example Of
the skill Of these people. There is a
large printing office with about 500
presses, and there are fully that
many conNictS at work there and in
the type foundries and engraving es-
Establishments nearby. Each printer
has an iron collar on his neck and
iron rings on his ankles, and this is
the case throughout the whole jail.
Making Convict SOC
Next to the printing esta Enlistment
is a large carpenter and cabinet
rooms where the criminals carve
wood and weave wicker furniture.
This work is very artistic. We next
went by groups OF tailors and cOir
rope makers, who work out in the
open. All these dropped their work
and folded their hands as We passed.
| asked as to the earnings OF the
prisoners. They are considerable
Most of the criminals are sentenced to
hard labor. and the expenses OF the
jails are largely paid by the sales o.
their work. They manufacture all
sorts Of things for the government
departments, do much of the govern
ment printing and binding and make
the and chains used in the
iails. | saw scores of prisoners in the
blacksmith shop forging swords and
dirks to be used by the men who
guard them, and also shaping iron
collars similar TO those they had on
their neckS.
All Done by Hand.
Machinery has a small part in the
work of this prison. Human muscle
takes its place. The flour used in the
kitchens is ground between mIllStone<
turned by men who sweat as they
such work, and was told that each
was expected to make and cieaf
about fifty pounds of our daily. Ihe
about fifty pounds of flour daily. The
they worked, and they toiled hard al
the grinding.
on my way through the yards
saw the pumps working. The water
of the jail is raised by great barrel
like wheels SO hung that as they ttrn
they dip down into the water. nc
the rims of the wheels buckets are
attached. These fill as the wheels en-
fer the water, rise to the top as 1t
goes onward. and empty out into q
trough when it is turned over. Inc
motive power for each of these wheels
&c q half dozen convicts, who, old
ing on to a bar overhead, SteDneI
ever upward, their weight turning the
wheel.
The Treadmiil Abolished.
This work was in the open, aad II
did not seem especially nara IL -
the only ~treadmill that is now az work
in the iail. The great saw and plan
ing mill treading arrangement IS sun
in existence, but it is idle. having been
: displaced by a boiler and steam i,
was actively working when / visited
!. this Rangoon jail twenty years ago
and in the eye of my mind | car SUI
see the picture of the conNicts then
telling This treading arrangement
! was running d large planning mill WITT
= All its accompaniment, as Wen aS
l other shops containing machinery
It operated a buzz Saw ma score
Of machin run by pu'iey9 ans
u,baa1e doing the work of a niodcrr
steam engine. Imagine a long mar.
, row room about thirty feet VIDE, l.
which six great cOgwheels twelve Tee
v in diameter are SO fltteu toSe,ie, ~.
they make a continuous Wneei one
hundred feet long, running from oiie
+na other. Lei