Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1910-07-28
Ne. z. Atlanta Prison.
BY Capt. P. ID. HELMS. Deputy
Unitei States Marshal.

less the general appearance OF the
Atlanta prison with few historical
data. l shall now enter into the de-
tails of the prison proper referring to
the architectural skill. and the con-
suucuon and farming work carried
on outside the prison walls yet with
in the so-cslled prison enclosure.
The prison proper and its grounds
cover about acres. The former
consists Of one large building. quad |
rangular in shape. aud arranged in
plan ike the letter II. About this
large massive prison building ex-
tends a cement wall twenty feet in
height. iuterspersed at short and /
regular distances by small guard
towers from which a complete sur
vey can be made over the immediate
prissn yard OF over the surrounding
| country. which becomes mountain
Gus at a mile or two distant from the
prison walls. In each one OF these
towers a heavily armed guard is
! posted, and communication IS main
tanned and reports mad at required
| intervals by means Of telephone with
| the captain OF the guard OF his as
sistant IN the executive building.
Beyond the cement walls and
stretching for some distance about
the entire prison is ten foot barbed
wire fence. The entire acreage
within this fence is commonly known
as the prison enclosure, and it's now
, / being continually improved, as viii
2 be vident in later portions Of my
2 letters.
On first observation. the exterior
Of the prison would seem 70 be in
;. complete. A large granite building
IS now being built at the present
prison entrance, and on its compile
lion Will be used exclusively for ad-
ninisuaton purposes. The archi'
b lecture is quite simple. for both II
Il architecture and material IS this
building being constructed 70 harm
Z onize with the buildings now erected
j. The work IS done entirely by pnsor
Z .abor even 10 the quarrying and cut
Al rng OF the stone. On the east o
+ the rrison h &c hundred and seven
ty-five feet Of linear driveway IA
e 5een built o. fine macadam. Will
q. over il has been laid top coverln
& Of granite dust. The ground lynn
n | between the prison and the priso
d. enclosure near the wsrden's res
q | dence has been brought 10 a finish
is &c grade. while there also has bee
N extensive grading 10 the south
10 the prison but within the enclosur
- Two roadways thirty feet wide e.
tend from the sentry boxes, locate
OF the public highway 70 TIE lar'
double door Postern gates. On Z
wings Of the present prison buildir
there is being built q large new stor
house. with cool storage room 4
v. the perishable goods. and with q
latest methods for storage. In q
ciuou new concrete enclosure va
are being constructed as well as
rev hospital building and stor
water sewers. The entire builds
work as mentioned above has be
carried on by the prisoners. who
taught 70 use the most mode
mechanical devices in their VIC
- and are under the direct supervise
- Of an experienced engineer.
y The construction work IS grea
- facilitated by large steam Gran
= and other building machinery WI
- the material is transported from
" prison quarry and construction sh'
: 81 a small but powerful locomou
q The cars are similar 70 those u
- by the large railroad systems
q the tracks have been laid to c
= venient points within the prison
" | closure.