The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1910-02-17

air enter and the cells were remod-
eled. The old plank doors, with
only small aperture to admit light
and air, were removed and barred
iron doors substituted. These doors
were manufactured in the prison
blacksmith shop. and several hun
dred dollars was saved over the cost
that would have been incurred in buy
ing them. The old beds, that were only
iron Stats with mattress over them
Fwere replaced with iron beds with a
spring and mattress, adding much to
the comfort of the prisoners and lit
tie to the expense. But the most i'm
| portant improvement was made in
the way of ventilation. A ventila-
tor was placed in each cell, con-
Meeting with an air shaft, and an
electric fan was installed at the top
of the building. AS soon as the men
are in their cells at night an electric
motor starts the fan, so that all the
foul air is steadily removed, and as
there is coil of steam pipes in each
cell the inmates do not suffer from
cold. A niche has been constructed
for the buckets and this also is con-
nected with the air shaft The cells
are free from foul air or any dis
agreeable odor, there is an entire alb
sence of what is known as the prison
smell, and with the advent of pure
air the number of sick cases has
largely decreased. In fact today
there are hardly any cases of sick
ness, except a few colds among the
old inmates and some trouble brought
to the prison by the new corners.
The cells are kept neat and tidy
and the men are allowed to have
writing materials, books, calendars
post cars, photographs, and any dec
orations that may make the place
more cheerful
On the stills of the outer windows
in this wing reageraniums and other
plants in pots, thriving in the gloomy
surroundings and giving them an air
Of cheerfulness
The plumbing was old and worn
out when the present management
took charge. There was no cellar I'M
der the central building, and as the
old drain pipes leaked the refuse mat
ter accumulated underneath, so that
at times there were several inches
of foul slush beneath. To remedy this
building and the plumbing was en-
tirely overhauled, so that it is now
of the latest design and thoroughly
efficient The toilet room for officers,
which was formerly between the din
ing room and pantry, so that the Of
ficers using it frequently came in
contact with the prison women, has
been removed to the upper floor
adjoining the offices, and officers
are not allowed to go beyond the din
ing room on the lower floor except
by orders from the superintendent.
The cells in the east wing have
been fitted with new doors, and new
outside windows, like those in the
other wing, are in readiness to be
put in as soon as warm weather re-
turns The brick floors of the cells
and corridors have been replaced
with cement and the old beds have
been replaced by iron ones with
springs 1t is an evidence of the
economy with which the affairs of
the prison are administered that
these new iron beds were made at the
prison blacksmith shop, from the iron
Stats taken from the old beds. All
the horse shoeing and iron repair
work about the institution is done at
the prison blacksmith shop.
An extension has been made to the
prison workshop, the engine room
has been removed to the further end
and new Corliss engine of $50 horse
power substituted together with a
smaller engine to run the dynamo at
night that furnishes electric light to
the prison, and the cellar underneath
the workshop has been made avail
! able for the heavy machinery used in
cutting sole leather into soles and
heels
The hospital, which was formerly
one room, with no opportunity for
the segregation of contagious cases,
has been enlarged, so that there is
now one large room or ward, and
three separate rooms, properly light
I ed and heated and supplied with
toilet conveniences which formerly
were lacking.
The old kitchen, where the men
used to walk past to get their meals,
has been converted nto a store room,
and root cellar has been, construct
ed, so carefully that the temperature
does not vary over two degrees all
winter, in which a large supply OF
vegetables can be kept in good condi-
ton.
! The barns have been repaired, old
COWS sold off and new ones bought, a
slaughter house erected where all
the pigs raised in the institution can
be killed and dressed, large silo
built and an old unproductive pasture
l.,