The Calumet news., 1912-07-19

XF YOU go sightseeing in Manila
the guides do not fail to show you
the Carcel de Bllibid They do so
with great deal Of pride. Once
Bilibid. within almost a stones
throw of your hotel. was the most
hated place-in existence to the ma
tives; now 1t holds no more terrors
than the best OF prisons in the states.
Bilibid. in fact, has been transformed
from a house of torture TO a model
and sanitary prison wherein the con
victs are not only kept in good phys
ical condition, but are required TO la
Dor at occupations which. in their later
life, often prove profitable.
Why the original constructors of
Bilibid designed 1t on lines which sug-
gested the most sanitary conditions
and yet turned It into the flthiest of
institutions is a circumstance which
made the United States authorities
ponder. In the midst OF the old city,
lying within a circle more than a mile
in circumference, nineteen long low
buildings converge on an open space
surrounding a large circular building
and from what is said TO be the larg
est prison In the world There Is
plenty of air space between the build
ings. Besides the 10 prison quarters
which radiate outward from the cir
cular guardhouse in the center there
are five other buildings, composing
the administration offices. the commits
sary and quartermaster's storehouses.
and the ice and electric plants, all
within the great circular area
Topping in height each Of these
buildings there are guard towers from
which can be poured any number Of
steel death-dealing missiles within the
great inclosure and for a great radius
without There Is one large tower in
the center above the main glardhouse,
a score or more surround the inclos-
ure al equal intervals and there is not
n nook or corner in Bilibid which does
not come under the eye of the watch
full sentinels
The long low buildings Of Biihid
comprise the prisoners quarters.
Since the American occupation of the
Islands, the great prison has been d.
vided in two parts by a great stone
wall. One-haIf Is set. apart for the
American military and civilian prison
ers, the remainder for the native Fill
pino and the Spanish. Chinese. Japa-
nese and other prisoners Of different
nationalties The great prison has
heretofore been given two names; the
former the Presidio de Manila. the lat
ter the Carcel de Bilibid The whole
prison is under military command. but
the native section is directly super
vised by native officials.
Clean and Ventilatcd.
Since October. 1898. when the Amer.
lean offiGals took charge of the pris.
on. Bilibid has undergone a most ben.
sficial transformation Those quarters
known as the dormitories are not the
congested cells of the old Spanish
regime. but have been cleaned and
ventilated until there is now a free
circulation of air I'm each Looking
from one end of those buildings 10 the
other you can see long rows Of cots
behind sections barred OFF with thick
bamboo rods. and neatness and order
prevail throughout Twelve wide win.
dows Dne each side of eaclt building,
and in the roofs OF each there has
been built continuous line OF sue.
tion ventilators.
The workshops kitchens. lavatories
and hospitals have been likewise i'm
proved, each being equipped with the
most modern sanitary appliances.
Bilibid, therefore. instead of being
called the House Of Torture" as
named under the old spanish rule, Is
being looked upon with sort OF
pride by the native Filipino as one OF
the model institutions of its kind In
the world.
Its reconstrsction has. in fact edu
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