The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-12-06
IT IS VERY BAD.
econtinued from PsS. Ono,
One Sanitary building.


Out Of the mass Of twisted iron,
broken brick and smouldering sisal,
which told the story of the big prison
fire of last April. there arose one san
1tary building. 1t is the new Irvine
plant. A fire proof structure, cement
floor. ample light, good ventilation.
sanitary drinking fountains. and auto
|. matte sprinklers are features of the
new building. It is the only building
in the ten acre stockade at the prison
which would pass inspection by the
board Of health.
The new Irvine plant cost the state
of Kansas about $4,000. 1t is new.
clean and sanitary. Every machine is
brand new, the brick was burned at
the prison and laid by convict labor.
500 pounds Of Irvine day. has the
same equipment and same capacity as
the Wisconsin prison Irvine plant,
which cost that state $4,000.
But tie feature Of the new Irvine
plant is the fact that it is clean end
sanitary. Ninety men Will work there.
A New Hospital.
Under the administration of Warden
Botkin, a new hospital has been estab-
lished, thus doubling the PRISONS hos
pital capacity. There are IA beds in
the new hospital, which is well lighted
and ventilated and quite we'll equipped.
It's the greatest improvement that
10
Ike Johnson. a life termer from Atchi-
son county, as he talked to a State
Journal reporter who recently spent a
day and a night at the penitentiary
plant.
Johnson was a trained nurse before
he went to prison for murder. In the
20 years he has been an inmate at the
Lansing institution, johnson has as
sisted in nearly 500 major and minor
operations.
Prison a Fire Trap.
Walking through the prison cell
blocks. Warden Botkin told Of the needs
OF a new prison. He has been on the
Job less than six months. He went to
Lansing a green hand in prison man
agement. But he has broken the union
rules in the hours he has spent on the
job and reform in the care of prisoners
has started.
with $50, 900 We can tear out those
old stone affairs and build modern all
steel cells" said the warden. I'VE can
arrange for better ventilation. plenty
of fresh air and improve the health COLI
ditions Of the prison. This whole
thing is a veritable fire trap. The roofs
Of the cell blocks are frame and a Iire
in the cell blocks and administration
might mean the suffocation of dozens Ct
men. Conditions cry to high heaven for
relief. 1t isn't anyOne's fault in par
ticular. 1t is something the people
should have demanded and the legis!a-
ture remedied years ago."
New Prison Will Cost 100000.
A new prison, an extension of the
prison walls to the east and the build
ing cells in the new enclosure, is the
need Of the state. Botkin declares.
Such an improvement, though, will
cost from $500. 900 to $500000
! The extension Of the walls. stone,
materials and labor would be furnished
I at the prison with but little extra ex-
| pense to the state. The state already
owns the ground on which the new
{ blockade would be built,
( With a new prison, all steel cells, built
/ and fashioned after the plan of the new
[ $4,000. 900 federal prison plant at Leav-
( enworth, would be built. But until the
I legislature meets in January, 1915-Gov-
ernor Hodges has said he would not
call a special session-nothing can be
done to improve conditions. Now Cot
kin is devoting his time to improving
[ the physical condition of the plant.
Make Many improvements.
After the prison fire last spring the
electric light plant was out of commits
sion The blacksmith shop burned, the
wagon shop went up in smoke. the grain,
tobacco, clothing and dress goods sup
ply was destroyed. the shoe shop and