The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-08-08
BOARD ENDORSES
PRISON REFORMS
Convicts Placed in New Cell
house, and Kitchen Is
Now Sanitary.
FINDS MUCH TO COMMEND
Reports From Road Camps Show
That Men Are Gaining i'll
Weight and Health.

Emphatic approval of the new din
ing-room at the State Penitcntiary
was expressed last night by the COM
mittee of the State Board of Charities.
which made the annual visitation of
the prison yesterday morning. Other
reforms which have been introduced
by the Pcnitentiary Board, i'll cooper
alton with Superintendent Wood, were
also Endorsed, and the reports from
the new convict road camps were de-
clarcd to be most encouraging.
Special interest attached to the in
spcction made yesterday by reason of
the fact that 1t was the first time the
Board of Charities had formally Wis
tied the prison since May /. when the
law reducing the number of prison
ers on contract to 500 became effective
at the prison.
With the reduction in the prison
population, the old horseshoe" build
ing. used for cells since the erection
of the penitentiary in i79S, has been
vacated and all the prisoners have
been placed in the new dollhouse
erected to the south of the old build
ing. This has left idle large amount
OF space. OF which. according to the
Board of Charities. the prison author
tiles have made good use.
Solves big Problem.
In particular. the old storcroom has
been converted into a large apartment,
which solves one of the greatest prob
lens of the penitentiary. Until the
present time ii has been necessary to
cook the convicts' food in old rooms
which We're formerly used as dungeons
The food was then brought into the
courtyard and was served to the men.
who carried IL TO their cells and ate il
there The storeroom has now been
turned into Il splendid dining room.
which accommodates SIS men. with
kitchens and serving rooms ad-
jacent This room was renovated by
the prisoners and was lifted with
prison made tables and benches, which
are said to be most satisfactory. On
sundays the new dining room will be
used a chapel.
The action of the prison board in
abandoning the old dollhouse was
heartily indorscd by the Board of
Charities and was declared to be the
most important step yet taken toward
Improving the health of the cunvicts.
The old cells We're in bad repair and
could be kept clean only with the cX-
penditure OF much time and energy.
The new building, however which will
comfortably house the entire male pop
uiation of the pcnitentiavy, is regarded
us one OF the MODELS OF the country
Good Work ON the Ronds.
Reports made TO the Board OF Char
tiles yesterday by Road Supcrintcnd-
ent O'Neill covered the opening of The
new camps in various parts OF the
state. TO which have been sent all the
male prisoners in excess OF the 500
men employed on the contract All
these camps are now in good working
order ana are being operated without
Inconvenience.
In particular, they are said to lie
improving the general health of the
prisoners In one case reported by Mr.
Neil. twelve convicts sent to the
road camp were taken at random, and
were weighed after they had heen in
the open air seventy days. They were
round to have gained an average OF
sixteen pounds. This is regarded as n
splendid vind!cation of the argument
for employing the men on the roads.
as advanced in the General Assembly
OF 1910.
"Ovcrtime" Pay I.nrger.
superintendent Wood, in talking with
the committee, expressed himself as
much pleased AZ the discipline in the
shops ana at the fact that the men
are making more overtime" money
than at any time in the past few years
Under new ruling, the convicts work
ing on the contract stay in the shops
until o'clock, but If they finish their
work before that hour, they are al
lowed 10 do overtime" work for which
they are paid. The overtime" for July
amounted TO about sl,l00 or more than
50 the man
The board discussed Informally with
Major Wood the advisability OF tear
ing down the old cell building and OF
using the space now occupied by it for
a recreation field. The old building, it
Is predicted, will never be used again.
ana can be removed without disarrang-
Ing the general work OF the prison In
IT'S place, ii is argued, baseball fold
may be located. The board Will take
up this question later with the peni-
Tertiary authorities. and will make it
the basis OF recommendations to the
General Assembly.
We than plenspd
member of the committee last night
and we feel that this important change
In our prison system has been accom-
pitshed with the least possible fric-
ton. The discipline at the prison was
never better and the welfare of the
prisoners was never given more intel
ligent thought than at present"