The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1914-02-08
Bills of Fare Sent TO Capital.

We Of Atlanta penitentiary used to
hear occasionally of the bills of fare
of cur repasts in the prison that were
daily forwarded TO Washington by way
or renssurin9 the department of Justice,
and whom else it might concern, as to
the substance and excellence of our
nourishment. These alimentary docu-
meDts might be compared with like
lists AT Delmonico's and the Waldorf,
and the names OF the viands would be
found to be identical. The Inference,
to the legal mind, not to speak Of the
pathological one. was plain: The con-
victs at the pcnitentiary Jared as
sumptuously as do the oanqueters OF
the four hundred-at no cost, moreover,
to themselves, not even walters tips,
For here were rich soups and gra
vies, substantial roast beef, succulent
steaks and chops, the renowned baked
beans of legend, comforting hashes, pies
and puddiugs, fresh vegetables, includ
ing the famous sweet potato Of the
south in its pride; and long draughts of
milk from the tranquil cows of the
pasture, together with tea and coffee
from the orient, sugar, mustard, salt
and pepper and vinegar, enough to be-
guile the most sqneamish appetite, and,
to top off with, fruits in their season,
led by the Incompatible Georgia wa
termelon. | may have inadvertently
omitted some items from this toothsome
list, but it Is enough as 1t stands to
make an epicure's mouth water. And
if any skeptic were still unconvinced,
a photographer would be admitted with
his undeniable camera at certain sea-
sons-Christmas and Fourth Of July, for
cxample-who would place a picture of
the revelry and reVclers on the ever
lasting records, with garlands and fes-
tive decorations, and actual dishes of
some sort on the groanIng boards. and
serried rows Of plump fclons ready to
fall in.
| The fame Of all this went forth into
| the world, and Atlanta penitentlary, its
! warden, its guards. and its cooks shine
in penal annals as the acme and ideal
| of modern Humanitarian ideas upon the
! reclamation of coDvlcts through gentle
ness and love, and full stomach
/ found opportunity to study some
Of those historic scrolls, and was so
much impressed by them that ] caused
suggestion TO be conveyed TO the war
! den. Instead Of sending all the menus
! 70 Washington and TO admiriug friends
! in the Atlanta neighborhood, let one
or two Of them he placed al each meal
npon the tables OF the diners, to the
end that they might he stimulated, by
! the pcrusal of these literary master
pieces, to cnoke down their gullets the
actual garbage which was furnished in
| the name thereof. But the warden Is
views seem not to have been in har-
mony with mine on this occasion, | am
glad to learn. however. from certain
graduates oil the institution since my
own departure from it. that the food
has greatly improved in quantity and
somewhat even in quality,
! ! need not attempt TO fathom the
reason. If IT were Incompatible be-
fore, why or how to better it? 1t could
hardly have been done al the instance
Of the old and warm personal friend
Of the warden and the attorney gen
era who was sent 10 Atlanta recently
| in &c guise of Spartan inspector OF
I tho alleged abuses. because. for ono
Il thing. the Improvement had set ~ jnEo
u before he made his investigations and
n thc investigator j. p; .crort, appears
TO have discovered no room tG
proNement anywhere. = mist have Just
happened-one Of those miracles in thc
way Of gliding refined gold and paint
ing the lily which arc so common no
whore else as in our model penal insti
tutions.