The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1914-08-06
THE PASSING OF
THE old PRISON
Inmates Nearly all Trans
ferred This Week
AN HISTORICAL SPOT
Has Housed State Offenders
Since Minnesota was
Founded, and Started
Many Reforms
AN HISTORICAL SPOT
By J. r. F.

We understand that the old Min
nesota state prison which has housed
the offenders against the laws of
Minnesota since territorial days is
now about to be closed as a deten.
tion house forever. As majority
of the Mirrors local readers have
spent some time at the old institu-
ton, some Of them many years; and
since it was at the old prison that
the prison paper, the prison chau-
tauqua circle, the prison night
school, and similar Psychological re-
forms which have since spread
broad cast over the detention insti-
tutions of the nation, had their
birth. we have thought it but fitting
and proper that our paper should
observe the occasion in appropriate
manner. Accordingly, and with
the approval of the editor of the
prison Mirror. the writer has en-
deavored to sketch, briefly and
roughly, the prominent events and
achievements in the history of the
old Minnesota state prison, in pass
ing tribute.
Minnesota prison was founded on
the historic grounds of Battle Hol-
low, natural recession in the bluffs
lining the St. Crolx river, famous
as ar Indian battle ground in the
days when white men first pushed
southward and westward from the
Great Lakes and Eastern Canada.
The first building was small wood
en- camp, erected by the territorial
government. For several years the
population scarce numbered two
score.
When Minnesota was admitted to
the Union as state, this building
was still in service, and one of the
early actions of the new legislature
was to make suitable arrangements
for the housing and care of the
states wards. Within a few years
a new set of buildings were erected.
The management of the prison was
vested in warden appointed by,
and responsible to the governor.
For several years all Of the small
number of inmates were employed
about the institution. AS the pris-
on population increased the lease
labor system was introduced, early
contracts including labor to be per-
formed outside of the prison.
Contract Labor System.
This system was in time gradually
superseded by the contract abor
system, whereby the prison furnish
ed suitable manufacturing buildings
with power, heat, light, etc. A
number of industries have been car
ried on within the prison under this
system, among the more notable be-
ing tub and pail factory, thresh-
her factory, and shoe factories, the
latter continuing in operation until
the first of the present month (Au-
gust).
But the far sighted management
with which the Minnesota state
prison has been favored for many
years, long ago saw the need for an
improvement on the lease and con-
tract labor systems, with their
many abuses. great risks, and small
profits both to inmates and to the
state; accordingly the state industry
system was originated and incor-
porated into the management of the
prison.
Before coming to the opening of
the plant for manufacturing binder
twine, the first successful state-in-
dustry conducted within a prison
and with prison labor, many changes
had occurred about the institution.
The housing facilities had been en-
larged and modernized from time to
time, as the increase in the prison
population demanded. In 1884
part of the prison was destroyed by
fire. Advantage of this was taken to
erect a large part of the buildings
now standing at the old prison site
Some of the present buildings date
back to an early day; part of the
cell building, the old laundry and
store room buildings, etc.
The management, too. had altered
somewhat, board of visitors, with
general supervisory powers, having
been created to act with the war
den, appointed by the governor.