The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-01-13
PROF. BLACkMAR
URGES new PRISON
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30 q 81 q
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3eet high. with cells Z feet long. feet
Wtd. feet high and afford each
q the 1SS prisoners 196 cubic feet OF
ar space. The east wing cell house
q z22 feet long, SO feet wide and ~
feet high and 4.6 wide. Each Of the
1iS prisoners have 258 cubic feet Of
From the prison cells Professor
hospital. It is entirely inadequate. he
says, although new rooms have been
fitted up to increase its facilities. He
refers to the hospital as make
shift" and recommends a new hospital
building. About 80 per cent of the
people entering the prison need hos
pital treatment. Blackmar says, and
Improved facilities for the care OF
these cases are needed.
Inadequate Hospital Service.
Taking up the case OF the white
plague" which has been responsible
Tor 81 per cent Of the prison deaths in
10 years. Professor Blackmar declares
! that 20 per cent Of the prisoners en-
tering the prison are affected by
tuberculosis In one form or another.
He declares that there are now 200
prisoners needing treatment for tuber-
culosis. while rs OF them should be in
the hospital.
81 cannot help but think" says
14$AoA~AAAA0Ap
ana what have heard from others
observations in the past 20 years. that
the real tuberculosis condition at the
penitentiary has never been fully pub
pie who die from pneumonia would
also indicate evil conditions. The
state has never seriously taken hold
Of this matter in the penitentiary and
plated. The penitentiary should not
be the incubator Of the white plague"
Much Of the trouble among prison.
ers 10 due to poo and tneffictent
classification Of the insane inmates.
the report declares. Blackmar be-
lieves that the greater majority OF
people punished for prison irregulari-
ties are mentally Irresponsible.
Conditions in Insane Ward.
Nearly all the punishment falls
upon . hundred of the 500 prisoners"
SO, and SO tar as Investigated. these
punishsnents fell upon abnormal and
subnormal people. There has never
been. until the present time. any seri-
Gus scientific study Of these subjects In
the penitentiary Indeed it has scarce
ly been recognized In the treatment OF
prisoners In the prison"
Blackmar found ~ men and women
confined in the insane wa. ward Of the
ut least IS other insane persons in
the prison., But the insane ward is
already overcrowded. Each cell ac-
commodities two insane patients; . In
mar found three insane patients.
Would Return Federal Prisoners.
As relief. Professor Blackmar
recommends that the state Immediate
ly transfer to the government the 20
federal prisoners in the women's ward
and house the II Kansas women in
temporary house. using the present
hnQnffQ1 n.
creasing the room for the care of the
criminally insane.
Looking still further into the .inef-
ficiency of the Kansas penitentiarys
Professor Blackmaf states: r
1.-THE general sanitation Of the peni-
istration does all it can to keep things
clean. the conditions are such that
real sanitation - impossible. For in
stance, within less than 100 feet Of
the south cell house and within zoo
feet of the dining room, Ii building
in which are kept horses. Flies null
tiply under such conditions and carry
on their destructive work. The sewer
cells but on parts Of the grounds.
There are Mt least one dozen open
water closets with cesspools on diff
1erent parts Of the grounds, including
the brick yards and top Of the mines
These should be removed by installing
. complete sewer system.
Sewer Above Pumping Plant.
"Another very astonishing thing"
continued the report, "is that the
sewer empties into the Missouri river
three-Quarters Of mile above the
pumping plant. which takes the water
out Of the river for domestic purposes.
This water Is settled in . basin and
then piped to the penitentiary. It is
claimed to be good water at present.
but the conditions would indicate a
possibility of disease"
Conditions in the mines, Professor
Blackmar found. are good. Recent
improvements have added to the bet
terment of these conditions. although
. system for electrtfying the mine is
recommended.
minds of many people OF Kansas
whether prisoners should be sent be-
low the ground to work." the report
says. I'm the main this is not un-
healthy or Questionable to the pris-
oners. The air is good. temperature
equitable and II they must work at
hard labor, most OF the prisoners
would as soon 60 into the mine as
work above ground"
Looking over the plant. Prof
Blackmar found three power plants
in operation. AS a matter of econ
omy. he recommends that only one Of
them be operated. Recent INSTALL.
ment Of new high pressure pumps,
Blackmar recites, Is one Of the worthy
Improvements of the last few months
One Of the economical features of
the present prison management,
Blackmar found, was the reduction of
SO per cent in the pumping system,
which has reduced the fuel demand
from 5000 tons to 1850 tons q month.
The new Irvine plant Is also modern,
up-to-date and fireproof. Blackmar
found. AZ for the penitentiary laun-
dry. Blackmar would throw it in the
scrap heap.
Kitchen, Dining Room. Chapel
Then Prof. Blackmar spent q little