Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1926-10-30
COMPLETELY ISOLATED

COMPLETELY ISOLATED
For those unfortunately suffering
with any ills this medical system
filled long felt need and from the
legion beneficial results obtained the
Governor should ever look upon same
with much pride of achievement.
Usually these examinations, await
ing results of tests, ETC., covered a
period of at least two weeks, and
anyone remaining in quarantine du-
ring that time remained perfectly
isolated not being allowed any priv
ilege or license outside their individ-
ual ceN, which however was relig-
iously clean and We're it not for the
bars and with the peculiar odors the
quarantine section reminded one of
hospital. After a week of quar-
antine life the writer was trans
ferred to the prison proper, in one
of the new modern dormitories. each
including ten men, with hot and
cold water, shower. baths, etc. Hav-
ing arrived back at Jackson the 21st
of December 1923, my Christmas
was spent in quarantine but at
least / was out in time for New
Years on which day a real celebra-
ton was held, starting with a late
movie in the morning, special noon
feed and program by a Detroit or
chestra in the dining room, the
afternoon for pleasure with the boys
in the dormitory and at night a
meal that the boys looked forward
to but once a year, oyster stew and
all you could eat.
The holidays over I~began to feel
/ cI, ho
pect of becoming professional coal
HEAVIER. 1t was two weeks before
was called on to do any work and
then it was to unload ten cars OF
coal. five men being assigned to
car With so many men the work
seedem but play as we had all day
to unload the car in and could
have done 1T in couple of hours if
necessary. We were known as Eek
ira" men and as such had a snap
but one day the foreman, thinking
that I was a pretty good worker, put
me on the regular assignment and
in this there was no play for only
two men were allowed to car and
we had to throw the coal into a
bunker Fortune however favored
me as my working mate was a
strong robust Turk and who boosted
that he could unload any car of
coal in eight hours by himself and
would gladly do so If they would
paw him more money. / asked him
what he wanted and he said twenty
five cents day as the state only
paid him ten I offered to buy him
groceries and tobacco for the fifteen
cents a day extra If he was willing
N n nd of
sition he jumped with the result
all I was forced to do and then, only
when foreman or some officer
would come around and that would
be to take my shovel and, scoop the
coal up in heap so that my oblig-
ing Turk could get it more easily
and throw it into the bunker. The
coal pile was reserved for men who
had reputation Of being shiftless
or those that wouldn't work and
just as soon as one earned therepu-
tation of being a good worker he
was taken off the coal pile assign
ment. Personally as long as my
arrangement lasted with the Turk
was getting along fine. I was en-
joying the free irresponsible exist
ence and most Of all the fresh air.
After few weeks of this I guess
thew figured that either I had been
punished enough or that I was too
coDtented workman for ] was laid
off the assignment and did no work
whatever the balance of the winter
but laid in my cell, read all day and
awaited the next turn Of events.
About the middle of April when the
binder Irvine shipping season was
about to commence they decided to
install clerk inside the prison to
handle the billing. tagging, etc, in
stead of having 1t done in an out
cido nfnno fnrrnnrl.. md man