New Britain herald., 1930-12-30

| ply, etc. IL declares that 1t IS apDar-
 ent that the legislature is not
 ready as yet to pass the necessary
 appropriations for the new prison. | Then the present plant is described.
 "The prison an old one. One Of
 the buildings was erected in 1927;
 another in 1885 and few. if any,
 can be called modern. Nevertheless,
 bearing in mind the purposes for l which prisons of traditional type are designed, the WethersfieId plant,
 barring certain inadequacies. only
 one or two of which are of ma jor im-
 portance, is reasonably satisfactory. The building and equipment are somewhat above the average Of
 State penitentaries in this country. The quarters allotted to the criln- | inal insane while unsatisfactory are not uncomfortable. Most of the in sane inmates have an individual | room with an outside window. New | plumbing is now being installed | They have congregate dining | room, an exercise yard and quarters where they may be occupied in the | making of brooms, weaving and in
 similar ways which are calculated
 to be helpful 10 persons of that | type.
 ''The bulk of the other prisoners are employed under modified
 contract labor system. It is rarely
 that one sees in q prison more evil
 dences of industry and application than is found in this institution.
 The shops are orderly well man. aged, well lighted and sanitary.
 "A school for the instruction Of inmates in elementary subjects has
 been established and meets three nights week in the dining hall. Tn- struction is carried on under the general supervision Of the chaplain, assisted by inmate teachers. At tendance is optional and about 135 participate. No vocational instruc- ton is given.
 The provisions for allowing NiS- it's are humane and reasonably ade- quate. The table designed for this purpose is satisfactory, for it is so arranged as 10 prevent the admis- sion of contraband articles, and vet permits a prisoner to see his rela- tives in a normal fashion.
 "The chapel is a very attractive room, quite capable Of accommo- dating the whole prison population
 "The extension of the concrete wall which is now being made will add materially to the space avail able for other structures and if de sired, for exercise.
 Tt is doubtful if any institution in the country has a cleaner, better or more satisfactory bath and show CT room than the one provided in this institution.
 "The East and West cell blocks. constructed of steel, are superior to the brick and stone North wing which contains the larger number Of prisoners; but, granting that it is necessary to keep prisoners in in- terior cells, these cells are clean. reasonably well ventilated and seem 10 be properly equipped. Each man has q bed, q mattress. q blanket. two sheets and q pillow case, a chair. d mirror, a broom. an Iudi- vidual wash basin with running wa ter and flush toilet facilities Most of the prisoners have chest Tn which 10 keep their personal belong ings or a table on which to work. The cells in the North wing have what is known as a peep hole at the back which makes 1t possible to keep the inmates under obserya- ton or espionage by the guards in the alley at the rear. This practice, however, is rarely TesOrted 10 and then only when the authorities have suspicious as to q given individual.
 "Gonerally speaking. the institu- tion is clean and free from objec- ed hot, the portions are substantial the menu is diversified and the food is well cooked and palatable The dishwashing paraphernalia and the kitchen equipment seem 10 be adc- quate and call for no special com ment.
 "The cell blocks are practicall, . fireproof, with the exception Of ihe ! wooden roof. Fire eAtinquishers arc l plontifully supplied. Fire hose is . placed at frequent intervals and /. while there is considerable wooden !. construction in the shops, hospital . and insane quarters. all Of these |. parts Of the institution are supplied i. with sprinklers.
 "Tt is a perfectly simple matter to secure, without expense. through . the fire insurance companies, an a adequate survey Of the fire sItul- . tion, and no doubt the directors at i tend to this from time to time as | circumstances require. So far as We . can see, it would be unlikely, with . intelligent handling, that there . would be any loss Of life in this in- ! stitution in case of fire. While the 1 recent arrangement for bringing . water from the Cove by pumping in . has lessened the fire . risk, the situation would be greatly 1 by laying new and indr- pendent water main from the city line to the prison.
 "The boiler room apparatus IS adequate, the prison is we'll heated, and d rather elaborate system of ventilation has been installed which IS as satisfactory as could reason ably be expected of q structure as ancient as the present institution.
 The accounting system, the in ventory records, and the financial of the institution, while not subjected 10 special study on our part, seem 10 be in accord with good practice and with the re- luirements Of the state.
 "The library contains several thousand well-indeXed volumes and the prisoners in the first grade arc allowed to draw two books De"