*Deceased April 1902; succeeded by George B. Christian, Jr., of Marion County.

THE OHIO PENITENTIARY.

T

HE Ohio Penitentiary covers 26 acres within the walls. About two acres outside the prison proper are occupied by offices, the Deputy Warden's residence, store rooms, barn and stables. The prison itself is walled on three sides, the fourth being wholly absorbed by cell houses, offices and the Warden's home. This side presents an imposing front, about 800 feet in length, on Spring street, facing the Scioto river, with the street and outer buildings between it and that stream, and a wide fringe of green lawn before it that in summer is beautified by parterres of flowers and shaded by fine trees. The cell houses and offices form a continuous building from the southeast to the southwest gate, in which are more than 1,600 cells, about 600 of these being provided with beds for two inmates, the remainder being too small to receive more than one each. The Female Department, which abuts on the southeast gate, is somewhat advanced toward the street beyond the frontal line of the main prison, and reaches to the public sidewalk. It contains 46 cells.

The walls are dominated by towers at short distances apart, and of which there are eleven. Within the enclosure is a small manufacturing city, comprising the shops of The Columbus Bolt Works, The George B. Sprague Cigar Co., C. S. Reynolds & Co., The E. B. Lanman Co., The P. Hayden Saddlery Hardware Co., The Ohio Glove Co., The Columbus Chair Co., The National Broom Co., The Brown-Hinman & Huntington Co., and the Columbus Hollow Ware Co., all private corporations that contract with the state, through the Board of Managers, for the labor of prisoners, at specified prices for able-bodied and infirm men, respectively, and in many instances paying to the prisoners certain agreed amounts for all work produced beyond an appointed task. The total amount earned by such overwork and paid in to the account of the men who have earned it averages about $2,500 per year. These contracts employ about 1.000 prisoners. In addition to the labor utilized by these enterprises, the state employs about 700 men in the manufacture of the pris oners' clothing, the care of their sleeping quarters, repairs to buildings, the preparation of food, the management of the gas works-which supply gas to the State Blind Asylum and the State Deaf and Dumb Asylum, as well as to the Penitentiary-the care of the inside park and other grounds, and in the general administration of the mural city with its two thousand population. A tour of inspection more than repays the visitors, who come in great numbers. The number of visitors is increasing yearly, as the people realize more and more that an interesting development of modern ideas relative to the protection of society through the reformation of the crim

The Ohio Penitentiary.

inal may be seen in its various phases from day to day. Since 1834, when the present prison was first occupied-or, rather, that rudimentary portion of it that is now known as the West Hall-an army of more than 34,532 prisoners has passed through its portals, as prisoners. The male prisoners, until a few years ago, wore the old regulation striped uniform of the convict. The striped clothing is now used only as a temporary garb of punishment.

The walled city has been swept by pestilence but once in its history. In 1849, the cholera raged here, and 121 prisoners died within twelve months, exacting the life of every third man among the prisoners. Now the death rate has fallen from 55 to 36 in one year.

There is a finely appointed and well equipped hospital on the inside grounds, but it is more scantily inhabited than has been the case for years. Since the present administration has assumed control a reform has been introduced into the Penitentiary that has lessened the number of patients, halved the death rate, and removed the source of a dangerous discontent. That improvement is a change in the dietary, which the present directorate of this great institution has adopted and made a success, showing that economy and humanity go hand in hand. It has saved lives, the cost of medicine, the price of enforced idleness and loss from poor work. It has also contributed much to the improved good feeling and morality of the prisoners.

THE MORAL, RELIGIOUS AND EDUCATIONAL WORK

of the prison is carried on through the library, Sunday-school, prayermeetings, Bible classes and preaching services, under the care of the Chaplain, and a night school under the care of a teacher employed from the outside. While the rules of the prison forbid sectarianism, they also provide that a prisoner desiring to have instruction in his particular faith may be accommodated by the Warden. Under this provision Koman Catholic Church services are held by a priest in the Catholic chapel every Sunday morning.

THE PRISON BUILDINGS

are old and inadequate. The cells are of heavy stone walls, that admit but little light and only poor ventilation. What is worse is that the penitentiary is badly located. For several years the subject of disposing of this property, and securing a new sight, in a suburb of Columbus, and erecting new and up-to-date buildings, with sanitary features, has been agitated, but nothing done. It is important that a commission should be appointed to take this matter in hand and push it to a consummation.