tirely separate as a compact arrangement will allow, and gives six entirely distinct and separate divisions of the prison. A DUMB WAITER, From the kitchen to each story of cells, will facilitate the passing of food and dishes to the prisoners, and a small table, moving on iron rods like a railway, along corridors A in front of the cells, will further facilitate the distribution of food to the prisoners. A WALL, Properly guarded, to surround the prison premises, thus securing seclusion and an opportunity for exercise to such prisoners as may require it. Two yards, one on each side, may be entirely separate. In the use of these yards the prisoners may rotate, as may be found necessary and expedient. ACCOUSTIC TUBES, To be placed in the walls, and to run one from each cell to the office, will answer the double purpose of enabling any of the prisoners to call for assistance in case of sickness or any other necessity, and also will report by conveying the sound caused by any tampering with the cell walls by the prisoners. EYE GLASS. A small eye glass should be inserted in each room and cell door leading from corridors B. By having the opening flaring on the inside, a view can at any time be had of each of the prisoners from these corridors. The glass should be covered on the outside by a movable shield. Similar but larger glasses should be inserted in such of the rooms of the dwelling house as will command a view of each corridor of the prison. A SICK ROOM OR CELL, Somewhat larger than the others, is arranged in each block. It may be used as an ordinary cell, excepting when otherwise needed. PADDED CELLS. One or more cells, according to the requirements of the locality, should be thoroughly padded, (sides and floor,) with an india rubber cloth covering, and arranged so as to be made close and dark-to be used in cases of delirium tremens and excited insanity. THE HALLS AND CORRIDORS, May be objected to as occupying too much space, but this open area is as essential for the supply of pure air and ventilation which it affords, as for the convenience and separation which it secures. THE COST, Of the building will vary very much in different localities, and somewhat according to the material (whether brick or stone) used for the outer walls. But the effort has been to arrange every thing about the building as plain and simple as the supposed requisites will allow. If it is urged, as it is in some localities, that the cost of building and maintaining a good jail-one which will satisfy the conscience and requirements of an enlightened humanity—is too large for the public to approve, it may also be urged with ten fold more force, that however expensive it may be to build and maintain a good jail, it is vastly more expensive to be without one. FIRE-PROOF. The dwelling house, as well as the jail, should be made thoroughly fireproof. The jail is necessarily nearly so, and a small per centage to the cost of an ordinary building, will make the whole fire-proof. The very strength of the jail, and the difficulty of egress, makes the liability of fire from the dwelling house doubly objectionable. ARCHITECT. However full this description may seem, no jail should be erected without the plans and full detail drawings being prepared by a competent architect. Of all short-sighted economy none is more wasteful than that which refuses to secure the services of a competent and honest architect in the erection of an expensive building. REPORT OF THE BOARD. OFFICE OF BOARD OF STATE CHARITIES, To His Excellency, Governor R. B. Hayes: This, our second report, will naturally commence where our year's work commenced-with difficulties. Without an appropriation to pay a secretary, the first question that occupied our minds was: "Can we undertake the work again under these circumstances? What shall we do for a suitable man to take hold of the details?" The question became a very serious one to us as it assumed this form: "Shall the undertaking, important as it is, die on our hands, or shall we carry it through another year against such difficulties?" In the midst of this dilemma, the Board was being earnestly importuned by private but influential citizens in different sections of the State to go forward with its work. These entreaties were accompanied by such offers of present aid, and assurances that the work of the Board should be sustained, that, while we did not feel at liberty to accept private contributions, it was all the more difficult to resist such appeals. Finding further encouragement in the counsels and offers of aid from your Excellency, the Board determined to go forward. Again are we indebted to the liberality and courteous co-operation of the Directors of the Penitentiary in placing at our disposal the very valuable services of Chaplain Byers. Bringing as he did to the work an earnest desire for its success, and a keen appreciation of the wrongs we were endeavoring to right, he has been an invaluable helper. STATE INSTITUTIONS. In regard to the State charitable and correctional institutions, we can only speak in general terms of commendation, as far as they have fallen under our observation. We are more and more convinced that a most important service might be rendered to the State by bringing the operations of our different institutions into a well prepared comparative showing as to cost, val uable results attained, &c., between themselves and between similar institutions in other States. But this is one of the many important matters that we can not undertake without the means to employ a competent secretary, who shall devote his whole time to our undertaking. We present in this report a comparison as to some important items in the reports of our different insane asylums. COUNTY INSTITUTIONS. Crippled as we have been thus far in our ability of accomplishing good, we have selected those parts of the field where the appeal to humanity called loudest, and where the good name of our State seemed seriously involved. These we conceived to be in the county Jails and Infirmaries. JAILS. The report of the Secretary as to the condition of jails which he has visited merits very thoughtful attention. It is probably not an unfair exhibit of the condition and character of the jails of Ohio, taken as a whole. Some of the very best, and it is to be hoped that some of the worst, are included in the report. It is a startling and terrible proposition, sustained by this report, that Ohio is to-day supporting, at public expense, as base "seminaries of crime" as are to be found in any civilized community. Children, youth, the young man, the middle aged, the old, all at the first simply accused of crime, and more or less wrongfully accused—many for their first offense, some old offenders, some debauched, cunning corrupters of men-representatives of each of these classes are found congregated in our jails. And to perfect the wrong, they are crowded often into an ill-ventilated, dirty, dark prison, where the whole being, physical, mental, and moral, is soon fitted to receive all "uncleanness with greediness." With bad air, vile quarters and depraved associates, little can be added to hasten the perfection of the student in crime. And these schools of crime are to-day found in every county in the State, sustained under form of law and at the expense of the public. In our jail system lingers more barbarism than in all of our other State institutions together. As to the corrupting influences of our common congregating jail system, all intelligent observers agree. The Committee on Prisons, of the late Constitutional Convention of New York, in a report to that body, sum up the result of their investigations, as follows: "That there is no one of the sources of crime which is more operative in the multiplication of thieves and burglars than the common jails of the State, as at present organized." The Committee of the Prison Association of New York, in their report for 1867, speaking of the jails of New York, says: "They are, indeed, |