been replaced by one of the same size, which has been for some time inclosed and used, but its walls are yet to be plastered, seats for the chapel furnished, and other work done. It is a very large building, one hundred and four feet in length, by forty in width, of two stories twelve feet high, on heavy foundations, with slate roof, and the whole much more conveniently arranged than before. It was supposed that to prepare it thus for use, would require a sum of money in excess of six thousand dollars, but by the use of convict labor, and unusually good bargains with the builders, the expense was only about five thousand seven hundred dollars. An additional appropriation of twenty-five hundred dollars would supply the chapel with seats, and complete the building throughout, when it would be, in all respects, better than the building burned, though, thus costing two thousand dollars less.

KITCHEN AND BAKERY.

Adjoining the hospital building I had erected, during the past summer, a kitchen and bakery, built substantially of brick. The oven is of large size, and well constructed, so that a great quantity of bread can be baked at once, better, and much cheaper than ever before. The cooking range in the kitchen is large and complete, and was put up at an expense of about eight hundred dollars.

WASH-HOUSE AND STORE-ROOMS.

The last General Assembly made an appropriation for a building for wash-house and store-rooms. The structure has been put up under my own supervision. I hired masons and brick-layers by the day, and, when it could be done, had convicts employed on the common labor. The building, 36 feet in length by 22 in width, is composed of a basement, constructed of solid stone masonry, and two stories above, constructed of brick. It is a substantial building, covered with an excellent roof of slate. Disconnected entirely with other buildings, the liability to take fire is remote. The basement story is used for washing and bathing purposes, the others for storage

rooms.

RESERVOIR AND WATER-WORKS.

A very important improvement of this biennial term has been the construction of a reservoir and water-works, for the double use of convenience for the contractors and provision against fire. The reservoir is on the high ground immediately north of the main prison walls. It has capacity for six thousand barrels of water. It is under a thick roof covering, for protection from extreme cold. Twenty-five feet above the highest part of the Penitentiary buildings, with every part of which it is connected by mains and pipes, supplied with nine connections of hose, seven of which have fifty feet of hose each, and two one hundred feet each, the whole must be set down as an invaluable protection against fire, and as of very great value in other respects. The original estimates for this great addition to the Penitentiary were ten thousand dollars, but the work has been accomplished for six thousand. The reservoir is supplied with water by the steam engines in the work-shops. They would be able at any time to keep up the supply and hight of water so that powerful streams could be poured on all parts of the buildings by all the hose, if necessary. It may well be said, therefore, that the Penitentiary is now secure against material damage by fire.

REPAIRS.

There are constant repairs necessary, of course, where there are so many and extensive buildings as we have here, and so many men. The repairs against the ordinary wear and tear of the buildings and conveniences of the institution have been all the while well kept up in general, so that it may be truly said the prison is in all respects as good as it was two years ago, and in some respects much better. The principal item of repairs during the term just closed is the repair of the prison walls. The walls have had new "coping" and "pointing," and are now well protected against the weather, being as good, doubtless, as when they were first built, and so made at a trifling expense, compared with the value of the work done for the strength and preservation of the walls. An iron banister for the protection of the guards is now being built on the top of the walls, where the guards walk-an improvement which the difficulty of walking on the

walls in sleety weather, of which we have much in winter, has made necessary. The paramount necessity of repairing the damages caused by the destruction of the Hospital building by fire has delayed the construction of better gutters and cisterns, and some other improvements in the nature rather of repairs than additions to the prison. The work here referred to ought, however, to be done as soon as practicable.

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DISCIPLINE.

In regard to the general discipline of the prison, the statements of last report, with one or two exceptions, presently to be noted, are as applicable now as then, and I beg leave to quote them, as follows:

"The government of convicted felons must of necessity be of the strictest sort. In its object it is both punitive and reformative. The ordinary punishments of this prison are-the uniform of stripes, constant silence, hard labor during the day, 'solitary confinement when not working, or eating, or attending the stated religious exercises. Whether in his cell, the work-shop, the dining-room, or the chapel, the convict must remain silent. This silence is, practically, a severe punishment, but it is a necessity of prison discipline. Where it is not rigidly enforced there can be neither good order or safety. It is a punishment which is in its nature reformative. It compels thought and self-examination, which are, except in the unredeemable vicious, favorable to reformation. The hard labor is also a punishment which teaches that the way of the transgressor is hard.

"To work hard for no pay, to live upon the plainest food, to be dressed in clothing indicating punishment, to be absolutely debarred all social enjoyment-such is the daily hard lot of the convict in this prison. If he transcends the rules of discipline laid down for the government of the prison, he makes himself amenable to special penalties. His head may be shaved; he may be compelled to wear the ball and chain; he may be flogged with the cat-o'-nine-tails. I am happy to state, however, that the discipline of the prison has been fully maintained, and good order constantly preserved without the necessity of many extraordinary punishments. And in cases where

punishment has been demanded, the milder forms have generally sufficed to bring about the good conduct of the offender. We have had to resort to the lash in but few instances. We inflict this degrading and cruel punishment only as the last resort after the continued contumacy of the offender. If the prison were provided with a dungeon or dark cell, in which contumacious violators of the rules could be confined on bread and water diet, I doubt not such punishment would be more efficacious than the lash. Experience teaches, and my observation confirms it, that in the great majority of cases, kindness and appeals to manhood are efficacious with the most abandoned characters. I have no doubt at all that the dungeon would have a better reformatory effect than the degrading and cruel lash.

"The system of "diminution" has an admirable effect in favor of good discipline among the convicts. This system is based upon the idea of reward of merit. By its operation a convict may considerably shorten his term of imprisonment-provided, of course, he has not been sent here for life. By its operation, constant good conduct, during the first year, will shorten the term forty-two days; during succeeding years, forty-eight days each. Thus, a convict sentenced for five years, would, by the operation of this humane law, be able to have that period shortened by two hundred and thirty-four (234) days, by constant obedience to the rules. So with other cases. Every one whose obedience to the rules is complete, diminishes the term of service. It is found to be a sufficient inducement with a majority of the convicts to obey the rules at all times. Its practical operation in this prison should seem to prove that benevolence is a more powerful incentive to good conduct, amongst those regarded as depraved, than harsh measures. And I learn, from official documents of other prisons, that the result is the same elsewhere.

"The food of the convicts is plain, but it is clean, nutritious, and wholesome. They are required to be clean in person. Great attentention is given to the cleanliness of their cells. Their sanitary condition has accordingly been good, as will be seen by the report of the Surgeon of the prison, Dr. A. W. Hoffmeister, appended to this report. The Surgeon has performed his duties skillfully and successfully. beg leave to state that, in view of the labors he performs, visiting the

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prison every day, and sometimes two or three times a day, his salary is inadequate. A more faithful officer it would be difficult to find anywhere. I am sure his services to the State are worth a thousand

dollars a year.

"The discipline of the prison, as regards the moral well-being of the convicts, is not without good results in many instances. Strict religious exercises are had by the Chaplain every Sunday morning.

"Another powerful means, in the moral culture of the convicts, is found in the Penitentiary library. It is not so extensive, nor so well selected as it might be, but its volumes are eagerly read by most of the men. The reading of these books has been a source of enjoyment to many of the convicts. The works which are, perhaps, best suited to a library for convicts, are biographies of distinguished men, adventures, natural histories designed for popular reading, books of travel, and a few of the better class of novels. Of novels, however, the majority, including all those in which the heroes are villains, would be of pernicious effect. The purchase by the State of two or three hundred carefully selected works for the convicts' library, would result, in my judgment, in much benefit. But, as there is scarcely any influence more hurtful than that of bad books, the selection of a library for convicts ought to be made with the greatest care and attention. Any work of whatsoever general nature, which places vice upon an equality with virtue, would be particularly hurtful to the minds of men undergoing punishment for crime."

The efficacy of kindness then insisted upon, further experience shows to have been correct.

THE ABOLITION OF THE LASH.

In accordance with my suggestion, the legislature authorized the treatment by confinement in a dark cell, and bread and water diet, of offenders against the rules of the prison. After the best reflection I could give the subject, I determined, during the past year, to abolish entirely the mode of punishment by "the degrading and cruel lash." Experience thus far has fully justified the humanitarian idea. Efficient, complete discipline has been maintained, is all the while maintained, without the cat-o'-nine-tails; and I am thoroughly convinced that this harsh measure of punishment is as unnecessary as it