The men of the prison are mostly engaged in making shirts. There is a long, well-lighted workshop, two stories high. The shop is exceedingly well equipped with electric lights, electric fans, electric flat-irons, sewing machines and cutting machines.
At the rear of each man’s chair is a pail of water, a cake of soap, and on the back of his chair a towel. Under the long work tables, suspended by hooks, are small mirrors—the personal property of some of the vainer fellows. So the toilet is not neglected, but scrupulously attended to at the sound of the bell at noon, and at 5:30 in the afternoon.
The men have a ten-hour day, beginning at 7:30 in the morning, taking a half-hour off at noon, and finishing at 5:30 P. M.
They seem interested in their work—looking up with good-natured smiles at the curious visitor.
The men also make their own wearing apparel, everything but shoes and stockings. This work is done in the State workroom. Here they also repair their shoes and darn their socks. They also use the room as a barber shop, but the old fashioned ideas of the shaven poll are done away with and the prisoner has just an ordinary haircut.
An interesting feature is the store of the prison. In it are the various specimens of the handiwork of the prisoners. These are for sale, and comprise watch chains, charms, and hat pins in onyx, carved wooden boxes, strange wooden birds with spotted wings, and worsted mats.
One of the prisoners, who never took a drawing or painting lesson in his life, has painted a picture of the River Dorderecht, Holland. It is well drawn, and the coloring is extremely good for an amateur.
There is a chapel in connection with the prison, and here, on Sunday mornings at 9 o’clock, service is held, and visitors are welcome. The choir is composed of some of the prisoners. The women are excluded from the service, having one of their own in the afternoon, to which the public is not invited.
Mr. Ford, the white-haired chaplain, calls the men “my boys,” and he certainly seems to have a wonderful influence over them.
Evenings they sit in their cells reading by electric light, or engaged in making various things to sell, for which, when sold, they receive the money. At about 8 P. M. the guard, carrying a lighted torch, proceeds along the tiers in the men’s section and stops at each cell to give the occupant light. They are allowed to smoke a pipe, and the tobacco is furnished by the prison authorities.