444 AUTHENTIC HISTORY 



approval of the Court of Common Pleas, to make all rules and regulations they may- 

 think necessary and proper for the government and direction of the Institutions and 

 the revenues belonging thereto. They serve for three years, and are divided into three 

 classes, in order that the terms of two of them may expire each year.l 



THE COUNTY PRISON. 



The Lancaster County Prison is located in the eastern extremity of the city of Lancaster, 

 between East King and East Orange streets, on a lot containing about 4 acres. The 

 wall, fronting towards East King street, is built of sandstone, having large towers on 

 either side of the entrance, and smaller ones at its extremities. A massive tower, rising 

 to the height of 110 feet, constitutes the principal portion of the structure. From the 

 base of this tower, proceeds a single long wing containing the cells, which are distri- 

 buted in two tiers on either side of a passage dividing it throughout its entire length. 

 The cells, eighty in number, are of the uniform size of 15 feet by 7i feet. Adjoining each 

 of the cells in the lower tiers, are small enclosures, in which the prisoners are permitted 

 to exercise at i)rescribed hours. A portion of ground surrounding the building and 

 forming the prison-yard proper, is enclosed by a wall 18 feet in height. The Prison 

 was finished and fitted for occupation in the fall of 1851, and prisoners were first re- 

 ceived on the 12tli day of September of that year. Its original cost was $110,000. 



The Prison is under the management of a Board of Inspectors, consisting of six men 

 elected by the qualified voters of the County, which appoints a Keeper and subordinate 

 officers, and makes such rules for its internal regulation and control as shall not be in- 

 consistent with the Constitution and laws of the Commonwealth. The government of 

 the Prison is conducted in accordance with the principles of what is known as the 

 "Pennsylvania System." The convict is consigned to separate and solitary confine- 

 ment in a cell numerically designated, and by which he or she is known during his 

 or her imprisonment, and is required to labor from sunrise to sunset, with the excep- 

 tion of the necessary time for meals, or perform as much labor as would be done by a 

 person in ordinary circumstances in that time. In case of misconduct, the prisoner is 

 disciplined by a reduction of food, and in very refractory instances, confinement in a 

 dark cell, and a ration of eight ounces of bread may be resorted to. Each convict 

 receives one pound of rye or wheat bread daily; one pint of coffee in the morning; half 

 a pound of beef made into a soup, and four potatoes at noon; mush in the evening; and 

 half a gallon of molasses per month. 



From the report of the Board of Inspectors for the year ending November 30, 1868, 

 it appears that the entire number of prisoners confined since the opening of the Prison 

 to that date was 10,674 — white males, 8,097; white females, 1,420; colored males, 866 

 and colored females, 291. The number committed during the year, excepting those 

 convicted, was 1,052, of which 898 wei-e for vagrancy, drunkenness, and disorderly 

 conduct resulting from drunkenness. There were sentenced during the same period, 

 62, of whom 32 were born in Lancaster county, 10 could not read, 16 could not write, 

 and 46 were of intemperate habits. They were occupied as follows: 9 weaving carpets, 

 3 weaving bagging, 5 basket making, 6 cigar making, 6 shoe making, and 5 making 

 garments, &c. The manufacturing operations during the year produced as follows- 

 6,481 yards of carpet for sale, 3,021| yards of carpet for customers, 6,195 yards of bag- 

 ging, 1,436 pairs of boots and shoes made and mended, 366,150 cigars, 942 baskets, 120 

 dozen grain bags, 322 nets, and 26,400 skewers. The profits of the labor of the prison- 

 ers were .13,818.32. 



The whole number of days ])risoners were boarded dui-ing' the year, was 35,805; 

 34,596 at 30 cents per day, and 1,209 at 15 cents per day, amounting to |10,560.15, 

 1 Contributed by William Leaman, Esq. 



