taken the contract for the money to be obtained out of it, and will keep the poor just as cheaply as his conscience will permit. In a small county it may be best to pursue this plan, but in such case the Supervisors should fix the price to be paid at a reasonable sum, then contract with a good person, and see that the inmates receive the care for which the county pays.

It is bad policy for the Supervisors to contract with a superintendent at a certain salary per month, out of which he will be expected to pay his help. In such cases there is usually insufficient help and the inmates must suffer from neglect.

In many county hospitals not enough help is employed. In some counties there are no nurses when nurses are very badly needed. It is difficult to lay down a rule governing the number of nurses needed. for that will depend upon the condition of patients. In some hospitals the inmates are very few of them bed-ridden and helpless, and in others there are many in that condition. It must also depend upon the number of purely medical and surgical cases there are in the hospital. All our hospitals should provide for this class of cases. Accidents will happen and people who were never in need before may, temporarily, be compelled to accept county aid until they are recovered from a sickness or an injury. It is economy to give them that care which will soonest return them to self-support.

The ideal county hospital should be located near the county seat and be easily accessible. It should provide

1. A residence and office for the superintendent, separate and apart from the quarters of the inmates.

2. Separate quarters for both sick and surgical cases. The ward system may be partly used, but there should be single rooms for such cases as may require isolation.

3. A certain number of comfortable private rooms for patients who can afford to pay a limited sum for such care. In all of our larger counties there are private patients who need hospital treatment who can afford to pay a small sum of from $5 to $10 a week, but who are not able to pay the larger sums demanded by private hospitals. This class should be provided for in the county hospital, and receive especial care. San Diego County has twenty of these private rooms for pay patients and is receiving about $200 per month from them.

4. Good accommodation for the paralytic and permanently disabledthe bed-ridden.

5. Separate and isolated quarters for both consumptives and those afflicted with contagious diseases.

6. Suitable rooms for the custodial cases-the old people who are able to get around and partly help themselves. These may be in the main building or in detached buildings. They should have sleeping-rooms,

a day-room, a smoking-room, and a dining-room. Those who are able should be required to perform labor. This must be graded in accordance with their ability. It will be better for them, and they owe it to the county. The keeping of such people in idleness is an injury.

7. For the perfect separation of the sexes, especially of the custodial cases. The arrangements should be such that no scandal can arise.

8. Suitable rooms for the employés of the institutions. These should, for the most part, be in the administration or residence portion of the building.

The State Prison at San Quentin was an accident, both in location and plans. It had its beginning in the days of gold-seeking, and before people thought that the State had permanent resources sufficient to place it well up in the roll of States. While California has advanced rapidly in population, wealth, education, and culture, the prison has advanced only in population, and is now a menace to the welfare of the State.

In early days the State contracted with State Senator Estell to clothe, feed, and care for the prisoners of the State for the sum of $10,000 a year, and he should have the privilege of utilizing their labor for his own benefit in. any way that seemed best to him. Senator Estell sublet his contract to a man named McCauley. The prisoners were for a time kept on a boat in the river at Sacramento. Later this boat was moved down to the bay, and, becoming unmanageable, drifted upon San Quentin Point, a point of land projecting into the bay about eight miles north of San Francisco. The presence there of brick clay made it a fairly good location for Mr. McCauley's purposes. The buildings were begun by him with prison labor, as a private institution. However, in 1856, the State bought out Mr. McCauley, and since then it has been our first and largest State prison.

There is no cell house, the form of a building, open air. There are

The plant now consists of 215 acres of land. but the cells are of brick and stone, arranged in and open out on iron balconies or walks in the four of these cell buildings, three stories high. There are 496 cells. There are additional rooms, holding all the way up to forty-two pris

oners in a room. Out of cells, when not at work, the prisoners mingle together in the yard, unrestricted as to talk. There is a row of three brick buildings used for hospital, library, chapel, and some other purposes. In the basement of these is also the kitchen, bakery and dining room, tin shop, and paint shop. Back of this building is the large brick building constructed for the making of furniture, but which is now, for the most part, used for storage. On the ground floor is a machine shop, carpenter shop, upholstery department, and tannery. On the fourth floor of this building are the incorrigible (solitary) cells, the "condemned cell," and gallows. Still back of this is the jute plant, a large one-story building also of brick. The woman's building, at the north end of the yard, is isolated from the men, but is connected with the yard offices. All these buildings with a small yard are inclosed by a wall. The front of this wall is another brick building used for the administration. A separate brick building outside furnishes offices for the Board and Warden, butcher shop, and electrical workshop. Outside of the wall also are stock barns, etc.

The State also owns twenty dwelling-houses for the use of the Warden and other officials, at a rental sufficient to pay interest, water, and light. These rentals amount to over $1,000 a year.

The chapel is connected with the library, which prisoners are allowed to frequent outside of hours of labor. The chaplain is also the librarian and is usually here to advise with prisoners who wish to see him, and also to do whatever else he can for their welfare. Under his supervision, also, a small school is conducted. The library contains about 2,400 volumes (about fifty per cent of which is useless), besides magazines, etc.

The industry at this prison is the manufacture of jute bags, and the output during the past fiscal year was 4,508,400 bags. The law restricts the sale of these bags so that the farmers of the State may have the benefit of a lower price. The demand during the past two years. from the farmers has been poor, and as a result there is a large surplus of bags.

THE STATE PRISON AT FOLSOM.

ARCHIBALD YELL, Warden.

The State Prison at Folsom was established in 1868 as a branch of the San Quentin State Prison. In 1880 its connection with San Quentin was severed and it became the second State Prison. The present cell house was erected by installments from 1880 to 1892, to accommodate about 1,000 prisoners. There are 202 cells for two inmates, 101 cells for four, one room for 45, and nine incorrigible cells. The plan for the cell house is in nearly the form of a letter "U," with the dining-room in the central part of the building. Over the dining-room and kitchen are rooms for officers. Only one half of this cell house has

been built; it includes the dining-room portion and the officers' quarters just mentioned, and the Warden's residence at the opposite end from the dining-room. It faces the American River, and is three stories in height. The building is constructed of granite blocks and has the appearance of massive strength. The cells, 372 in number, are built of granite in two tiers, and are made to accommodate two to four persons each. The walls of the cells are of granite with steel doors. Opening off from this main cell-room is a separate room used for solitary confinement or place of punishment. Executions are also conducted in this

room.

The State owns valuable water rights in the American River, and has constructed a dam with a canal conveying the water to a power plant in front of the main building, at a cost for the whole of the power-house and machinery of about $181,220. There is developed here a power of about 900 nominal horse-power, of which only about 400 horse-power is at present used.

The industry of the prison is stone working. There are two quarries, one of trap rock and the other of granite, from one of which is obtained a trap rock suitable for crushing for road work, and from the other granite, a good building-stone. The trap rock will apparently soon be exhausted, but the granite is sufficient for many years to come.

This prison has no wall around it, and prisoners are restrained by armed guards and gatling guns on towers overlooking the buildings and grounds. One successful break was made only about a year ago, and a second attempt which did not succeed.

The situation is a very pleasant one, in a natural amphitheater facing the American River. The prison grounds proper cover about 10 acres, but the State owns here in all 483.92 acres.

Just outside of the prison grounds proper the State has erected twenty-four residences for the use of employés with families, and received last year $1,616.35 in rent therefor.

There is no school work done, but the prisoners have access to a library of 2,500 volumes and the standard magazines. Daily State papers are not allowed.

The court, which is inclosed by the cell house and the hill to the east, where the remaining half of the cell house ought to be, is used for exercising and maneuvering the prisoners. Near the center of this, but well to the front, is the chapel. This court is large enough to permit of baseball games by the prisoners, which are usually allowed here on Sunday afternoons.

PRISON ROUTINE.

The routine life at the two prisons differs somewhat, but not materially. We will give the routine each prisoner goes through when he is received at San Quentin Prison, and the daily routine at Folsom.