political and military, are all confined in the prison know as Prison Numbers 2. It is inclosed by a firm, high, double- board fence, in excellent repair. Near the top of this and overlooking completely all of the inside of the prison balconies are arranged upon which are constantly posted eight sentinels, whose beats afford a complete survey of the whole interior. At night two additional sentinels are placed on each of the four sides of the walls on the outside of the prison and at a distance of about thirty feet from it. In the four corners of the prison on the inside and at the four corners on the outside at the end of the beats of the sentinels are placed lights at night of the same character as the ordinary street lights, thus placing the whole prison at all times under the surveillance of the guard and in my opinion insuring the complete security of the prisoners at all times. The guard from the prison is daily detailed from he First Battalion of Governor's Guards, to which is assigned the special duty of the security of the prisoners. It is at present commanded by Captain E. L. Webber, and its organization and strength are fully detailed in a consolidated morning report marked A* inclosed. I desire especially in this connection to call your attention to an indorsement placed upon this report by Major Zinn.

The prison will readily and comfortably accommodate 350 prisoners and as will be seen from the present number of inmates it is not at all crowded. The barrack and hospital accommodations are in excellent condition both as regards police and repair, with two or three slight exceptions in the roofs of these buildings whih I directed to be remedied. The frequent white washing of the quarters, fence and sinks has been neglected. It is desirable that it should be done at once. The prison is generally speaking quiet well drained, though material changes are needed to make it complete in arranging and grading the drains. Raised walks and roadways have been made in the prison which if the ground was firm and made of gravel or clay mixture would retain their shape and answer the purpose for which they were designed, viz, to promote drainage and present so far as possible a hard surface to the foot or the passage of wagons; but the side of the prison is on low ground not easily drained and the soil is of a soft, loamy character which in wet weather absorbs and retains the moisture, rendering at such times the interior of the prison exceedingly disagreeable from the accumulation of mud. For this reason too the proper place and cleanliness of the floors of the quarters in wet weather is next to impossible. From causes already referred to it is obvious that the ground would except in long continued dry weather be damp and that the floors of the buildings placed very near it would also be so and for that reason unhealthy. The floors of both the barracks and hospital have been laid close to the ground, but a fe winches separating their surfaces from it, and the vertical walls of these buildings extending below the floors generally to the ground prevents the circulation of air under the floors and as a consequence they are almost always damp. To insure dry barracks and hospital accommodations and a dry interior of the prison the floors should be raised at least one foot from the earth, the portion of the walls projecting vertically below them sawed off and the walks and the roads of the prison covered with a layer of gravel to a proper depth. As all this could be readily done at an expense not exceeding $300 and as this sum is much less than the present amount of the prison fund I have in obedience to your order directed it to be immediately done and that the roads and walks should be properly graded as well as the drains and sewers.

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*Not found.

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