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Life of Thomas Eddy

SW_WH1793_Page_315

pork, and excellent bread, but no other drink thangood water; those employed as smiths never work-ed at the trade till they came to Sing Sing, and theneatness and excellence of their work in making thedoors and locks for the cells, are really astonishing.The mason work appears to be done in the best man-ner—the men all have a chain about fifteen pounds.Their first work was to erect sheds with pine boards,to lodge in at night; they are not allowed to speakto each other, of course, the whole work is quietlyconducted, without the least noise or confusion; theyhave enjoyed remarkable good health, and though the summer was uncommonly hot, and they had towork exposed to the sun, yet, I think, only two havebeen sick; they never missed working every day, andbut one has escaped. Six men, each with a musket,are stationed at equal distances from each other—theriver in the front, serves also to prevent an escape.When the prison is finished, all the convicts in theNew York state prison in this city, about five to sixhundred, are to be removed, and it is intended toemploy them in making lime, and preparing marblein various ways to be transported to the city, to beused for purposes of ornament, building, &;c. Thework is admirably calculated to promote good health, and so simple, that every man can be employed; allthe marble they can send to this city, and to Albany,and other places on the Hudson River, will meetwith an immediate sale, and considerable will beexported to the Southern states. Order, and conse-quently the important work of reformation, will befar more certain, than if various trades were pursued.And here, permit me to observe, that I think thyremark, that each convict should learn some trade,does not apply to this country so much as it may to England. Some of our convicts have been broughtup to trades, but most of them have been employedat farming and as labourers. If they are willing towork, they may readily get employment in the city