The fact is that the change in the prison policy began in the spring of 1903. At that time conditions were just about as bad as they have been pictured. The generosity of the people of the state of Oregon did not go to the length of furnishing the prisoners in the penitentiary even such common necessities as socks and underclothing. Flogging was common, and the hose, no less terrible as a punishment than the whip, was considered a necessity in the government of the penitentiary. There was no common dining room, and the men lived, slept, cooked and ate in their cells. An exceedingly limited and coarse fare was provided by the state, but the prisoner who had money could send out and purchase provisions, which he could cook in his cell over a small oil stove. The prisoner who had no money had to content himself with dry bread and bean soup flavored with the smell from the cooking of his more fortunate neighbor. Sanitary conditions were shockingly bad, and at one time resulted in a large number of cases of typhoid fever. The spirit of the inmates was exceedingly dangerous, as witnessed by the fact that the officers of the prison considered it unsafe to go among the men without a guard. The Tracy-Merrill outbreak was a fair sample of the spirit of the institution at that time. On April 1, 1903, C. W. James as superintendent and Frank C. Curtis as warden, appointees of Governor George E. Chamberlain, took charge of affairs at the prison. They proceeded cautiously, but with a marked advance in their treatment of the prisoners. The striped clothing formerly worn by the prisoners was abolished, except as a mark of disgrace for infraction of the prison rules. Flogging was abolished by act of the legislature. Necessary underclothing was furnished the prisoners. A dining room was built and cooking in the cells was stopped. The sanitary conditions were improved. An orchestra and band were organized among the prisoners. A parole officer was provided, whose duties were practically that of chaplain. A prisoners’ aid society was organized, which looked after the welfare of the prisoners, both before and after release. A printing office was donated by the prisoner’s aid society, and the publication of a small monthly paper by the prisoners and in their interest was begun. This paper was known as “Lend a Hand,” and has now a circulation that reaches across the continent. An innovation worthy of special mention was the permission of baseball games between clubs of the prisoners, which the prisoners were not only permitted to witness, but they were allowed to cheer and “root” to their heart’s content. These and various other reforms which were inaugurated during the eight years previous to Governor West’s inauguration laid the foundation for the success of his policies.