Portland gazette and Maine advertiser., 1818-01-20
MESSAGE

Gentleman offhe House Of Representatives.
THE State Prison is a subject that again
solicils your consideration. And indulge
the hope that shall lay before you such
information, acquired by no slight investi-
CATION, as shall facilitate your deliberations
and conduct you to the most salutary con
clusIons.
BY resolve Of the 18th of june last, the
Governor and Council wefe authorized 10
cscse that part of the prison wall which
b I'd fallen down, TO be rebuilt on the same,
on extended limits : and also, from time to
time, as might be found necessary or expe-
dient,t to cause any part of The said wall,
which might appear to require 1t, TO be also
rebuilt, on such limits as the Executive
should direct. And by an act passed on
the i7sh of the same month OF June, the
Governor and Council were authorized 10
purchase or take for the purpose OF extend
ing the limits of the State Prison, the whole
or any part of the lands between the boun-
daries of the Prison, and road TO be laid
out from the abutment of Prison Point
Bridge, or Dam, to the street in Charles
town.
Preparatoryto TO psrfectlng the objects con
templated by the Legislature, as expressed
in the resolve and act above referred to, the
Executive on the 18th of June, instructed
the directors of the lands adjoining the
present territories of that institution, as
particularly mentioned in the act oftl,e l7th
of June 10 ascertain on what terms the
same or any part of the same might be
! purchased. And also TO lay before the ex
ecutiye a statement of the number and d.
mensions of the rooms and cells in the pres
ent buildings, and their opinion whether
any, and if any, what additions should be
made thereto, 10 effect In the best manner
the important objecls of that establishment.
Accordingly, a. the meeting OF the Council
in July, the directors made report of their
opinions and doings, as required, marked
No. /.
On tie 18th of June last Committee of
Council was appointed TO consider the re-
solve already mentioned, and on the Sd of
Iuly following, the Committee made re-
nort, marked No. 2. which was accepted /:
And to the acceptance of the report, the
Co incil added their opinion and advice as
expressed in the paper marked No.
Agreeably to the advice OF Council, the Di-
reotors oil the State Prison were appointed
to obi ain estimates OF the kinds, quantities
and qualities Of the materials requisite, in
addition 10 those on hand, for constructing
NV walls for the prison, calculating on an
incresse equal 10 an extent OF two hundred
fee, in length beyond their present measure
and on raising the whole TO the entire height
of twenty feet My letter appointing the
Directors as Agents for those purposes, da-
ted the 9Th of July, is marked No. 4. and
their report TO me, dated the 25th of Au
Gust, marked No. S. contains the several
estimates marked A. B. and G. which in
cluded labor as well as materials. An Ageni
having be.n appointed, advertisements were
published inviting contracts TO be offered
for providing materials and completing the
work. In the mean time ii was deemed
conducive to the interests of'he Common
wealth, that some individuals entitled to-
confidence should be consulted. as well up
on the manner, as upon the probable cos,
of constructing the walls.
Accordingly two gentlemen in high esti-
nation for the accuracy OF their estimates
in Architectural enterprises, were requested
TO examine the subject under consideration.
Alter bes,owing much attention to the
questions submitted to them !; they fur-
nished the Agents with the result OF their
calculations, and subjoined such remarks
upon further Improvements otthe establish.
ment, as much experience in similar under
takinps. and an attentive examination oil the
land over which wall on extended limits
must be erected, enabled them to suggest
Atthe same time an approved and scien-
tiHc artist was employed to survey the
whole of the land sppertaining to the
State P Prison, to render an accurate plan OF
the whole establishment, TO ascertain with
precision the dlcliyi,ies and nature of the
ground contiguous the wall, and TO furnish
an estimate oil the expense OF erecting a.
new one on extended limits.
The report ofthc Agent marked No. s,
was accompanied by sundry estimates, and
other documents marked A. Is. { ID and
Z. and plan OF the establishment togeth-
er with number of sketches and diagrams,
explanatory OF the estimates and opinions
which hid been offered by the gentlemen
above alluded to.