The Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1818-1824, 1824-02-03
RErORT OF THE DOINGs
Oh shs Sap, rrsisnfiani for rrfefiaE ht
STATE PRISON az Ihomasian,

si0ks AZ Fgrffa4f, JuiiaA 1919
Having, m pursuance of an act passed >
tie last session Of the Legislature, entltltl
Ky An sct ID provide ior The erection and gur
eTun'eni Of State Prison. been appoiDte,
70 supe nntend the building Of said Prison,
beg leave, 10 compliance with provision y
aid act, 10 make u ibis Legislature return
of my dOings, respecting the erection Of tL'
Prison.
Immediately On receiving notice of being
appointed 20 supenniend The erection Of tie
prison, proceeded 10 advertise for proposal.
Tor labor, and materials for building the pFis.
on. As early as practicable, employed ~
agent to procure the necessary cedar iunhe
for building the yard fence. He proceeded
to Penobscot river, and ~ Bangor made ]
contract for what was deemed a sufficient
quantity Of cedar posts 10 inciose The yard
The persCn who contracted 10 furnish tht
posts, failed 10 fulfil bis contract, and precar.
ed but about one half the quantity which be
agreed to furnish. By this failure II became
necessary to procure an additional quantity
of cedar posts, Of a particular dimension,
which was difficult to do at that season OF the
year, and few are yet wanting, and can u
procured this winter
As soon as the site for the prison was pur-
chased BY the committee appointed for that
purpose, proposals for contracts 70 build the
stone work of the prison, and the keepers
house, were received. On the Goth Of May
last, contract was made with Mr. William
Wood s. Co. 10 do the stone work Of the prs
on and house. BY this contract il viii be
seen that the foundation Of the prison was %
be prepared for the contractors 10 erect the
prison upon. From view of the site where
il was proposed 70 erect The prison, and from
the representation Of persons best acquainted
herewith. il was thought that the lime rock,
on the removal of the earth, would he sun
GENTLY level and solid % build the prison up
on, without other foundation. On the 18Th
of May last, the removal of the earth from the
limerick was commenced. After expending
about three hundred dollars for this purpose,
it was found that the limestone was not sufh-
ciently solid IL build upon, without flooring Of
granite; and was also 50 uneven that Il could
not be IeyelIed without great expense. Altho'
the money expended for removing this earth,
did not assist to build the prison, yet, a. a val
liable part Of the limestone quarry was
thereby partly uncovered, the money will moi
be lost to the State. 1t was deemed advisa-
bic to erect the prison a few reds from where
first contemplated, and lay a foundation, and
Aoor of granite stone. This increased the
expense of erecting the prison about $4,000
beyond what il probably would have been,
had the limerick been sufficiently solid and
level 10 Lave built upon, without additional
foundation and flooring. The mode in which
the prison has been built, renders It more
convenient for communicating heat 10 the
cells, and in many other respects, and also
makes the ventilation lin appearance Al
least) more perfect. For the foundation and
floor, a contract was also made with Mr..
Wood s. Go. who proceeded TO execute the
same, and erect the buildings thereon. They
completed their contracts on the 22d day Of
November last having erected the stone
work OF the buildings, IN good, faithful and
wOrkmanlike manner. The body Of the
keepers house is Of undressed, split stone,
the joints Of which are not hammered, and
the stone are not laid in courses. The house
is 40 feet long, and 80 feet wide within the
walls The hospital is in the rear OF Tie
house, and adjoining the same, and the whole
length, on the outside OF the walls, is 43 feet,
and the width % l2 feet, making a room Of
40 by 20 feet, and 10 feet high, and is cover
ed with stone one foot thick. The prison
consists of two wings, adjoining to the bospi-
tai, and Of the same width Of % l-2 feet the
east wing is so Ia feet long, and contains %
cells; the west wing IS 63 IL feet long, con-
tanning q cells; making id the Whole sol
celIs.-The length Of the whole building, n-
GLIDING the hospital, is 1876 Sd feet. The
floor Of the prison i Of granite stone. the
upper side and edges Of which are hammered,
and is in no part less than one foot thick.
The floor is laid on three foundation walls.
running the whole length Of the building
These walls are Of undressed split stone,
three feet wide, and in no part less than three
feet deep.-On the floor stones, and over the
two outer foundation walls, the exterior walls
Of the prison are laid. The exterior walls of
the prison and hospital, are two feet thick,
and built of granite stone Of that thickness y
six courses OF which make the height Of the
cells. The walls, including the two belts,
are twelve feet high, the partition walls oi
the cells are from fifteen TO eighteen inches
thick, and built with stone Of that thickness
The beds, builds and ends Of the stones Of
the prison and hospital, are all hammered, 20
as to make joints; the external and iDteraai
faces are as split from the ledge, and undress-
cd. The cells are covered with stone, one
foot thick, the edges Of which are hammered
so as to make joints over the cells. The cells
on the inside are nine feet long, four and a
half wide, and ten feet high; having AT aPer-
ture 10 the external wall, between the first
and second course, Of eight by two inches,
FOR the admission of air; and an aperture %
the top, OF nearly two feet square, for the ad-
mission Of light and air, and for the entrance
of the prisoners Over the hospital and
cells, i wooden story, having large doors
on each side, for the admission Of light aud
air, and will make rooms for eating. and also
for working, and where public worship may
be attended.
4 Over the hospital nill be two rooms, one
- v~Asrb r,.x - .sss4 80 rha pvvrnrI and 49, 4