Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1857-04-09
THE MARYLAND PENlTENTIARY.


. During the last session of the Legislature
application was made by the Board of Di-
rectors of this establishment for an appro-
priation large enough to enable them to build
new and capacious building for combining
their convicts in when not engaged at labor,
and it was proposed to purchase portion of
the Jail lot belonging to- the city for locat-
ing this new building on if the appropria-
ton needed could be obtained. That ap-
preparation was unwisely denied by the Le-
gislature, and since then, as we learn, the
city authorities have dug the foundation for
their new and commodious Jail so near the
Penitentiary walls, that all prospect Of OBJ
tanning location for the proposed new
Penitentiary building on the JAIL lot, is for
ever lost. If, therefore, the present Peni-
tertiary buildings cannot be so reconstruct
led as to find separate confinement during
the hours Of relief from labor for all their
convicts, the State will be compelled to pur-
chase new site for Penitentiary and erect
new buildings out and out. Under such
circumstances no place can be so suitable for
the erection of new Panitentiary as the
Ineighborhood Of Annapolis. The Capital
of the State is where the State Prison ought
ito be any how. With but three or four ex-
captions, every State has erected her State
Prison at her Capital, and as Annapolis has
shown some signs Of life and improvement
during the last few years, the State of Mary
land ought by all means to stimulate our
energies little more by giving us the bene-
fit of the erection Of her Penitentiary in our
vicinity. Annapolis is yet destined to be-
como city of some Importance in our coun-
Il try, and the man is now grown who will
live to see part Of the products of the coal
beds Of Allegany brought by rail road to our
wharves. It will require two or three dou-
bic track rail roads to bring all the Allega-
ny county coal to our sea coast, for which
there will arise demand within the next
quarter of a century, and one of these tracks
must during that time find its way to An
napolis.
It may be said that stone and brick Of the
right sort cannot be obtained in Annapolis
Tor its neighborhood, but will have to be
brought from Baltimore for the erection of
the new Penitentiary This will add so lit
tie to it's cost as scarcely to be worthy Of
consideration, and will be more than made
up in the course Of a few years by the low
price of fuel in this neighborhood compared
to what has to be paid in Baltimore. An
napolis deserves the fostering care of the
State on account Of its ancient renoWn a.
mong the places of note in the country, and
her legislators will not scruple about lend
ing her the aid that she will receive from
the building and location Of new Peniten-
tiary in our suburbs for the paltry conside-
ration of few dollars and cents Baltimore
is no longer fit location for the Peniten-
tiary. The city improvements have sur
rounded it and we learn that it is daily over
run with city visitors who are provided with
free tickets whilst nine out of every ten
countrymen who wish to view the place have
to pay their twenty-five cents each. This
is not fair. The people of the whole State
should be treated alike. If one class are
required to pay for their admission, all ought
to be. We are opposed to privileged classes
any where.
We repeat: if the present Penitentiary
buildings cannot be so re-arranged as to af-
ford separate confinement on nights and Sun
days to all it's inmates, let us have a new
one built, and Annapolis city selected for it's
location. Some of our people will be found
enterprising enough to furnish it with all it's
supplies on terms just as advantageous as
they can be found in Baltimore, and Direc-
tors and Managers can be found among us
who will conduct its business quite as prof.
tally to the State as it has been conducted
of late years beyond all question. We hope
that our brethren Of the Press in the State
will second our motion for erecting the new
Penitentiary in Annapolis, if the erection Of
a new one by the State shall be shown to be
a positive necessity lid. Republican.
The STEAM GETTING Up.-Porter's Spi-
rit says: eve find that the entry of two Of
the American horses for contest on the Eng
lish turf, during the ensuing summer, al
ready begins to attract considerable attention,
and the prospects Of the two races which
have already been named in our columns,
are under discussion in almost every house
hold in the city. In sporting circles, the
struggle between the American
and English horses, is, of course, the lead
ing topic, and we have already heard of sew
eral wagers being made, in which most
extraordinary confidence is expressed by
those who have selected the champions of
our turf for their favorites. It is plain that
these contests are to become, in a few short