Arkansas true Democrat., 1859-04-20
PUBLIC NOTICE.

The Arkansas State enitentiary grounds
 buildings and convicts to be leased out
 until the close of the session of the Gen.
 eral Assembly of the year 1852, that
 will probably be about the 18th or 2Oth
 day of January, 1868 but the session
 which under existing laws, will com
 mence on the first Monday of November,
 A. D. 1862, might perhaps be Terminated some days earlier or later than either of
 the dates indicated This lease will
 nave to be made to some responsible
 person or persons, who will pay the
 greatest amount of money therefor, an-
 nually into the State treasury, and fully
 comply with the terms and conditions
 of the act entitled " An act to procde for
 the management and control Of the Penuentiary,"
 dproced l7th February, 1859, which act is ap-
 pended to this notice.'
 1>HE contractor will be required, in his bond, to 4 take care of all runaway slaves placed, and all which shall be placed, at the Pentenary under the laws of this State, for safe keeping, until retrieved by their owners, but will be entitled to the labor of such slaves whilst so kept. The contractor will also be required to take care of and keep in good condition all the pententary buildings. The build ngs consist of the prison house, three stories high, containing one hundred and sixty-eisht cells fer convicts; to this is attached building (fornng wing) sixty feet long and two stories, each twelve feet high, and twenty five feet wde--the room in the upper story is the hospital room--in the lower story are the mess room and the Mediterranean this is smokehouse twenty feet square and twenty-five feet high-;he workshops consist of one building hundred and fifty feet long, and forty feet wide, two stories, each twelve feet high, forming two large rooms, one below, with suitable stairway leading to the other room above; this building has two outside doors with double shutters and locks and the blacksmith shop is seventy five feet long and thirtyhve feet wide, story, the walls twelve fat hir~h l. l.. Al that Is three double ones, to be used in heating iron and metals.
 The walls of all of these buildings are brick, and the buildings all covered with heavy slate roofs Tn the best manner The buildings are in good order and condition. and are inside substantial stone wall, three hundred feet square, four feet thick at the base, and tapering up about two feet thick at the top-ths wall is covered by cut stone coping, and is about twenty-three or twenty four feet high. On the top of this wall, near each cor her, is frame guard house, and the guards pass along on top of the wall from one guard house to the others. Inside of the wall are also some wooden or frame buildings, to-wit: kitchen and dining-room for the guards twenty by twenty feet, ten feet high; paint shop, thirty-two by sixteen feet, ten feet high, zinc roof an old blacksmith shop, used shed, sixty -four by twenty three feet, eight feet high, covered with zinc.
 Outside of the prison wall are the following, to- wit: small building, occupied by the keeper Is by IS feet feet story, and she'd room: kitchen, l9 by Il feet, feet story; one wagon-shed, sixty by twenty feet, ten feet high; stable thirty by thirty feet, ten feet high; and guard house, eighteen by eighteen feet, and eighteen feet high; also horse-ot, four hundred and seventy feet fenc ing; and also small garden spot, with d plenty of ground for a larger garden. The buildings outside of the prison walls are constructed principally of wood.
 The Penitentiary grounds to be leased comprise about sixty acres, upon which, it is believed, suffi cient fre-wood for ordinary use of the Penitentary can be obtained; but the contractor will not be allowed to use the timber for manufacturing purpo ses.
 This institution is located, adjoining and west of the city of Little Rock, about three quarters of a mile from the State-hOuse on a high and healthy ridge
 There are now eighty-three convicts in the peni- tcntiarY, siXty-eight of whom were sent by the courts O. this state, and fifteen by the United States courts. There are also, two runaway slaves, de- taned at tho Penitentiary. The United States pa,s fifty cents per day for each of the covicts by the U. $ courts, to the Penitentiary and the con- tractor viii be entitled to the amount so paid, as wei as to the labor of such convcts.
 The State of Arkansas does not own any of tie bedding, clothing, furniture, tools, or implements in use at the Penitentiary, but the contractor will have to procure all such articles at his own cost
 Sealed proposals will be received by the Cover nor of the State of Arkansas, at Little Rock, until the second day of May, A. D. 1859 for the lease of the grounds buildings and convicts, in ac cordance with the law hereinbefore designated. The proposals will be plainly and distinctly written, and sealed up and directed to the Governor of the State of Arkansas, Little Rock, Arkansas; and will be indorsed, Proposals for leasing the Arkansas Penitentiary, etc., None need apply but respon- sible persons, who can promptly give good and sufficient bond in the sum of one hundred Mousand doAars, for the faithful performance of the whole of what is required.
 All newspapers published in this State will pub fish this notice and the act referred to therein three times, once week, and will render their accounts against the State of Arkansas therefor to the audi tor ELIAS N. CONWAY.
 Corernor Of the State Of Arkansds
 EXECUTIVE OFFICE,