Arkansas true Democrat., 1859-04-06
PUBLIC NOTICE

| The Arkansas State Penitentiary grounds | buildings and conviCts, to be leased out l until the close of the session of the Gen l eral Assembly of the year 1852 that
 will probably be about the 18th or 2oth day Of January, l853. but the session
 which under existing laws, will com
 mence on the first Monday of November
 A. F. 18oz might perhaps be terminated some oay5 earlier or later than either of
 the dates indicated. This lease will nave 10 be made to some responsible
 person or persons, who will pay the
 greatest amount Of money therefor, an-
 nuaIly inc the State treasury, and fully
 comply with the terms and Condi tiOns
 ot the act entitled " fa act 10 Droride for
 the management and control cf he Penaentiary,"
 ogproced llth Fcbruarg, 1859, which act is ap-
 pended Jo this notice
 sNHE contractor viii be required, in his bond, to 1 take care of Ill runaway slaves pace,l, and all winch shall be pacel, Ut the Pententary 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 Of and keep in good condition all the pententiary buildings. The build ings consist o the prison house. three stories high, containing one hundred and sixty-eight cells Iur conylct5; to this i5 attached building (iormng 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 lutchen-aear this Is smokehouse twenty feet square and twenty live feet high-the workshops consist of one building hundred and fifty feet long, and forty feet wle, two stories, each twelve feet hgh forming two large rooms, one below, with suitable stairway leading to the other above; this building has two outside doors with double shutters and lock and the blacksmith shop is seyenty-fve feet long and thirtF-hYe feet wide, story, the walls twelve feet high, containing six biackSmth's fire places, that 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 in the best manner The buildings are ill good order and condition, and are inside a substantial stone wall, three hundred feet square, four feet thick at the base, and tapering up about two feet thick at the top-this wall is covered by cut stone coping and is about twenty-three or twenty-tOur feet high. On the top of this wall near each cor her, is q frame guard-house, and the guards can pass along on top of the wall from guard house to the others. Inside of the wall are also some wooden or frame buildings, to-wit: a kitchen and dinmg-room for the guards, twenty by twenty feet, ten feet high; paint shop, thirty y-two by sixteen feet, ten feet high, zinc roof an old blacksmith shop, used asa shed. s;xtyour by tweny-tmee feet, elght feet high, covered with zinc.
 Outside oi the prison wall are the following, to- wit small onilaing. occupied by the keeper, IS by IS feet. .rt story, and shel-room; Kitchen, l9 hy II feet, feet story; one wagon-shed, sixty by twenty feet. fen feet high; one stable thirty by thirty feet, ten feet high; and one guagj-house, eighteen ny eighteen feet. and eighteen feet high; also horse-ot, four hundred and seventy feet teuc- ing; and also a small garden spot, with plenty of ground for larger garden. The buildings outside ot the prison walls are constructed principally of wood.
 The Penitentiary grounds to be leased, comprise about sixty acres upon which, it is believed, -Ji}i cient tirc-wood for ordinary use of the Pententiarv can be obtiined; but the contractor will not he allowed to use the timber for manufacturing purpo ses.
 This institution is locatel, adjoining and wet of the city of Little Rock, about three quarters of mile from the State-house, on q high and healthy ridge.
 There are now eighty-three conyicts in the pen- tcntiary, sixty-e;ghJ Of whom were sent hy the courts ot this s5lte and fifteen by he United States courts. There are a.so, two runaway slaves, de- tanei at th. PententaIt. The United States pays fifty cents per day for each of the convict. sent by the U. ;. courts to the Penjtentiary; and the con tractor will be en,itie! to the amount 50 paid, as well as to the labor of such c3nvicts
 inc otaJe cf Arkansas does not own any of tlie bedding, clothing. furniture, tools, OF implements m use at the Penitentiary, Int the contractor will have to procure all such articles at his own cost
 Sealed proposals will be received by the Cover nor oI the State of Arkansas, at Little Rock, until the second day of May, A. D. 1859, for the lease of the grounds, buildings and conycts in ac- coldance with the Jaw hereinbeore designated. The proposals will be plainly and distinctly written, and sealed up ani directed 10 the Governor of the State of Arkansas, Little Rock, 4 ransas; ami will be lndorsed, " "ProPosals for leasing the Arkansas Penitentirry, etc" None need aTply but respon- sib.e persons, who can promptly give good and sufficient bond in the of one hundred housand doitars, for the faithful performance of the whole of what is required.
 All newspapers published in this State will pub lish this notice anlhe 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.
 CoDraor q hc State of Arkansas.
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