Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1860-09-28
THE PR SENTIMENT or THE
GRAND JURY
CEITTENDEN COUNTY COURT.
SEPTEMBER TERM, 1860.

! To the Honorable The County Court, nolo
ii S.ssior.
The Grand Jurors within and for the body
| Of the County of Chittenden respectful
| present that it Is with unfeigned pleasure
| that they find themselves relieved from the
| duty which. for several successive years re-
| Gently past, has been faithfully discharged
| bv previous Grand Juries, Of bringing to the
| attention of this Hon. Court the miserable
| condition Of the County Jail, and the incon-
yenierco and discomfort Of the accJmmoda1
tions prov de1 for the Sessions Of the Grand
Jury. in the Court House.
! Since the last Report 10 this Hon. Court,
acting perhaps andrr the suggestions there
! in contained, and, as we believe, in full ac-
cordance with the opinions and wishes Of all
intelligent citizens in all parts Of the County.
! Judges FISH and WoBK, having by theirs
prudent, bat energetic movements, secured
! II n appropriation for that purpose from the
| Legislature, have commenced the work Of
| adding to and repairing the ail,upon "A plan
which, when completed vi | efectually re-
move the main objections that have hitherto
existed, and furnish the County 4 decent,
comfortable, spacious and secure building,
amply sufficient for the uses to which
County Jail should be put. The plan Of
construction, when com pleted. will furnish
BIZ the addition contemplated to the prison,
in connection with the old portion thereof,
and with very little teratiOn OF the dwell
ing house portion, more cmfortable and
convenient dwelling for tie JAilor and family
and prison consisting OF three departments,
each with all necessary cells and Hobbies,
united under one roof, but entirely separated
from each other; so that adults, juveniles ant
females, may all remain in cOnfnem Mt,
without the least opportuui of oommunica-
ton between these various classes.
We consider the appropriation made to be
too scanty to secure an erection that shall be
ia all respects unexceprionable, and such an
one as the ability Of the County would
warrant and indeed demand.
An examination of the work done has con-
WINGED ug that it has been substantially and
securely done, and while its peculiar nature
is such as to make the necessary materials
and the workmanship both expensive so that
in the completion of the work it may be
necessary to exceed the limits e the appro-
priation made, yet, approving as we do the
plan adopted and the contract as made for
the materials and the work we find ourselves
constrained to commend the prudenceand Judg |
ment with which the whole matter has been
managed, and congratulate the County upon
the near prospect of the possession of a |
County Jail, of which VIC need not be |
ashamed.
We take pleasure in saying that the removal |
OF single partition in the Grand Jury room, |
with shifting of the stove, and a slight |
addition 10 the furniture, have nearly |
doubled the capacity Of the room; and alto |
gether. have changed what formerly was a |
homely, uncom Portable, unwhOlesome aud |
inconyenlent, place of confinement, into a
pleasant, roomy and agreeable ll,-and
this has been done at an inconsiderable ex-
pense.
No instance Of neglect or failure. in the
assessment, collection or expenditure Of
money for the support of schools, or in the
performance of legal duty, in reference to
the United States Deposit money, on the
part Of any Towns in tho County. have been
brought to our notice.
In the course OF our examinations, We
nave become informed of the existence in
our midst of large class of precocious and
hardened boys and young men who saan, IN he
IN q measure d. stitute of homes friopde
employment, or desire for either. Tnav
are roaming ABOUT our streets, picking una
rrecarious and miserable living, and by their
perversion Of character, ready to prey upon
the community, aud, as it were, impeled in
to the commission ola great variety of minor
off.nces. We also find great number of
loose and abandoned women roaming about,
of all ages, alike destitute of shame and de-
cency some, full grown women of mature
age, and some mere girls in age and in stat
ure, but alike corrupt and degraded. And
though individuals of this class were. in their
downward career, more sinned against than
SHINING, in their degradation, they have
become miserable indeed-women in form,
md 80 far women indeed, as not to be beyond
nope Of reformation, if the proper measures {
Of reform be taken in time But as we ex- /;
anime our Statutes, we find nothing upon the
book OF that law which should express the (
of the people, as well as their fear {
# crime and love OF mere Justice. but fine and
imprisonment prescribed for the restraint and c
eformation of this most miserable class - c
md behold the result C
Unfortunate girls gradually descend with s
ure rapidity and become hardened, reckless, t