The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-02-08

.
delegates from the names placed in nomination
Lost
Mr.. "A. Ritchie opposed the adjournment ant
moved that the Convention proceed to ballot fo
delegates.
After some further discussion, the question wa;
taken on Mr.. SCOTS motion to adjourn, amended
so as to require the printing OF 500 copies of the
nominations. Carried By 53 ayes, 43 nays.
The Convention then adjourned until this even
Ing at ~ o'clock.
THE BALTIMORE CRY JAIL-Its Msccurig.--Ye es
terday afternoon Mr.. Phelps. as chairman of the
Committee on Police and Jail, presented a report
on the present condition of the city Jail. The re-
port states that so far as the site and the exterior
OF the building are concerned, there is nothing Ob
jectonable. The committee did not think it necas
sary to notice at length the inconsistent and ex.
trayaEant legislation which has been enacted on
the subject as that matter cannot be remedied. In
regard to the building, they say that many and
most serious defects exist. The insecurity of the
inner walls is particularly dwelt upon. The NOR.
tar is of the most worthless kind. Unless the cell;
were daily and almost hourly visited by officers
1t would be perfectly practicable for any
prisoner to establish a communication with
others in the adjoining cells, by cutting
away the mortar, which is about Of The conSiSten
cy Of fresh sand Communication could thus be
established along the entire corridor, and if MT
detected, throughout an entire wing; the building
itself would offer but slight barrier to general
plan of escape. Almost any instrument could be
used to remove the mortar with success. The re-
port next refers to the proposed iron railing to be
erected around the building, and IS of opinion tha
instead of adding security to the building will
really facilitate the means of escape. The fact that
the prisoners on the ground corridor are able to
see distinctly through the iron gratngs which
guard the lower windows, affords opportunity to
the prisoners to correspond, by the of signals
with confederates outside, and n scheme could be
planned. The committee suggest that Il stone wall
be substituted for the iron railing, but in consider
alton of the fact that the railing is nearly all man
and. ttar tn lafr 70
Judgment of the Building Committee. The same
defects found in the walls Of the cells,
exist in the bgick-work Of tie sinks.
Other serious defects also found in these de-
partments. The report refers to the complaints made
by the late Grand Jury against Thos. C. James,
warden of the Jail, in regard to cleanliness and
while they think some Improvement in the c0ndi-
tion of the sinks might have been effected, they
state that no amount of attention could keep them
in proper condition. The report refers to the an
nual messages of Mayor Swami in the years 1859
and 1860, in which he congratulates the city on
the perfection of the different parts of the building
and the encomums passed by him on the building
committee, and comments with deserved severity
on the deception One of the walls of the building
fell while the building under process of erec-
tion, and the committee of the opinion that it
will be necessary to rebuild all the interior walls not
only to ensure the saie-keeping of the prisoners,
but for the security of the building itself. 'This
expense" says the report, ''wi be chargeable to
the rapacity of the contractors and the incnmpe-
tency or fraudulent cOnnlvance of the Building
Committee, whose duty it to protect the inter
ests OF the city" The drainage of the building is
very incomplete, and should be thoroughly chang
ed. The Committee reports an ordinance repeating
that portion of the original ordinance appointing a
Building Committee, aud authorizes Mayor Brown
to appoint a committee. The present Building
Committee canSiSts of Robert Sullivan, Amos Nc
Comas, James II. Wood, L. S. Lamdin and William
L. Beale. Mr.. McComas was the contractor for
building the engine house at cost of 81 ,500 and
is hrpth r4raof j,,,,s
or brick work.
THE BLow.-About daylight on yesterday morn
ing quite breeze sprung up from the southwest,
which continued until about noon, when the wind
changed to the northwest. A furious blow then
set in and continued with increasing violence until
evening. In different sections Ofthe city, buildings
were uurooted, and in few instances gables
were blown out. The most serious damage was
that occasoned to the walls Of buildings in course
OF erection, number of which were blown down
The shipping in the harbOr up to evening had not
sustained any serious damage.
In the northwestern section of the city, row of
seven houses on Eagle street, between Monson and
Payson streets, being built by Mr.. VIM. Bragg
We're entirely unroofed, the timbers being lodged
in a lot near by.
The roofs of two unoccupied houses on Preston
street, near Pennsylvania avenue, belonging to
George j. Deal, were also blown off.
The roo! Of the large dwelling house, No. 81
Eutaw square, was lifted BY the wind and carried
the house No. 365, with such force as to break
pat Of the outside wall.
The chimney of house on Fayette street, near
Calhoun, was blown down. the bricks falling into
the street, fortunately without injurng any one,
although several persons were passing at the time.
The roof of the house of Mr.. Jacob Waltemver
on Glimor street, near the Calverton road, was
blown off.
Also the roof Of the house OF Charles Messer-
smith, on Pennsy lvania avenue uear the toll-gate
The roof of tie back building of house No 81
McCuiloh street, was lso carried away.
The wind also carried away the roof and part of
the wall of the slaughter house of Mr.. Henry knell.
on PENNSYLVANIA avenue, near Preston street, and
the root of the brick stable of Mr.. Tiffany, on Me-
CuIoh street. The ratters were blown from this
place, leaving it entirely unprotected.
The brick wall surrounding the place of Dr.
RoblnSon, on Pine street, between German and
Baltimore streets, was blown down, and also the
fence OF the lumber yard of MeSsrs. Burns & Sloan
on German street, near Eutaw.
furniture wagon belonging to Mr. Gable which
was standing on Eutaw street, above Favette, was
blown along Eutaw street and overturned on the
corner of Fayette.
The sign of Messrs. Morgan & Bevan, on Green
near Baltimore street, was blown off, very nearly
striking two ladies' who were passing the street.
The wires of the fire and police telegraph were
also damaged in one or two places by the violence
of the wind.
FsEs.-Thc alarm of fire last night at seven
o clock, was occasiOned by the burning of two
ot'i "a iSh NNctuS On CdTOIint near Iratt,
occupied by Mr. Luke Leake. The fire originated
from the chimney, the top of which was blown of
by the W ind, the bricks lodging the roof of the
house 1t Is supposed that the shingles of the roof
ignited from the SCOT in the bricks The building
was one of row, and but for the protection af-
torded by fire wall, the entire row would no doubt
have been destroyed. There was perfect gale
prevailing at the time, and the sparks were carried
rapidly over the buildings to the South. The fire
department were prom pity at the scene and opera
ted very efficiently. The house is fully insured,
but there was no insurance on the furniture, which
was mostly destroyed.
Yesterday afternoon, between four and five
ociCck the dwelling of Mr.. James Harluss No,
l5S West Lombard street, was discovered to be on
hre, under the stairway leading from the front to
the rear building. An alarm was Immediately
given, but before the fire department reached the
scene of the fire it had been extinruished by the
police and neighbOrs. At the time the fire broke
out there was no one in the house but negro boy
and girl, the family being absent. The boy is sus-
pected OF having fired the house. Fire Inspector
Boyd was present and will investigate the mat
ter.
Between l and o'clock yesterday afternoon
frame house, No. SAG Pennsylvania avenue, acci-
dentaly took fire from defective chimney The
damage was slight, the flames being extinguished
by persons in the neighborhood.
ARRESTED on THE CHARGE OF WLFU1, MrRpER
Y yesterday morning Deputy Sheriff Davis and D..
liceman Redgrave arrested Harvey Lee Pierce, by
virtue OF a bench-warrant issued by the Criminal
Court, at the request of the Grand Jury-whch is
now investigating the ubject--charging him with
wliiuliy shooting, on Saturday night last, Wilhe-
nina Ghds Dolly Church, at house on East Monu.
ment street. Pierce is medical student, and has
been attending the lectures during the present ses
sion at the Maryland University, West Lombard
street. Officer Redgrave, knowing the accused
personally, proceeded to The Institution and there
made the arrest. Pierce and the officer were fc-
lowed by large crowd of the students of the col
iege' who were anxious if possible to procure his
release upon bail The charge, however, not be-
ing one of balable character, Pierce was commit
ted to Jail by Sheriff Dutton.
TRoors FOR WAsHINGToN.-Company E, Second
Artillery, which recently left the arsenal at Au-
gusta, Ca, when 1t was seized by the Georgia
State troops, arrived here yesterday morning from
New York ria the Philadelphia railroad, and pro-
ceeded direct to Washington by the regular train
at O'Clock. They numbered ninety-four men, and
are commanded by Lieut.. EIsley. They are acting
as infantry. y company of dragons, numbering
the Northern Central railroad, from the Carlisle
barracks, Pa, and proceeded to Washington bv
special train at IL O'Clock from the Mount Clare
station he company, as they passed through the
streets on their way to the depot, attracted cons-
derable attention from the citizens.
CHILDREN's AID SoCIETY.-The managers of this
Society held their fourth monthly meeting on Tues
dav evening, at their house. No. Courtland street,
During January, the Society received 20 children
under their care, and sent 10 to homes in the coun
try 90 have been received since the Society has been
Two-thirds of them were half orphans
and more than half could not read, thus showing
that the most neglected children are cared for
The house has been almost entirely furnished, the
larder and wardrobe well supplied by kind friends
Donations of this kind have been received amount
ing to nearly 5000. y large number of homes are
waiting to receive our children; 80 girls from to