The weekly North-Carolina standard., 1869-05-12
THE Pen,tentiary.

J.
topographg ofour city had selected place
for the erection of this important lnstitu
tuition. The act under which they deter
mined the place required them to choose
some point s'at or near Raleigh" but as to
all other advantages it was referred to the
Prudence and judgement OF the Commits
sioners As We then stated, the particular
place selected is on the land of VIM. Boylan
Esq, West OF his residence and immediate
) ly South of the line of the N. c. Railroad
So far as we have heen able to ascertain
the opinion of The people of Raleigh and
the citizens of the State, whose judgments
are unbiased, there is a general approval OF
the selection of the Commission. OF this
we are assured from our knowledge OF the
character and intelligence of the gentlemen
composing that commission that their ac-
ton would be determined by a conscientious
fidelity to what they held to be the interest
of the State, and so wisely done that the
most pertinent of reasons would justify
their choice.
The advantages in this location are, in part
at least. apparent to the casual observer. 1t
is Immediately on the line of the North Car
olina and also of the Chatham Railroad,
thus making it conveniently accessible from
all parts of the State. In this point we are
sure the conditions of the Constitution has
been complied with and that in this very
.nearness of the Railroad to the Institution, so
that material. provisions and even the con-
victs can all be directly brought without adj
ditional conveyance or expense, within the
walls of the prison, very great advantage
to the State has been secured. We happen
to know that no place could have satisfied
the judgment of the Commission but one
thus Immediately on Railroad. This it
will be seen does not only lessen expenses in
the construction of the building, but will,
in all time to come, effect a very important
saving to the State in the expenses incurred
in providing for such Institutions Besides
this, its nearness to the city of Raleigh; be-
ing not in the city yet so near to it that
few minutes walk will enable any one TO
reach it from the capitol, while it is but
few hundred yards distant from the Depot
of the North Carolina r .ilroad, and may be
seen when completed by all travellers pass
ing on our great Railroads. This nearness
to the city is not only convenient, but will,
while the prison is being constructed, save
much time and expense. As to the advan-
tages nf the place itself, we are assured that
there are inexhaustibe beds of excellent
| building rock to be had immediately on the
ground selected 1t is also sufficiently un-
dulating to afford every needed facility for
constructing the sewerage required in so
large an establishment while the plat OF land
will doubtless be so chosen that it will in
clude portion of Rocky Branch" and thus
secure to the prison itself an abundant and
never failing supply of good, wholesome wa
ter,adequate to all purposes. But should there
be needed other stone, brick or any mate
rial for construction it can be brought from
ground.
We are satisfied that no better selection
could have been made and hope that no un-
foreseen obstacles will retard the rapid pro-
secution of this now much needed public
work. Its inception has had much to con-
tend with, but there is now no reason why
the expectations of the people of the State
should not be at once realized and the seve-
raj counties be relieved from an onerous
burden of taxation. Perhaps never before
in the history of our State, has any project
met with such universal favor as this of the
erection ofa Penitentiary, and there is always
perhaps an unduly large expectation of the
benefits the State will realize from it. Erec-
ted speedily and with proper care as to ex-
pense, conducted wisely and firmly it can
not fail of realizing all just and intelligent
expectations formed of it.
We are pleased to see that the act itself
gives proof that we may expect to find in
all that pertains to the Penitentiary evidence
of advanced ideas. Indeed the Republican
party is pledged to advanced ideas in all
departments. The act provides that "the
cells shall be constructed in the most ap-
proved manner-after the most recent plans.
embracing all Improvements and necessary
accommodations, and security for safe keep
ing and healthf-"and that the building be
well ventilated, and capable of being warm
ed as may be desired by the use of the most
recent and approved means" There is no
question but the whole Commission are men
who are themselves fully up to this new era
ofhumanity, and that, with most scrupul-
Gus fidelity they will seek to carry out all
the views in the act, so as to make our State
Prison really one of the best if not the best,
combining all the most recent Improvements
in construction.
We do not wish even to seem for one mo-
ment to assume the position of instructors
of the Commission, or to intimate that they
will not, in all matters that. come under
their control and direction, carry out the
views and ideas that are the fruits of our
civilization and christianity. We see from
the act that it is made their duty, to some
| extent, to inaugurate the acltoze system Of the
nadnagenent and control Of the prison and the
concicts. They determine everything in the
construction of the building that involves
the health comfort ond welfare Of the con-