The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1871-12-16
The New Jaii.--The "Old Jail" was

to build suitable prison to secure crlml-
nails of the county. The "dilapidated old
jail' at length became so unsuitable for
the purposes of Jail, that the Court
threatened to send prisoners to Baltimore,
and mulct the county, in a short time, fol
their keep, more than a new prison would
cost. Tie County Commissioners were
indicted by the Grand Jury, on one occa.
sion. for maintaining such nuisance as
the old Jail was finally pronounced to be-
favor of q new Jail, and strongly favored
both new Jail and court house; but the
County Commissioners fought shy of the
necessary expense which new buildings
would entail, and feared the responsibility
which they imagined they would have to
incur. The four years of war effectually
put a stop to all thoughts of new public
buildings till that "onpleasantness was
ended.
At the close of the rebellion, more active
measures were taken to have the long
talked-of new Jail built. A bill was pre-
pared and passed by the Legislature of
1866, authorizing the County Commission
ers to build a new Jail, or repair the old
one, as in their discretion they deemed
proper. Several hundred dollars of useless
expenditure was put on the old structure,
which was money virtually thrown away,
but the Board of County Commissioners at
that time seemed to shrink from the respon-
siblity of undertaking to erect a new
prison and sheriff's house for Cecil county,
Notwithstanding the general demand for
this much needed improvement.
About this time our neighboring town
of North East grew ambitious to become
the seat of government, and talked Of
donating quite large tract of ground on
which to erect new county buildings. But
nothing further than talk was done toward
the proposed new buildings, and the Act OF
| 1866 remained a dead letter on the statute
| books Of the State.
Finally the legislature of 1870 passed an
Act which gave the County Commissioners
of Cecil county power to build new Jail,
or repair the old one, and to remodel the
court house; granting them authority al
the same time to issue county bonds to the
amount of $4,000 to pay for the proposed
work; and under this law the Board Of
County Commissioners who took theil
seats in the fall of so, composed of Messrs
H. Il. Brady, John Mauldin and George
Gillespie, ventured on the important work.
New Castle, Delaware, Jail was consequent,
inspected by the County Commissioners
and the plan of that model prison adopted
for the proposed new structure for Cecil
county. Mr.. Samuel Sloan, Architect, of
Philadelphia, was employed to make the
drawings and specifications for sheriff
house and jail, somewhat less in dimen
lions, but similar in plan, to the New Cas-
tie Jail, which was pronounced by the
builder to be very inaccurate draft il
some respects.
| Advertisements were published in the
Spring of 1870, inviting proposals to cree
the new building. A number of proposal.
were put in, differing widely in amount
and ranging from $4,000 to $4,000. TIL,
lowest bidder failing to give the required
bond, after much delay, the County Com
missioners concluded to abandon the con
tract plan, and keeping the work unde
their immediate supervision, purchase
material, and employ competent mechanic
to superintend the work, who should bt
stages Of its progress. Mr.. Eli Seminar
was employed for this important Office, a
a salary of six per cent on the entire cos
of tho work.
| The next object of importance was a
proper site on which to erect the new build
ing. Public opinion was considerable,
divided on this point, many strongly favor
ing the spot on which the old structure
stands. The Commissioners had prett,
nearly settled down to this conclusion; bu
on further consideration and examination
a lot fronting on North street and the rail
road, and containing about two acres ant
a half, was finally purchased of James B
Groome, Esq, for 81, 500, the Commission
ers concluding that the old Jail and 10
could be sold at a considerably higher figure
than that paid for the lot purchased. Thi
important point having been settled, adver
tisements were issued for proposals to exca
vate for cellar and foundations, and TO
masonry and other parts of the work, ant
material. Mr.. Nicholas Larzalere wa.
awarded the contract for excavating, and
Mr.. T. V. Rose, the masonry. Mr.. Johr
Gilpin furnished the common brick for the
building, about 225, 900, and McClennahal
g. Bro. the Port Deposit granite. During
the Autumn of 1870 the masons commenced
operations, and the cellar walls of thu
sheriff7s house and prison, and the founda
ton of the yard wall were built, when thu
work was suspended till the opening o
the Spring of 1871. Operations were thel
renewed with energy, and the building
entirely completed in November, excep
some finishing touches by the painters.
| The sheriff's house is faced with pressed
brick on front and sides, is thirty.sevel
feet deep, connecting with the prison, ant
forty-two feet eight inches wide, and two
stories and an attic. The basement wall
rise about four and half feet above thu
ground, surmounted by cut stone waite
table, which projects inches, and from thi
solid foundation the brick work rises. TIL,
main entrance to the sheriff7s house il from
North street, by broad flight of cut ston,
steps, and by a capacious door, surmountet
by beastiful semi circular colored tran
som, crimson, blue End white, entering
light and airy hall eight feet in width, ant
eleven feet five inches to ceiling. On tn
left hand is the parlor; in rear of this til,
dining room, and on the right the sheriff
ofhee, fitted up with convenient closets
coat hoex4s etc, etc. In the rear of tn,
sheriff's office il + commodious kitchen
fitted with a large range and terty- gallon
circulating boiler, with cast iron sink, apC
the necessary accompaniment of pipe
witt. stop cocks, where hot and cold wate
can be dlaEp at will. In the partition
between the kitchen and prison, large