Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1876-09-23

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NEARLNtwo weeks ago the Alle-
ganian gave the County Commission
ers a fearful thrust about the inter-
nal arrangement of the county Jail.
One would think from the nervous
style of its local description that the
writer's familiarity with such things
had been gained by an architectural
apprenticeship, or that he was brought
up among jails. But he cannot help
his style; hence we acquit him Of any
sort of experience in the work Of erect
, ing prisons. 1t is little more than
probable that, like Columbus Alexan-
der in the Safe Burglary Conspiracy,
the Allegantaa "has been imposed
upon by some huge joker" We
quote: ..-....
What with corridor walls carried up to
support = roofthey did not touch
Now that is a system of building
which never occurred ato anybody be-
fore. The architect who supports
roof by walls which "did Cor do
the lenses are little mixed here not
touch it, is genius of the first water.
By strict application Of similar prin-
ciplss it would be no trouble for him
to invent perpetual motion. The
fact is, if he only knew it, his fortune
is made. Newton discovery of the
law Of grayitation was great, but the
man who exempts roofs from its uni
yersal application, totally eclipses the
Z father of modern philosophy His
early attention to the air-ship bust
ness will solve a vexatious problem,
and crown the nineteenth century's
pyramid of discoveries with fitting
capstone.
With a waste of thousands of brick
~ thereby that the people paid for; what
with furnaces so badly constructed that
AAuNA q SuiabSlitiAIA lllCShullC put tIltlll uP
he would have expected to he sued for
damages; what with corridor cells that
would scarcely retain an enterprising
weasel-it would be well for the Demo
cratic party to see whether at the next
election it cannot find men Of enough brains
in its own ranks to order these things in
better fashion
We are not specially defending the
Commissioners they are abundantly
able to take care OF themselves But
We like to see justice done; hence we
are glad to quote the Alleganlam' S
admission that the Jail cells would
scarcely retain an enterprising weasel. >
Without asking, therefore, whether
our contemporary ever saw or heard
of weasel" that was not ''enterpris-
ing" or of one that was ever Caught
asleep" we do inquire whether it
thus intended to illustrate the unsafe
. ty Of our Jail? 1t is faulty assump-
ton that cell which would scarcely
retain an enterprising weasel" is
necessarily unsafe for holding PRISON
srs of ordinarily less enterprising'
r instincts. If, however, il is designed
to say that our Jail is a miserable
abortion Of architecture and work
manship, what has the -Allega,ainm to
say of those men to whom the trusts
were Immediately confded by the
Commissioners? The architect was
good enough to devise the plan Of
y the Clty Hall Of Cumberland; why
not for the County Jail? The super
visor Of the work was Il Cumberland
mechanic" who, besides being a work
man of the highest reputation fol
skill sand integrity, did not Eek
,pect to be sued for damages. As
Stunning satisfactory replies to these
queries, we would further like to
know what our non-partisan Grand
Juries have been doing all this while !?
They have been faithfully examin-
ing the public institutions of the
county from time to time, and report
ing certain needed changes and re
pairs, but these several bodies OF
twenty-tour men each have never dis
covered that
1t would be well for the Democratic
party to see whether at the next election ii
cannot find men of enough brains in its
own ranks to order these things in better
fashion
But it is plain, that The Commission
ers have committed errors, and what
public body has not ? The trouble is
they do not wholly patronize home
industry and skill. Why should they
send away to Hagerstown for furna
+. ces the erection of which was attend
ed by 'the most apparent ignorance
of the simplest principles of pueumat-
les p Or, why should they send to
f,r Ro ltiu,oro for an orob;to,+ ,,r;4l