The Portland daily press., 1882-01-21


year Tor drunkenness. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. $50
The price paid for board of prisoners from
Jan. j. to March IA, 1881, was two dollars a
week, and subsequently under the new law
one dollar and seventy-ive cents week, with
an extra allowance for 'soap and washing"
The amount paid for clothing and bedding
for the prisoners, includes the cost of the orig
inal outfit necessary to put a "prison suit of
clothes upon each male prisoner sentenced to
labor in the Jail, which was done at the begin
ming OF the year 1881.
The suit consists of pantaloons and frock
made of cloth of two colors, the right half be-
ing dark, and the left side light, with the right
shoe black and the left one "russet." The ex-
pense of the first outfit is quite large, but with
good management it is thought that for term
of years the cost of clothing for the same num-
Der of prisoners will be very much less.
Pillows with white slips have been furnished
for all the beds, which give the Jail a more
comfortable and clearly appearance. SINCE
the first lot, all the clothing has been made
and repaired at the jail with prison labor.
Repairs to the jail during the year consisted
principally of the changes made in the heating
arrangements and in painting. The paint
ing was very much needed and was done with
prison labor altogether. The old sectional
boiler used for heating the jail became entirely
useless early in the season, and on being re-
moved it was found to be good for nothing but
old junk, and was sold accordingly. Connec-
ton had already been made with the boiler in
the Jail workshop by means of steam pipes
placed in a tunnel which had been excavated
for that purpose between the two buildings,
and when the old boiler failed, steam was
turned on from the shop. Some difficulty was
experienced in getting the water back from the
return pipes, owing partly to the method Of
piping for the old boiler, and partly to the lack
of sufficient fall from the lower levels in the
Jail.
A No. 3 Pratt & Whitney steam return trap
was put on, and now the work is entirely salts
factory. Contrary TO expectation the workshop
boiler seems to be sufficient to heat the Jail in
all kinds of weather, but as matter OF econo-
my as well as precautiOn, it is recommended
that another boiler of ten or fifteen horse pow
or be put in, SO that in cold weather the large
one may be run at a low pressure for heating
purposes, and the smaller one at higher pres
sure, which will be necessary to furnish power
to drive the machinery.
Many of the bills paid in consequence of
these change were charged to the workshop
account, and an allowance of five hundred
dollars for steam and two hundred dollars for
repairs was accordingly made to that account,
and charged to the jail.
The expense of heating the Jail heretofore
has been twelve hundred dollars annually, but
with the present arrangement requiring only
one engineer instead of two, it is estimated
that hereafter it will not cost more than six
hundred dollars year to furnish all the heat
necessary.
The lighting account includes as heretofore,
the cost of lamps, chimneys, brackets, waste,
and all material used in that connection, but by
reason of the inconvenience and extra fire
risk, ON account of the use of oil, it was deem
ed best to change from oil to gas, as means of
lighting the jail, provided, that such q change
could be made upon favorable terms, and &C
cordingly, a contract has been made with Sher-
if Sawyer. to light the jail with gas, making
all necessary repairs to the fixtures for 1882,
for the sum of five hundred dollars.
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the cost of such tools and kitchen utensils as
were necessary for use in and about the jail.
A regular morning call of the physician was
established at the beginning of the year, the
necessary report books having been provided,
and all who reported sick were registered and
examined each morning, and those who were
found to be really sick were treated for their
complaints, while those who were attempting
to avoid work by feigning sickness, were sent
to the shop.
The result has been that the number report
ing sick has been reduced to almost nothing
and the medicine bill at the close of the year
averages no more than two and one-fourth dol
lars per month, against an average of over
twelve dollars month last year, while the in
creased amount of labor in the shop, if of any
value whatever, compensated fully for the ex-
ira expense.
The principal value Of the system however,
dependssupon the fact that absolute Justice can
be done to the prisoner, and much difficulty be
avoided in carrying out the terms of his sem
tence to labor.
The able manner in which Mr.. Walker, the
turnkey at the Jail has carried out the plans of
the commissioners, in making the various
changes in the management of the institution,
and the excellent discipline which he has
maintained, together with the scrupulous care
exercised over the county property, entities
him to much credit as faithful and efficient
officer.