Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1882-08-30
The State Prison.

Tuesday, August 22d, Governor Farnham, the
directors OF the prison, and other state officials,
with few invited guests, visited Windsor for the
purpose OF inspecting the prison buildings and
the superintendent house. which have Just been
completed. That the extensive improvements
contemplated under the state appropriation had
been so well completed and that, too, within the
limits OF the appropriation, might well be a mat
ter OF pride with those entrusted with the work,
and 1t was both natural and commendable that
they should invite the inspection OF the public
Inc entire party were very Hospitality enter
tanned by Superintendent Rice and his accom-
plished wife, and comprised the following gentle
men with their ladies Governor Roswell Farm
ham, Secretary of State George Nichols, State
Treasurer John A. Page, Auditor L. II. Powell,
Directors OF the State Prison Hons j. c. Parker,
w. II. H. Bingham and Charles Thatcher, State
Inspector OF Finance W. II. Dubois, Colonel Ju-
Illus j. Estey Superintendent w. G. Fairbank OF
the state reform school, Superintendent G. n
Eayres of the state house Of correction, Superin-
tendent OF Education Justus Dart, General G. f.
Davis, Senator S. NJ Gleason, Hon. +. NJ. Good
win, Hon. J. +. Mckenzie Hon. Joseph Po-
land, r.. j. Kimball, ESQ.,, Colonel Hiram Har-
low and Forbes of the Boston Journal, from
whose excellent report OF the gathering, and
description of the buildings, we CLEAN the follow
ing: As is known, the old workshop was demo-
ished and new brick one erected one hundred
and forty by. forty feet, two stories above the
basement, with asquare pitched truss-roof slated.
The basement is divided into four rooms-a store
room in each end, with coal and engine rooms In
the center. The workshop has two main ilcofs,
fitted up with the best machinery for the manu-
facture OF ladies boots and shoes, W. d. Bracket
& Co Of Boston, contractors, the state receiving
fifty cents per day for each man and furnishing
the necessary power and machinery. The new
central building connects the old and new prison,
and is forty-six by forty-three feet, three stories
above the basement, and surmounted by an Eng
fish cottage roof, having six dormor windows and
a cupola rising forty feet higher The basement
is divided into six rooms-kitchen, dining-room,
laundry, store-room, sink and bathroom. The
guard room Is twenty-three feet Deep and has a
large front bay window giving views Of the work.
shop and the entire prison yard. From side win
dows the prison halls and corridors can be seen
Doors open into the yard and corridors, The
second floor is divided up into five sleeping rooms
one OF which is used rs reading-room. The
third floor has six sleeping two being fitted
up for female convicts. This new structure is
most substantially built The floors are hard
pine, and the interior finish is OF oak and ash
The rooms have ash wainscotng, and the walls
are either in hard plaster finish or painted. Hot
and cold water is carried throughout the build
ing
The superintendent building stands directly
in front of the new central building, and fronts
on State street. The house is thirty-eght by
forty-two feet on the ground, two stories high,
with an English cottage roof having five dormer
windows; 1t has two bay windows, and is con-
nected with the prison guard room in the rear by
an archway in the second story. On the first
floor are double parlors connected by black wal
nut folding doors opening into spacious hall.
The window frames, castings, mopboards, etc,
are OF native cherry, and the walls are hard
finished. The nantes are marblezed slate and
finely wrought. The dning-room and kitchen
occupy the rear of the first floor. They have
hard pine floors and the former oak finish, the
latter and the hall being finished in ash. Above
are eight sleeping-rooms. The entire house is
furnished in excellent taste, the entire appoint
ments being of a attractive and substantial char
acter, and yet not at all indicative OF extrava-
gance or lavish expenditure. By the reconstruc-
tion OF the walls and guard-house In connection
with the improvements made, the services OF four
men have been dispensed with by Superintendent
Rice, thereby saving some 81 800 annually to the
state. The management Of the superintendent
in the prison during the last four years has been
very satisfactory to the directors and others
interested in this Institution. The affairs
of the prison are conducted on strict business
principles. The discipline exercised over the
prisoners is firm and answering in Its char
acter, and yet not harsh. Everything about the
prison is clean and neat, and one has to but visit
the prison to be convinced that Superintendent
Rice and the directors have accomplished most
excellent work, in thorough, business-like
The prison now has nnety.one inmates, OF
whom only one Is a woman-Mrs. Emeline
Meaker, the Waterbury murderess. She is sem
fenced to be hung next spring, and on account OF
her savage and ugly disposition has been kept
locked up in cell in the new wing OF the prison
This section has no other occupants, the rest OF
the prisoners having quarters in the old wing
This removal OF Mrs, Meaker to her solitary
abode was necesstated by her habit OF making
night hideous with yells and screams when in
her former quarters. Her son, Almon Meaker, is
well behaved and industrious. George Miles, the
Barre bank robber, is an adept at cutting and
sorting shoe heels He has about eight years
more at his trade. Five men are In the prison
for life