Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1884-11-21
Report of the Grand Jury.

To tie Honorable J,tdges Of tie Circuit Court
for Montgomery county.
The Grand Jurors for the November Term
of the Circuit Court beg leave to offer the
following report:
The Grand Jury have examined sixty We
witnesses, and upon the evidence have found
twelve presentments. With two exceptions
no one else, To the knowledge Of the Grand
Jury, sells goods other than spirtuous IL
quors without the proper licenses.
The Constables and Deputy Sherffs re-
port no other violations of the law as far as
they know
The Grand Jury visited the Jail and found
nothing that could be criticised in the man
agement of it, for cleanliness or for the com.
fort of the inhabitants. The interior was
thoroughly white washed, and the furnace
was doing good work, heating both the first
and second stories The prisoners, five in
number, four males and one female, seemed
both wel-fed and comfortable. The sani-
tary condition is such, however, that needs
the immediate attention of the County Com
missioners, and this body earnestly and EN-
practically demand that such steps should be
taken at once to remedy the existing evils
connected with the drainage of the Stops
and refuse, and also the water from the roofs
and surface water that runs into the cellars
Al present there is leading from the Jail
yard shoot or terra Gotta pipe about ten
inches in diameter and twenty feet long
This empties on the outside OF the Jail into
a well about six feet deep. This well has Il
tight lid over it. All the Stops and other
refuse Of the Jail are empticd into this shoot
and run to the well. 1t lies there until the
well is full, and is then bailed out, which is
not done oftener than twice year. The
well having a tight lid over it, all the gasse5
generated and all the foul odors naturally
have to seek an outlet through the shoot or
terra Gotta pipe, and all this stencil is thrown
back to the Jail, which is necessarily un-
healthy, not only to the inmates Of the Jail
but to the whole town of Rockville. Another
feature is that the well of water is below
and near this refuse well, and there is great
danger from the water being affected by the
drainage Of the one to the other The Grand
Jury would recommend that two stpGl box
es, with tightiitting lids, should d. made
with strOu.5 iron rln-s ia oueenj aHI that
the Stops, &c. should run into them, and
that they should be hauled away by horses
and empted at least once IL week.
The Grand Jury would also advise that
porches should be made over the doors lead
ing from the Jail to the Jail yard and over
the celarway that leads TO the basement 81
| the Jail, as at present the water from the
overflow of the cutters and the surface
water runs right into the cellars, keeping
them damp and thereby endangerlng the
health of the Inhabitants.
The Aims House was visited and marked
improvement was seen in the appearance Ol
the farm. Good crops had been made dur
ing the present year, both OF wheat and corn
and signs of careful management were seen
on every side. A great necessity in connec-
ton with the farm is the building Of Il com
modious barn and granary. Every farm OF
$50 acres in the county has this al-import'
ant building, and there is no reason why
the county's farm should not have it. The
superintendent informed us that having nc
place To put the wheat when threshed he had
TO haul it TO a neighbours, where il now is
The hay is also exposed to the weather
thereby losing greatly in value. The Grand
Jury wish to call the attention Of the Coun-
ty Commissioners particularly to this mat
ter. A large meat house has been bull
during the past Summer, which was much
needed.
The inspection of the Aims House anC
the condition of the inmates was satisiac
tory. There are thirty four inmates at pres
ent, nine whites and twenty-five colored
and they seemed as contented as the exist
ing circumstances would permit
II would be advisable, AS soon as practi
cable, To have different divisions for TN
male and female paupcrs, and We hope tn
proper authorities will give it their careful
consideration.
The sanitary condition Of the building
and grounds is good, with the exception o
the stable yard, which should be removed
as it is too close 10 the house for the healtl
of the inmates.
The Grand Jury wish to report that Jehr
II. Clagett and X. II. King, Constable,
failed to appear before them.
All Of which is respectfully submitted.
JAMES Il. MEL, Foreman.