Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-01-24
KENNEBEC COUNTY.
The Commissioners Iiks Up Their ANNA
Report.
Recommendation. =.

The total smog1t Of the county tax for
kenBebee county for the year Isss, was
s2e 900, and in making the apporionment
to the several tosns and cities in the county
IL was found that the largest sum was upon
Augusta. viz ss.2l3.7s; waterville is sec
oad, $40 So Gardner third. a2 ssO.eI !;
Hailoweli, sl337.0l. The largest town tar
is paid By Vasssiboro, viz 1890. with
Winthrop second, 81 3j2.T7. Rome PAYS
the smallest cngnty ta1 Of any town, viz :
vI56-I0. Uaity Plantation pay. a tax Of
sis 80.
h. total receipts into the county treasury
from all sources ~as 81, .o5 81 total eI-
penditures, s72 .0-9 IS cash ia treasury Jan.
/. 1853, Is .37G u. The total resources of
the county On toe srst day of January, 1853.
were sl9 3e7 80, Of which sum sit.e os
was unpaid county taxes, the balance cash
on hand. Tne liabilities Of the coanty on
the same date we're A. follows Temporary
loan, 81, 10000; interest OH the above loau
for one year, si35.0oi "a paid Allowances
noS due, $40 1884, resources above liza
biliii,s s5.3f3.65
The cost Of the county courts as given by
the commissioner, il. Supreme Court s7g9 =
AZ; Superior Court, sl3.623 % Municipal
cogTts-Aagusts, s2o0s Is Gardiner ~~s
lsI "a; Natsrviile, 1882 81; HalioWe
sit5.7l; Chelsea, sl330.05; Randolph,
ssi.ssi Oakland ss0.5e, Winthrop, slOs
"A Belgrade, $50 90 other trial justice
courts, s72T3 40.
During the year the cost Of the prisoners
IN Jail has been, aside from board s7347 02
There have been si772 IS laid out in re-
pairs upon the Court House.
4 general summary Of the expenditure. On
account Of the cost Of criminal prosecutions
embraces the following Items Total criml-
nal costs for the year 1873, not including
board of prisoners, sl+31s 81 board and
cost OF prisoners, s5l654i; other Jail ex-
penses, s2l5l III expenses of Court House.
sls7z.65; costs on recount of violation of
liquor laws, including board, 5000 u; cost
OF drunkenness, including board. sfl22 ~;
cost of yagrapts and tramps, SITS So; cost
of other crimes, including the Byss' trial
s64i9.25. In part 10 Offset the above costs
there were received in fines aud costs from
enforcement of liquor law s3i23.0f from
prosecution for drunkenness, 1927 10, from
enforcement Of other laws, sl5i52 The
board Of prisoners for the year represents
1881 weeks. at cost per week Of sl.5l.
Statistics Of jail inmates shows the follow
ing facts There were commit ed during TIL
year Ju2 prisoners, and on January lst, 1883,
there were 100 prisoners in Jail. The
average number tor the year has been So.
IF the above total number of persons con-
mitted 4J1 were males and 5 females. The
character OF crime appears as follow.
Committed for violations OF liquor law, 90
drunkenness Isl. vagrsncy and tramps,
lOH assault and battery, 35; poor debtors, ?
other crimes not classified, r.
In closing their report the County Com
missloners say
The reputation of our county has not yet
suffered lnJary among the fraternity OF
ramps. They still regard it the jail
among all others for good lodging. good
food good clsthing, good cheer, aud very
desirable quarters in which Is spend the cold
season of the year. They are focking to 1t
this wear in greater numbers than ever be- /.
fore. The all is now filled to its utmost
capacity, there being now within its walls
more than one hundred, more than three
quarters of whom are professional
tramps This condition calls loudly
for some heroic action on the part
Of those who have the jail in charge, aud
such action as will entirely change the tramp
estimate of its character. The only COM
mon sense remedy is TO make the jail a
place of punishment in the strictest sense of
that word, by every mean, that may be
deemed iuhcous and at the same time
elective. The recommendations of the jail
inspectors and County Commlss oners to this
end have not heretofore been enforced; the
modes of treatment suggested have been
dlsregaried and the comfort rather than
the punishment of the tramp seems to have
been the policy pursued. The Commission
ers are stil determined 10 do whatever may
be IN their power TO correct this abuse, and
they confidently expect and believe that the
sheriff aud jailof, and the officers of the
municipal co lrts of the several cities, will
work an confer with the m to the end that
some measure may be vised. whereby the
number of this class of criminals and the
consequent large expense of the Jail may he
reduced.