Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1893-01-24

IL Drooo0t Dt0oot9 omco hno - sesss
- n ths fuar and making thoee epe!t
urants into one once, and building ~
0rouroof vsuIts u the rear Of the build
~. I have The estimate Of NJ. 0reen-
eat which I will read'
pAnls. January ~ I'D.
Win fuuish ~ nsasrIa! and perfsr ~
sscs . bsid ssd fsily esTHlsss year fssT ~, -
I,'S s, sss 49, Z SSsssy al ssiIiss: VII
- of IN 1oors snd oSihnes. yatsr ught: naks
Million 70 Rsqsesr Of frobass and C sss,..es
Sss q 81, s,s -: y yy.ss sns :ssy
ss,.si roons, and placing foer Steel ! beams U
usiiings. Substitute IN new door 40 snasssn
Iinsed on both sidse. foe ~ sum OF fosSssn
Assdrsd ssd any d'lA" lsiht'ca o,rrrLsAy.
WIN put In .Arss vsssibuls vsals aoors. .ans
4, Arr n US II Lewiston Cay BuildIass. norss
nsts, for two hundred and twsssH;n rs. aoIu
In Mr.. Greenl>ars 6rst estimate OF
elI5O for making these changes he tells
YOU that he will mako vaults 80 nearly
aud Technically and absolutely hrepfoof
and suitable for the purpose - can pe
made.
Now. gentlemen, a. understand II,
these are oil the improvements and re-
pslrs asked for by these petitioners, 30
Far % the repairs are concerned. There
Il to-day undoubtedly surplus 10 the
County Treasures hands OF not exceed
Ing $4,000, although I know II has been
In the papers that lt ran up 70 eight or
nine or ten thousand dollars. The
County Treasurer told me this morning
that, anticipating the expenses OF the
court and other expenses, there WOULD
be left In the treasury at the end OF the
wear, not over 5000. lie does not
state that absolutely, but 1t Ii his best
judgment that this sum may be lett win
which to make these repairs upon these
amounting perhaps TO SyV,
which Will not cost the taxpayers OF the
county one cent In the way Of extra tax.
alton 10 the future. They have already
paid the amount which will be required.
In this financial management IL carried
out by YOU, Mr.. Chairman and gentle
men, can see no reason why these re-
pairs cannot be made out OF the surplus,
and our county estimates be reduced
at least $500 q year, thereby, In this
msnner looking out for the rights OK the
people instead OF increasing our indebt.
edness the sum Of from thirty to forty
thousand dollars, and perhaps more
and In addition to- that saddling on 10
the county forever an Increased taxation
for the care and custody OF the new
Now, gentlemen, I have covered the
part assigned to me In this argument In
presenting this matter In behalf OF the
In my feeble way, thor
oughly believing that ] voice the senti-
ment OF q very large majority OF the
citizens of the County OF Oxford, aud 80
much a. you may deem worthy Of con-
alteration I trust you will consider /;
and taking the arguments that may fol-
low with that which has preceded me,
I hope you will take upon yourselves, %
officers, as an honorable court OF this
county, the declsion of this matter, and
not act upon the request OF any indi.
yidual, or Individuals, but act upon your
own good business Judgment, and we
will be content. Gentlemen, i thank
you for your courtesy.
Mr.. Swasey then addressed the Com
In behalf Of the professionals,
a. follows;
Hon. John r. swassy's Argument.
Mr.. Chairman, and gentlemen OF the
Commission:
do not know that any argument that
I can present to you will add any add.
tIonal force to what has already been
said; but feel that my duty, on the one
hand, and my personal interest on the
other, require that should briefly adj
dress you, even after the exhaustive ar.
gument OF my brother who has preceded
me. And I may a. we'll say here that l
professionally and personally,
3, $50 taxpayer Of the county OF Oxford
who have, over their own signatures,
expressed their protest against the re-
moval Of the county buildings from
Paris Hill to South Paris. II ! have
made correct computation, so far rs
the matter has been canvassed at the
present time there are 81 $50 names upon
the protests, and there are about l,GOO,
all told, upon the petitions for the re-
mOval. Aud I feel, gentlemen, that j
am warranted In saying this, that more
men have signed the protests In the
midst and after the general discussion OF
the question throughout. the county
than will ever vote In favor OF the prop
Osition under any circumstances that
can possibly arise. SO that ! feel "a.
sured that In representing this number
Of professionals, Of the taxpayers and le-
gal yotres Of the county, represent
sentiment which can, from no
presented or evidence adj
duced, be overturned or 0utv0ted.
Now, gentlemen, before proceeding, i
want to call your attention to the statute
as read by my brother, for desire to
give you, briefly, my views upon it.
What are we here f0rp What has been
the occasion which has called the meet
log of the County Commissioners and
this large body OF interested citizens at
this season Of the Year, say, what Il
Il for, and how does II happenf These
arc among the important inquiries to be
made. Il has happened from two con-
current causes, Iapprehend. One was
that one Of the jail or prison inspectors
Of the state, who knows just as much
about jail architecture as I know about
the pyramids Of Egypt, came up and
suggested to you gentlemen, or to the
Board Of Commissioners OF Oxford
what every man Of common and
ordinary observation ought to have
known, how to build q chimney from
The roof Of this jail; and, In following
his directions as I understand II, you
made opportunity, or opportunity was
given, for certain men who were incar-
ccrated therein to take the bricks out OF
the soft mortar from the inside, and,
with some help from the out
,ide to escape. One of these gentlemen
came back during the last session Of the
court, upon which ] was In attendance,
upon notice that these prisoners had cs-
capped and justice had thereby been out
ragged and the safety Of the public en-
and brought with him another
jail Inspector, from
County. They came up
here aud looked at the jail, and i
ooked at them, and had an interview
With them. They condemned this solid
structure that stands on ledge and has
'tood there for seventy.fve years al.
most, structure with sixteen Inch
granite walls, with steel bars and only q
iole In the roof to make two of the cells
safe. and ordered the pl lson,
RS sent to Auburn. They made
heir report, and from that report
has been stricken out authorize.
lively, the statement that this
all, contrary to the various re-
,orts that had been made respecting It,
vas unsafe and not worthy the name Of
jail, and that any prisoner could es-
ape who was not too lazy, a. my
Brother lIersey says, to dig his way out.
That was the language Of that report, as
Rad n That was ma NJ tho