Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-01-31
WILL BREAK STONE.
The County Commissioners to Impro-
wise Stone Yard Near the Jail.


The rytbmic whack, whack Of . 10.
pound sledge on fiinty granite il soon to re-
lieve the tedium Of existence in Kennebec
Jail.
Imagine, il you can, stalwart sbums'
and professional tramps clad in those fash
light jail suits and shackled in pairs, each
welding 1O-pound sledges on finty granite
in the jsil yard and under the eye Of Z
keeper. Imagine those same hungry fel-
lows sitting down afterward to frugal
meal Of bread and water with an appetite
accompaniment which could dispose of 4
boiled ham At one sitting.
There won't be need, however, Of using
Imagination to picture ont these sights.
They will be real by and by - soon ~ A.
rangements can be made. The county COM
missioners were in session Tuesday to dis
cuss the grave question of reducing the
number of inmates of the county Jail.
There are 30 in there now. Thirty three
Of these came from Randolph. Augusta
has but four there. The commissioners
decided to introduce breaking stone for ex-
ercise and something about as nourishing
as bread and water for diet. They will i'm
mediately try to make arrangements with
some of the granite concerns 10 this vicinity
to furnish the granite which will be hauled
to the Jail yard. Then all the prisoners,
except those who have been bound over,
will be shackled together and marched forth
into the wintry air to break stone. A shed
will probably be built later if needed, but
for the present there is no danger of the
men catching cold in the open air if they
only apply themselves assiduously. The
new Jail suits are warm and will sufficiently
protect the men.
Just what will be done with the broken
stone has not been fully determined upon.
1t would seem that the county might sell it
to the city at such price as would be ad-
vantageous to both parties. The commits
sioners are, however, of the opinion that it
will be cheaper to have the men break the
stone even if it be used for nothing more
than to fill the Court street gully than to
have them coming into Jail in hordes with
the prospect of months ''loafng."
One noticeable thing about the tramp in
vasion of this Jail during the past month is
that there are comparatively few old faces
seen in the new batch. The old ones when
released find it more to their liking to take
chances elsewhere. This opinion will be
more deeply impressed on the discharged
prisoners when they realize what it means
TO break stone nine hours day.
The present number in Jail is not 80
large as to be startling. Judge Andrews of
this city, who has but four prisoners SEN
fenced by him in Kennebec Jail at the pres
sent time, says he can remember when,
nearly 10 years ago, he sent about 80 pris-
oners there in month. There was work
shop in the Jail at that time, but the work
was making shoes and the prisoners rather
liked it. The labor served to take up the
time. Breaking stone is an altogether diff
ferent employment. The judge says that
he then learned that Jail, to effect the pur-
pose of the law, should be place Of pun
ishment as well place of confinement. By
punishment he meant that life in the Jail
should be such that men would not come to
the Judge, as had been frequently done,
and ask to be sentenced.