Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-03-26
An act in relation to valuation of wild

postponed. The Senate voted TO insist
and asked for committee of conference.
On motion of Mr.. plummer of Dexter,
the House voted to insist.
The Chair appointed on the part of the
House, Messrs. Gilbert of Greene, Wheel
den of Portland and Tibbetts of Charles
ton.
Resolve in relation to the dedication of
the Chickamauga and Chattanooga Ma
tional Military Park.
On motion of Mr.. Daggett of Smyrna,
the rules were suspended and the resolve
passed to be engrossed.
Resolve in favor of the State Reform
school.
q Mr.. Gilbert of Greene: That resolve
astonishes me, and for one before acting
upon it should certainly want some ex-
PLANTATION in connection with it. 1t calls
for great deal of money. Furthermore,
1T is rule that resolves. calling for an ap-
preparation of money shall be accompanied
with statement of facts. would move
that this be tabled and that statement
of facts be FURNISHED.
Mr.. Jones Of China: 1 was one of the
committee which reported this resolve. l
presumed it would be accompanied with
a statement Of facts. Instead of that 1t
has come in the present form. II you
will look at the report on the State Re
form school, page II, you will find for
current expenses for the year 1895, IN
GLIDING mechanical school and new cot
tage, $40, 500, which they ask for for 1898.
They want $500 for finishing wall which
they have already commenced around the
cottage and which is not completed. 10
complete painting buildings, 5000. Lam
dry machinery and dry room, sl5oO.
Ordinary repairs, $1,000. We found that
they had no place for drying the clothing
in wet weather after it is washed, except
to hang it up in an old attic, where 1t
takes good while to dry them and the
clothes are dingy and dirty; and we could
see 10 other way than that they should
have $500 for putting in machinery,
which some two or three years ago could
not be bought, I understand, short OF
$2500. One of the trustees told us that
now the same could be furnished for about
$500, and we thought it was advisable
and prudent that they should have such
drying machine for drying their clothing.
The ordinary repairs we scaled down
$1,000 for 1885, making in all S22, 800 in
stead of s23, 500, which they called for.
For the year 1896, for current expenses,
$40, 00O; and if you will look over the re
port you will find that they have had
that on an average right straight along,
year after year Ordinary repairs, $4,000.
We scaled that down $1,000. Then they
ask for an appropriation for the erection
OF new cottage, SIG, 600, $4,000 OF which
we would recomn4Hf should be appro-
priated for 1895 and $4,000 for 1896; and
we had moro or less discussion in regard
to this new cottage We found on going
through the institution that the boys can
be better disciplined in new cottage, in
a cottage holding a less number, than
they can in a larger one. The old build
ing there contains something like 100 in
mates. They are there of all ages and all
sizes and all dispositions. Some of them
have been brought in from the slums of
the streets and towns and are hard
characters. By sorting out these boys,
the small ones from the older ones who
have become hardened in crime, taking
them away to separate cottage, they can
be better disciplined and better cared for
than they can in this larger building.
where they are all together. In 1867 all
the scholars committed to that institution
were locked up over night; the bolt was
drawn on every one of them. Since that
time those cells have been torn away with
the exception of four. They have a large
room in which they all sleep, their bed
stods are of iron with wire mattresses and
fixed up in as nice shape as any one could
desire. The spreads and pillows we found
all white ard clean, and the beds are all
made up by the pupils; and think if the
gentlemen of this House could go through
that institution, they would not desire to
stint the boys or the trustees of that
school in scaling down the appropriation
in any respect. We thought as they
wanted new cottage it might be well TO
scale down the appropriation some on
these current expenses, and give them
something to start new cottage with.
They wanted SIG 600, and we concluded
if we gave them $4,000 it would give them
ii start so that in two years from now, the
next Legislature could help them out.
We could see no reason why they should
not have another building, and it has
been recommended by the Governor that
they have q small appropriation for this
purpose, for erecting a new cottage.
1t was represented to us that about so
per cent. of the boys who go from that in
stitution into the world, do well; and /
say we should not undertake to cut down
an appropriation for an institution like
this, where the boys are there at the
mercy of the State, with no one to help
them but those who have them in charge,
but that they deserve all we can possibly
give them. If there is an institution in
the State of Maine that deserves an APP
propriatin, say it is the reform school at
Cape Elizabeth. They are just as helpless
TO take care of themselves as are the in
sane, and say they should have this ap-
preparation to keep them in such way
that when they go out into the world they
may become useful and respectable citi-
zens. We know that the name Of reform
school does somewhat tarnish the charac-
ter and name of one who has been com
mitted to such an institution but we find
that many of these have gone into the
world and become good men; and trust
that this appropriation will no5 be cut
down
Mr. Reynolds of Brooks: I shall agree
with the gentleman from China, and |
wish to say that if we make an appropria-
ton this winter that is right, it will be
the one that is called for in this resolve.
/ thought while | was there, If l had
boy to send to school. / would send him
to the reform school before would send
hin, tn tho COLLAGE at nr0no 7 wont