Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-01-07
STATE PRISON.
Councillor Haines Makes Of
fetal Report Of Condition.
Finances o. Institution Somewhat
Improved Over Last Year.
Workshops Show to Much Better Ad-
sS vantage Than Formerly.

#s% vantage man FoT"eTy'
Hon. VIM. r. Haines, visiting COM
mittee OF the executive council ON State
prisons has submitted his annual re-
mort 10 the governor and council. He
says:
To the Governor and Councils
Having been appointed committee OF
the council to visit State prison, as re-
auired by statute, I have deemed 1t my
duty to visit that institution during the
East year once a month. These visits
have generally been made in company
with the prison inspectors. have
found Warden Smith and his assis-
tants, as in the previous year, uni
formly courteous and obliging.
The financial condition of the prison
is somewhat improved over the previ-
Gus year. The report of the warden
shows it in detail. The cost OF suDsls-
tence, OF account of increased price OF
provisions. has been somewhat IN
creased, and more has been expended
for equipment and repairs than In the
previous year. There has also been
slight increase in the cost of the fuel.
While on the other hand, the indus
trial departments show a marked i'm
provement over the previous year. Inc
manufacture of brooms shows net
gain Of $3002.74, as against loss OF
$2S1S23 for 1901. The departments OF
carriages, harnesses and furniture,
each show an increase of net profits
over the previous year. and in my
Judgment all these departments OF
industry in the prison during the past
year, have been very well managed
The inspectors have paid special at
tention to this work; and the purchase
of material the management of the
work and the sale of the products have
been carefully looked after by them, in
detail, and with most satisfactory re-
suits.
The sanitary condition of the prison
during the past year, as in the previ-
Gus year, has commanded "a good deal
of attention from the inspectors and
the warden and | have tried to give
them such assistance in this matter as
in the end would lead to satisfactory
results. In my former report l said
THE sanitary condition of the prison
has been, and is to be, much improved
by draining the pit in the prison yard
known as the old lime quarry. At
the time | made this report l thought
the job of draining this old lime quarry
was nearly completed, and l was quite
proud of the undertaking.; but before
my report was printed the wall, which
had been built in this pit to carry the
drain pipe for some cause which
am unable to state with certainty,
crumbled or fell of it's own weight. 1t
now seems to be the opinion of eX-
perts that the lime rock, out of which
it was built, was not strong enough to
carry it's own weight. This necessitat-
ed the changing of the plan and the
expenditure of a further sum of money
in order to accomplish the result
sought for; and it was finally decided
to put the drain twenty feet deeper
than first contemplated, and do away
with the wall in the pit, and to give up
the plan of filling the pit to any con-
siderable extent, and to drain it near
to the bottom. And a new contract
was made to carry out this idea, and
the work mas progressed under this
contract until the excavation has been
completed and the pipe laid from the
lance of about five hundred feet. This
pipe has been laid in a trench which
in one place was Sc feet deep, and
quite q portion of this trench has been
made through the solid lime rock. And
the laying of the pipe through the old
lime quarry to the buildings which it
is designed to reach for sewerage, re-
mains to be done.
The work is being pushed as fast as
possible and should be completed in
the near future. When done this I'M
slightly and filthy old cess-pool, or-pit,
as it is usually called, in the old lime
quarry. will be practically drained of
water, and small amount of filling
in the deepest place will complete the
job: and where there has been stag
nant pool, which in any community
would be considered a menace to
health, may be made lawn or garden,
or upon which buildings may be erect
ed or it may be used for any other
purpose for which it may be needed.
In order to do this work it has been
necessary for the warden to incur some
indebtedness. In this he has had my
advice, consent and approval, and also
that of the inspectors. There has been
but one opinion among us with regard
TO this work, and that was that it must
and should be done: and l believe that
the people OF Maine will approve of it's
being done, and that the Legislature
will appropriate money for the expense
incurred for the same, when they I'M
derstand what will be accomplished
by it, The contractors who have done
the job will certainly make small
profits on their work BY some it is
thought they will sustain loss. How
ever, this may be, can say that thus
far they have cheerfully, although in
rather. a tardy manner, carried for
ward the work, and in accordance with
their contract.
I spoke in my former report of the
item of assets as shown in the war
denis report as due from the insane
department of $6636.16, and explained
how this item had grown up in the
prison account as a mere matter of
book keeping, and was in reality not
e.v. - H.