Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-31

STATE HOUSE, !.
R, R. Commissioners De-
cision in Auburn Case.
Report Of Inspector Of Pris.
ons and JaiIs Filed.
State Assayer commsnds Quality
Of Liquor at Agencies.


Central railroad to have the Lewiston
& Auburn Railroad Company construct
4 new bridge at the point of crossing
of the two roads III the city of Au
burn. The decision is against the
Maine Central for, it compels it to
construct the new abutments and
thereafter to maintain the abutments
and bridge.
rhe decision recites that the Maine
Central in it's petition sets forth that
under the laws. the Lewiston & Au-
burn railroad, which connects the cities
CT those names with the Grand Trunk
railroad, crosses the road of the peti-
tioning company in the city of Au-
burn by passing under it; that the l..
& A. i. r.. constructed a bridge for
the petitioning companies and that it
has always maintained the same The
Maine Central says that the traffic
over it's road now is much heavier
than at the tire of the construction of
the Lewiston g. Auburn line in 1874. 1t
claims that both it's equipment ard
the loads hauled are twice as heavy as
they were then and that the bridge is
Inadequate and unsafe for use. ---
In reply to this the I.ewistcn & Au-
burn road admits that it built the
bridge and has since maintained it and
that it is willing to continue to SO do,
but that to compel it to build q new
and heavier bridge would be to estab-
lish a precedent, by which it could, in
a few years be compelled to construct
another bridge, with double tracks, as
the business Of the petitioning cor
p0ration increased.
The commissioners say, in the de-
cision, that they consider this an i'm
portant consideration. In deciding the
case they say:
"NVe have considered the matter ma
turely, we think, and We have come to
the conclusion. and so decree, that the
Maine Central Railroad company shall
change the construction of it's abut-
ments, ana shall do it at its own eX-
pense. That uron these abutments
shall be put modern bridge Of suf-
fcien, weight and strength to carry
the heaviest modern engines such as
are now used That the Lewiston &
Auburn Railroad Company shall pay
all expenses Of said new bridge That
hereafter the Maine Central Railroad
Company shall maintain it's own abut-
ments and the bridge. and all other
expenses connected with its own right
of way at said crossing"
The annual report of the inspectors
Of prisons and jails, which was filed
with the Governor and council Wednes-
day, says in part:
"Tte condition of the county jails re-
mains much the same as at the time
of orr LAST report. We are able. how
ever to record improvement in that
tne county has a good workshop which
has been built and put into operation
during the year, much to the welfare
of all concerned, and another has
bought land and built a building tor
that purpose.
"The inspectors have used their best
Efforts. without going to the extremity
of the law, to induce thos5 counties
which have not provided for the
employment Of their prisoners to ar
range for so doing. hut have been met'
in most cases by what appears to be d
seemingly deerset lack Of interest.
Back of this indifference of county
commissioners is the widespread lack
Of knowledge and interest of the peo-
pie of the state regarding this lmpor-
tant subject, the treatment of those
committed to our jails, whether from
disciplinary, ro fDfm":try or humane
point Of view.
an 4 few nf the iails we are sorry
to record the prisoners are mixed IN
discriminateIv during the day. in en-
forced idleness, the old in CRIME WIN
H.
months of this degrading intimacy
they 10 out into the world again i''oi-
debased, mentally and moraii!, .h:,''
when they were committed. Snch Jams
instead of being means OF corre''p,''
and reform are rather breeding sc"oo'7
of crime ~
"Ir the larger jails. which are al
provided with workshops, ana III.
smaller ones where an effort Is ni."e
to keep the prisoners empioyeo' 'ns
cells and corridors are unoccu'pou
during the day and are easily kep'
clear. and are in a cleaniy ana who,
some condition. The sanitary conoi-
tions in most of the jails are gooo' anu
in all fair. The food rations, wnhe
not as we'll balanced as they shouid w.
are of good quality and well :"oNeu' ',,'
and the condition of the pr'soi'el'
shows them to be sufficiently hou'-
lshed
In all of the larger jails we strong :
ly recommend that they follow 'ii.
example of the States prison anu
serve the meals on tables IN the coi
ridors. as being more economical any ~
cleanly than the. present system ~ ~
putting the food in the cells lne .4's
table service could be installed WI"
very little expense. ..u,,
"rLe discipline in the jails. especiaiiS
where employment is provided, Is gen
orally found to be good.
I'VE are pleased to note tnat .ne
sheriffs and jailers who are IN close
touch with the prisoners are aiways
in sympathy with any reasonable alu
sensible interest in their welfare anu
always ready to assist in any heeueu
reform
"A serious feature of many Oh oul
jails is the lack of room. Many VI
them were built years ago, ana az
though substantial and we'll constrac.-
ed are too small for present conoi-