The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-12-31
IS LOCATED
 IN CHESHIRE
DEAL CLOSED FOR NEW STATE INSTITUTION AND WORK ON s4oo.ooO STRUCTURE TO BEGIN AT ONCE.

AT ONCE.
 New Haven. Dec. 31.-The very important and much talked about step has been taken by the State Re formatory commission, created by act of the last legislature. of purchasing a site for the proposed s4OO.oo0 in stitution. Out of some thirty pro- positions made to the commission a site in Cheshire has been finally se ilected. thanks very largely to the ef orts of Max Adler of this city. who was rery anxious to have the institu- ton located somewhere in New EIa- ven county. This site is on the Mill dale trolley line. about half mile north. of the well known Walter Scott Inn. and it is in general bounded by the trolley road. the Middletown. Northampton divisions of the New Haven railroad.
 The transactions for the purchase Of the plant were conducted very secretly, and it was not until yester- day afternoon that the final papers were passed in the office of Attorney White in this city, some of the Italian holders Of the land involved. even then manifesting desire to desist from closing the deal
 The price paid for the land amounts to about s25,000. The site includes three substantial farm houses with buildings and extensive territory.
 A very strong pressure had been brought to bear in favor of the site proposed fin Guilford. but the com mission which was appointed by Governor Weeks last winter, finally determined that Cheshire was the most suitable place in the state, all things being considered.
 Some of the principal qualifications. which were required, were accessibil- ity, ease of handling freights both to
 n frnr ha fr1c ter supply. ana neaIrnIulness Of To- cation The Cheshire site it is be- lieved meets ell of these require ments. especially as the New Haven Water company has practically al- ready agreed to furnish the water supply, and furthermore there is deposit of clay on the land which can be made use of by the inmates for any future additions to the struc- ture. There is also an abundance of land to be titled.
 One of the reasons why the Ches- hire site was chosen was because it was SO centrally located with refer enceNto the three largest cities in this county. It is eight miles respectively from Meriden and Waterbury, and If miles from this city. while it is not far from being equi-distant from both Hartford and Bridgeport.
 The new institution will consist of seven buildings of brick. all of one story. except the cell room. to be surrounded by brick wall with four guard houses. one at each corner of the enclosure Plans and specifca- tions for the undertaking are soon to be submitted to architects It is hoped that the reformatory will be in operation before the next session of the general assembly opens It will start with from 800 to 400 inmates, the plans for the structure being so made that can be readily added to 1 Inc farm will be in. the rear building.
 The idea of a reformatory for Con- necticut is not new one. having been under consideration here with more or less success for several years. The present commission has achieved much of its present success. it is said, from ideas advanced by it's pre- deceSsors.
 commission of the Elmira reformatory in New York. and of other reforrna- tories. and 1t has been found that an average of 15 per cent. of the inmates of these institutions have been made good citizens of, whereas. had they heen sent to state prison there is no telling how they might have turned out
 Cases 90 be taken up in the re- formatory will cover the first ofrenses of males, between the ages of 16 and 25 years. Opportunity will be given them to reform, places will be found TOT them ana they VIII, IT worthy, be released on parole.
 The undertaking is a great one for Connecticut. and its outcome will be watched with the greatest degree of interest by those interested in bene- ficiary measures of this sort
 Of the land bought in the tract just secured. 90 acres of it were owned by Walter Scott, so acres by County Commissioner J. D. Walter who lives in Cheshire and the sbalance by farm people. MT. Adler said last night that he did not think any one, outside of MT. Walter. perhaps. had any idea what the land was being purchased for. The commission has held optIcIas on the land for some time, as in- deed they have on other pieces of land in other parts of the state.
 The members of the commission are: Hon Morris W. Seymour, of Bridgeport, president; Max Adler of New Haven, vice president; John P Elton of Waterbury, secretary; Charles Hopkins Clark of Hartford treasurer. and Albert Garvin. the war den of the Connecticut state prison.