Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-11-16

the annual report Of the warden. E. H.
Waterhouse, as reprinted in the Maine
Library Bulletin for October:
Prior to 1870. when Maine became a
state by itself. all convicts sentenced
from this section were confined at
Charlestown. Mass. There can be no
question as to the reason of the selection
OF Thomaston for the State Prison, be-
cause in the early part of the 10Th century
practically the only portion of Maine
that was we'll populated was along the
seacoast, and Thomaston was selected
because 1t was equally distant between
Kittery and Eastport.
A committee. consisting Of DR.. Daniel
Rose of Boothbay, Hon. Benz. Ames Of
Bath. and Hon. Thomas Bond of Halo
we'll having been appointed to purchase
a suitable site for a State Prison,-which
the Legislature, on report of a previous
viewing committee, had determined to
locate in this town, and which was to be
constructed under superintendent Of Dr.
Rose, met, February IS. 1923. and, after
inspecting the several localities Of the
place. decided. May 7th. in favor of
Limestone HILL" The site, consisting of
10 acres of land, including the quarry Of
limestone so long used by the first pro-
prietor and his successors, Wheaton.
Knox. and others. and extending from
Main street to Georges River. was pur-
chased Of Ex-Governor King. at a cost Of
s3OCG, and the building, as far as its caves,
constructed for $4,000. The contractors
(from Quincy or BOSTON, had, by the
middle Of July, no less than SO men en-
ployed on the ground, with two lighters,
transporting the granite from st. George:
and, after Governor Paris and one Of
the Council had inspected the work,
October 18th. the contractors finished
their job and left by November 9th.
Jos. Berry was to cover the top of the
prison with rock for 500. which with the
house for the warden was finished within
the year. In June. 1924. all being in readi-
ness, and DR.. Rose having been appointed
warden. convicts began to arrive, IA hav-
ing been brought by water from Charles
town, Mass, July 14th, making, with
those previously received, total of 3d.
mostly employed in the lime quarry. In
1928. the Western wing was enlarged by
| the construction of 20 additional cells.
The original plan of the prison by which
the convicts were nightly let down
through an opening in the stone floor to
cells ill-ventilated, damp, cold, not prov
ing satisfactory, a great improvement on
the side of humanity was made in repair
ing and remodeling it In 1894. by con-
structing three tiers of cells, one above
I,,i1< 1v,c
! tered by iron doors of open CRATES, Sc
cured by an iron bar running the whole
! length of each tier and simultaneously
| bolted. This alteration was planned and
executed chiefly. we believe, by agency of
DR.. B. F. Buxton of Warren, at that time
one Of the inspectors, at cost of S13,1H, -
the sanction and appropriation for which
were greatly aided by Hons. A. H. Hodg-
man and B. Fales of the House, together
with j. L. Patterson of the Senate. The
limestone got out by the convicts not
meeting with sufficient demand, the hew-
| ing Of granite. brought UP the river from
| q quarry which the State purchased in
| St. George. was to a considerable extent
| substituted later. A large part Of the
prison having been destroyed by fire.
measures for repair; and being visited
January @ 1851 by Governor Hubbard ana
| Council, his doings were approved and
$500 appropriated to conclude the work.
A main building of stone was erected, and
| nearly completed in May, 1851. The stone
wall around the whole yard, in progress
some years, was finished in 1854 In 1855.
| q guard-room wcs built on the southeast
corner of the wall and a story added to
the wheelwright's shop-$3o00 having been
appropriated. In 1858. the number of
prisoners had so much increased (number-
ing 1881 that there was great want of
room; and, though $4,000 was appro-
priated in March of that year, nothing
was done. In consequence Of the sum be-
| ing supposed insufficient for the plan pro-
posed by the architect employed to make
examination.
| On May IA, 1863, Warden Richard Tinker
OF Ellsworth. who assumed the duties or
warden in 1861. on passing by the door
| Of one of the shops was assailed by one
| Francis Spencer Couillard who struck
him with a knife. in passing. on the right
side Of the throat, severing the carotid
artery and producing death in few mo-
SoAiiidTu was d SliOIl tcTnl man,
was indicted for murder, plead guilty and
received at Rockland, Maine. May 10,
1864, the sentence of death. and was
hung in the prison yard on June "a, 1864.
Warden Tinker's death is the only one of
any officer having been assailed by one
of the conyicts in the 81 years since the
prison was built.
The original gateway Of the prison, over
| which are in -ge numbers. the date,
1924, would today be considered very in
adequate for the hauling in or out OF
goods. At the base Of this gate Is mark
Of the U. S. Geological Survey, showing
1t to be 1.2 feet above high water.
With the advent of the Knox and Lin
coin Railroad, the wharf which was ori-
ginally built beside the Georges River.
became unused and there are only few
relics Of the wharf left standing, yet prior
to the advent Of the railroad all Of tho
supplies incoming or outgoing were
handled at this wharf.
In the 81 years since the prison was es-
tablished, there have been Il different
wardens, two Of whom, Messrs. VIM.