Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-09-30
STATE HOUSE
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storerooms, dining room so arranged
that it can be used as an assembly
room, laundry. smoking and toilet
rooms and three dormitories, have
laid hardwood floors downstairs and
re-arranged the rooms in the farm
house, which is being used as an ad-
ministration building and employees
quarters, have constructed house Tor
the superintendent, have built the
concrete foundation for hay barn AZ
by 100 feet. with wings OF ike length
on each side for the cow barns, nave
moved onto this foundation from
distance of several hundred yards, the
original barn, 70 by 40 feet, and are
now constructing the wings and silo,
have constructed an implement shed
with concrete foundation and are re-
pairing three dwelling houses recent
ly purchased.
All this is being done with the la
Dor of the prisoners, the only cost to
the State being the material to work
with, and the work is being well done.
The men in charge of the various
crews, the farmer. the painter, the
carpenter and the mason, are being
paid but little more than they would
as foreman of any crew, and when the
men are working they are the only
guards required. In fact. the whole
number of employees at the farm, in
GLIDING the superintendent, the assist
ant superintendent. the parole officer,
the cook, the painter, the mason, the
carpenter and the farmer, number but
IA, in charge, day and night of 70 or
more men. The atmosphere of tho
place and of the prisoners, for that is
what they are, was that of a crew on
a farm, in a lumber camp or on any
other job of outside construction.
While going over the farm, some so
head of good looking cattle were not
ed, and 20 hogs, both little and big.
The hog run seems to be particularly
well situated.
All the sand going into the con-
crete construction is found on the
farm, and when the construction work
is ended there will still be a goodly
quantity left which can be sold.
Conditions of cleanliness, order and
general sanitation about the place
were satisfactory. The management is
particularly to be congratulated upon
the fact that the water supply comes
direct to them from the same source
as that of the city of Portland, and is
therefore both ample and pure.
While this visit was for the purpose
of looking over the physical condition
of the place and the discipline and in
struction of the men, and not to in
uuire into the costs of operation, it
may be we'll to state that whenever
these are figured, the maintenance &C
count, in determining the efficiency of
the management, must be accredited
with the amount nearly equal to the
value of the material which has gone
into the construction. as the value OF
the labor which has been furnished by
the prisoners
If this institution continues as 1t
has begun, the arrival of the State
of Maine at the point which is
now considered desirable in one Of the
most progressive states of the Union,
the abolition of the county Jail except
as a place of detention pending trial,
will come about not so much by direct
legislation. as by the logic of events,
by the fact that the judges of our
courts. knowing how much more like
ly the prisoner is to keep out OF
trouble in the future if sent to the re-
formatory rather than to the county
jail, will not sentence a man to Jail
but instead will exercise their alter
native right of sending him to the re-
formatory, if he has about him charac-
teristics which indicate any possible
ty of reformation.
Respectfully submitted.
JAMES F. BAGLEY, Secretary.