872 JOURNAL OF PROCEEDINGS [Mar. 17,

a condition of affairs, if an infectious or contagious disease
should make an incursion within the walls of the prison, the
mortality therefrom would be startling.

In the judgment of the Committee, the General Assembly
should not longer delay the investing the Directors of the
institution with the full authority for constructing proper
dormitory departments, and the placing at their disposal the
amplest means to that end. Considerations of humanity
suggest that the work should be promptly accomplished.

The financial condition of the State, and the great weight
of taxation that is pressing down the energies of its citizens,
render it, in the judgment of the Committee, inexpedient
either to purchase a site elsewhere and construct thereon
suitable buildings, or to purchase additional grounds on the
northern or eastern limits of the prison walls, with a, view of
erecting buildings on the new space acquired. The first
measure would, it is believed, involve an outlay of a million
dollars, and the one last named would, perhaps, cost three
hundred thousand dollars.

It would, to be sure, be most desirable to extend, the
boundaries of the prison ; but it is the opinion oK the Direc-
tors that both of the measures of improvement referred to,
are distensible under the existing condition of things viewed
in connection with a depleted State Treasury and a tax
burthened people. They think that two buildings for dor-
mitory departments of the capacity of 80 by 40 feet, of five
stories, might be erected, one on the right, and the other on
the left of the inner gate of the prison, capable of accommo-
dating at least 250 prisoners ; and if further additional de-
partments should, in the future be rendered necessary, addi-
tions could be made to the wash house building ibr the
accommodation of the female convicts, and the room which
the last named now occupy, could be used for the accommo-
dation of the males. The whole cost of these improvements
will require an appropriation of sixty or seventy thousand
dollars.

There is in your Committee no division of sentiment upon
the theory that the State should, do one of three things, and
that is to purchase a new site on the margin of the city
boundary, and. erect buildings thereon for all the purposes
of the institution, or extend, the boundaries of the present
site, and erect buildings thereon, or make the improvements
last named, in the preceding paragraph.

To the General Assembly the arbitrament of the question
is submitted, as one invoked by considerations of humanity.

THE HOUSE OF REFUGE.

Upon their visit to this institution, the Committee were
cordially received by Dr. J. J. Graves, in behalf of the Board
of Managers, and were courteously shown throughout the