He and his family

The present jailor is Mr. E. B. Morse. are constantly apprehensive of the dangers to which they are being subjected by the unsanitary condition of the place. They complained that the odors from the sewer are very strongly noticeable in the kitchen and other parts of the house at times, and in order to overcome it chloride of lime is frequently used.

It is but justice to the present board of county commissioners to say that they have just come into office, and it is but reasonable to hope that they will promptly carry out the suggestions offered in this report. The responsibility for the present condition of the institution must rest upon the former board of commissioners, and we can account for the neglect to carry out their promise of reform, only by the fact that two of their number died during their term of office. The following correspondence shows that their attention was called to the condition of the jail, and that an early consideration of the matter was promised.

CONCORD, N. H., October 31, 1889. Board of County Commissioners, Grafton County, N. H.:

GENTLEMEN,- We desire to call your attention to the unsanitary condition of the Grafton county jail at Haverhill. Complaint has been made to this Board by the local board of health of that town, stating that the plumbing is in a very defective condition, so much so as to endanger the health of the inmates. A fatal case of diphtheria

has recently occurred at the jail, and it is believed that the bad sanitary conditions of the institution were a serious factor in the case. It is stated that the drain pipes connecting with the cesspool are untrapped and that the odors and poisonous gases from the cesspool have ready access to the jail building, through these untrapped pipes. Complaint has also been entered from other sources. We are creditably informed that prisoners have compiained very seriously of the objectionable and disgusting condition of the drainage at this institution. In view of these facts you are respectfully requested to take such action as may be necessary to place this institution in a good sanitary condition. Our Board will gladly give you any assistance in our power in this matter.

(Signed)

Very truly yours,

IRVING A. WATSON, Secretary.

Dr. Watson:

LEBANON, N. H., November 4, 1889.

DEAR SIR, -Your communication addressed to Grafton County Commissioners, in relation to Grafton jail and its condition in a sanitary view, is received by me only this afternoon. As you directed to H. H. Holt, Lyme, instead of to me here, it has been so long delayed. I write you to say we will give it our earliest attention. Thanking you for your courtesy, I remain,

Yours truly,

(Signed)

D. B. EMERSON.

LEBANON, N. H., November 6, 1889.

Dr. Watson:

DEAR SIR,

jail in Haverhill.

We find there has been no case of diphtheria at the The jailor's son contracted typhoid fever elsewhere and came home, was sick, and died there. No sickness amongst the confined at the jail.

(Signed)

I am yours truly,

D. B. EMERSON.

CONCORD, N. H., November 12, 1889.

D. B. Emerson, County Commissioner, Lebanon, N. H.:

DEAR SIR, In reply to your favor of November 6, I would say that owing to an error, such as will occasionally occur in a dictated letter, I was made to say diphtheria instead of typhoid fever in referring to the fatal case in the jail in Haverhill. I had reference to the jailor's son who recently died at that place.

Regarding the sanitary condition of the jail, some of the attorneys of Grafton county who have had occasion to go there have complained that its sanitary condition is exceedingly bad, and others have observed its condition. I trust that your board will remedy the defects which cause or admit of this state of affairs.

(Signed)

Very truly yours,

IRVING A. WATSON,

Secretary.

The above correspondence is given for the purpose of placing on record the fact that official attention has been directed to the condition of the jail, and also that there was

an expressed willingness on the part of the former board of county commissioners to give the matter their earliest attention. Immediate action by the present board is expected.

A copy of the foregoing report has been placed in the hands of the county commissioners, and we are assured that the jail will be put in a good sanitary condition at once.

CoÖS COUNTY ALMSHOUSE.

Since our last report, made two years ago, there has been but little change at this institution, excepting the repairs made necessary by the fire which occurred June 17, 1889, by which the roof of the main building was badly burned and the plastering throughout the house considerably damaged by water. This building, reconstructed from an old farmhouse, was not so well nor so substantially built as it should have been for the purposes of an institution of this character. Thin boards, split in a haphazard sort of a way, were used as substitutes for laths. In many places the seams were too narrow, in others too wide, to give support to the plaster, hence there are frequent large patches where it has entirely fallen off. The plastering was thoroughly repaired after the fire alluded to above, but it has already begun to drop off again. Overhead in the lower hall sheathing has been substituted for plaster, and also in some of the attic rooms. It is proposed to sheathe the upper hall and some of the other rooms. Many of the rooms on the first floor have been painted, both woodwork and plastering, in different colors, making them exceedingly clean and attractive to the eye. This work was done by one of the inmates, so that the only expense incurred by the county was for the materials used. It is suggested that this work be continued throughout the remaining rooms of the institution.

One of the improvements contemplated by the superintendent is the making of a ward for the sick in the upper story, which is a very large, light, and airy room now used as a sleeping apartment by some of the inmates. We believe this change would add much to the comfort of the inmates, and in every way be beneficial to the institution.

The old building in which the violent insane have been confined for several years, still remains in practically the same condition as heretofore. It is an entirely worthless building, wholly unsuitable and inadequate for such a purpose. It is a long, narrow building, having in one end the boilers, laundry, and dry-room, and in the other the latrines for the institution, while in the middle portion there are fourteen small rooms, or cells, for the confinement of the insane patients. The building is a one-story structure, originally built in the cheapest possible manner, now settled and somewhat twisted out of shape, and generally dilapidated. The county needs a new building for its insane.

The general management of the institution seems to be most excellent. The superintendent and matron manifest great interest in their work, and a kindness toward the inmates which is most commendable. The premises were neat and clean.

Mr. and Mrs. Freeman G. Marshall have charge of this almshouse, and at the time of inspection there were 75 inmates, including 15 children. Arrangements had been made to send four of the children to the Orphans' Home at Franklin.

CoÖS COUNTY JAIL.

At the session of the legistature in 1889 the Coös county delegation voted to appropriate $5,000 for a new jail, to be built upon the site of the old one, which for a long time had been a standing disgrace to the county. The old jail has been demolished and a new one erected in its place, and while the latter is a great improvement over the former, there are still some defects of construction which the county should remedy at once. The jail proper consists of two tiers of cells, separated by a corridor six feet in width, each tier having six cells, three on the ground floor and three above.

The entrance to the cells is from the inside corridor, to reach which one must first pass into the outside corridor, thence through a door into the inner corridor. The outer

corridor, which extends around the cells on two sides and one end, is very narrow, being only about two feet wide at the sides, while in front it is sufficiently wide to allow room for a stairway to the second inner corridor and cells, which are arranged substantially the same as the lower row.

The cells are built entirely of iron, the outer walls being of iron or steel gratings, while the partitions between the cells, those facing the inner corridor, and the ceilings are of plate iron or steel. The floors are concreted. There is one door in each cell, opening upon the inner corridor and having an aperture through which may be passed dishes not larger than an ordinary tea plate. Each cell has a bunk for the prisoner to sleep upon, and also a water-closet. The entire building surrounding these cells- that is, the outer walls of the jail-is constructed of wood. The method employed in the construction of the cells is different from anything we have heretofore seen, and we must confess that there are obvious reasons why it is not to be recommended as a model.

Entering the outer corridor the first impression reminds one of cages in a zoölogical garden. There is no seclusion whatever for the prisoner, especially if he is unfortunate enough to be assigned to one of the corner cells. It may be that this system has the merit of cheap construction, but if there is any other we failed to discover it. The corridors are too small to allow sufficient room for exercise. The outer cortidor is not designed to be accessible to the prisoners. At the time of inspection there were 14 prisoners, only two of whom were allowed access to the corridors.

Among other things open to criticism and which demand. the immediate attention of the county authorities, are the following:

I. The entire institution, under the conditions found at the time of inspection, is a veritable fire-trap. No means whatever were at hand to extinguish fire. It should be remembered that the jail is attached to a set of farm buildings, somewhat old, consisting of house, L, and barn, and if a fire should get under headway in that portion of these buildings