Various appearances of mine-two Wire Factories, one Powder Mill, six Grain Mills, two Fulling Mills, three Carding Machines, three Tanneries, and four Mercantile Stores.

There are two small Social Libraries, two Clergymen, four Physicians, and four Attornies.

rals have been discovered in the green stone mountain and hills of this town. Sulphuret of copper, or copper ore has been found in various places; and it is well known, that the cavern, now occupied by the State as a prison for convicts, was originally opened and worked as a mine. Copper pyrites, or ore,|| was found and worked; but gold, which had stimulated the cupidity The State prison established in of the adventurers engaged in the this town is, from its novel and undertaking, disappointed their peculiar character, deserving of hopes; and after a very great ex-particular notice. The character pense and sacrifice, the business of this institution, for the imprisonwas abandoned.

The Tunxis or Farmington riv-|| er washes the southeastern part of this town; and it is intersected by Salmon brook already mentioned. Both of these streams afford a number of sites for mills and other hydraulic works, many of which are advantageously occupied.

The Blanford turnpike leads through the town in a northwestern direction; and is intersected by a turnpike, leading from Connecticut river to Norfolk, where it connects with the Hartford and Albany turnpike.

Granby was taken from Simsbury, and incorporated in October, 1786.

ment of convicts, has, by some, particularly foreigners, been regarded as a subject of reproach to the State.

Many erroneous representations have been published, which, in stead of exhibiting a just picture of this institution, have presented only the frightful images of caricature.

The idea of a cavern is peculiar-. ly gloomy and horrible; and, when we consider such a place as the abode of man, dark and dreary, excluding every ray of light, and every object of nature, the mind is apt to recoil at the picture; and, forgetting the nature of the instiThe town contains two located tution, and the causes which have Congregational Societies and filled it with its miserable and glooChurches, one Society of Episco- my tenants, to regard it as an outpalians, which have a house for rage upon humanity. But upon a public worship, two Societies of more cool survey, and more espeBaptists, and one Society of cially upon an investigation of the Methodists. There are 16 School subject, however repugnant to districts and Schools, and a small our ideas of humanity a subtervillage in the centre of each of the raneous imprisonment may aplocated Societies. The population pear, it will be found, that, practiof the town, at the last census, was cally, it is much less objectionable 2683; and there are 380 dwelling than we at first supposed. The obhouses, 4 companies of militia, and ject of every institution of this deabout 400 qualified Electors.scription is confinement; and this There are two Card Factories,|| ought to be effected with as much

regard to the health and comfort The lands upon which Newgate of the unfortunate subjects of prison stands, and in the vicinity, crimes, and consequent punish- were claimed by the original proment, as may be consistent with prietors of the town, in which they their security, and the economy of were formerly situated; but on acthe public treasure. These cav-count of their supposed value from erns are remarkable for their the copper ore which had been healthfulness, and it is believed, found, and as gold was also suppothat a less number of prisoners sed to abound, the title was long have died here, in proportion to a subject of contention. To quiet the number which have been con-all disputes with respect to these fined, than in any other prison in mines, in 1753, the General Asthe United States. As it respects sembly appointed a committee to the cleanliness and comforts of the investigate the subject, who conprisoners at this institution, it will firmed the right and title of the not probably hold a comparison original proprietors, and set off to with many others; but this is more them the land, or mine, which is owing to the business which is pur- now occupied as a public prison, sued, (working at nails,) than to and the other lands in the vicinity the confinement in the caverns. which were supposed to be valuThe security of the prisoners here able for their minerals. At this is most effectual; and whether the time, copper ore had been found; institution is considered as an the ore was considered very rich, economical one or not, the use of and it was also supposed, that it the caverns, as a place of confine-contained gold. From these cirment, is not a circumstance that cumstances, the fame of these mines has any particular influence upon soon reached Europe, and in 1760, this subject. a company was formed in England On the whole, although there for the purpose of working them; may be in principle, or in senti-and soon after, several persons, as ment, objections to occupying a the agents, or in the employ of this subterraneous prison, yet in a prac- company, arrived from England tical point of view, the one under for this purpose. But the compaconsideration has many advanta-ny were obliged, principally, to emtages; and the objections to this in- employ men in the neighbourhood, stitution apply with more propri-who were entirely unacquainted ety and force to the description of with the business; from which cirwork, at which they are employed, cumstance, and various others, the and to other circumstances con-work proceeded slowly, and with nected with its management, than to the character of the place in which they are confined.

A succinct account of the origin of this cavern, and its establishment and occupation as a place of confinement for convicts, may be somewhat interesting.

great difficulty. The company, however, were enabled to freight two vessels with ore, (it being their plan not to work the ore here, but to ship it to England for this purpose,) both of which were lost; one being taken by the French, and the other sunk in the channel.

which was the principal cavern ; they also erected a brick building directly over this cavern, into which there is an avenue from the

These losses were so considerable, and the whole business having been little more than a succession of disasters and sacrifices, the company became discouraged, and were in-back room in this building. Unduced to abandon the undertaking. derneath the basement floor in this Since this time, the mines have not room, and directly over the cavern, been wrought for ore. The miners, there are two strong rooms built in digging and exploring, sunk nu- of stone; in these rooms, the prismerous wells, or deep excavations.oners are usually kept when they The principal one was upon Cop-are not employed, and it is not per hill, so called, and remains at thought necessary, that they should this time, being within the walls of be confined in the cavern. Within the prison. a few years past, there has been an These caverns were first occu-extensive work shop, and other pied as a place of confining con-buildings erected; and also a subvicts, about the commencement of stantial stone wall, enclosing the the revolutionary war. There be- cavern buildings and one acre of ing at that time no prison in the ground. This wall is twelve feet State, other than the county gaols, high, three feet thick at its base, and the number of convicts having and one and a half at the top. considerably increased, arrange- The principal cavern is about ments were made for occupying|| 26 feet in depth at its entrance, these caverns as a place of con- which is a perpendicular descent finement; but no permanent build-through an aperture, stoned up ings were at this time erected; square for the purpose. In this and it is not probable, that at first entrance, there is a large and it was contemplated to convert strong ladder, resting upon the these caverns into a State prison; rock at the bottom, and made fast their occupation for this purpose, at the top, upon which the prisonbeing regarded as a temporary ers and others descend into the thing. The confining of convicts cavern. On reaching the bottom, having been begun, it was continu-you strike a smooth rock, having a ed; and this being found very in-gradual descent, upon the sides of convenient, the General Assembly, which there are cavities sufficientin 1790, passed an act, establish- ||ly large to admit of small lodging ing Newgate prison as a perma-rooms, which are built for the prisnent State prison, and providing oners, on both sides of the main for the erection of suitable build-passage that leads through the area ings. At the same time, they ap- of the cavern. These rooms are pointed three overseers or trustees built of wood and boards, and are of the prison, authorized to take || sufficiently large to accommodate the charge and direction of the in-20 men. After passing these stitution. In pursuance of this au-rooms, you traverse a large cavthority, the trustees erected aern, enclosed on all sides by solid wooden paling, enclosing about rock; dark, gloomy and horrible! half an acre of ground, within At the extremity of this, there is a

but it deserves consideration, whether it is not more probably owing to the uniform state of its atmosphere.

The keeper of the prison is appointed by the overseers or trustees, and is accountable to them for his conduct. He receives a regular salary of $550 per annum; he draws no rations, but has

well of water 80 feet deep, which communicates with the cavern, and affords to the tenants of this subterraneous abode, a free circulation of air; although from the various windings of the avenues and other causes, it is not cold, even in the severest weather. And as strange as it may seem, it has been satisfactorily ascertained, that the mercury ranges eight degrees low-certain perquisites; he is allowed er in the lodging apartments of the prisoners, in the warmest days in the summer, than it does in the coldest in the winter. This phæ-sergeant is $12 67 per month ; nomenon is attributed to the circumstance, of the cavities in the rocks being stopped with snow, ice and frost in the winter, which prevents so free a circulation of air, as is enjoyed in the summer.

1 sergeant, 2 corporals and 17 privates as a guard, for the security of the prisoners. The pay of the

that of the corporals $11 34; and that of the privates $10. They are all entitled to rations, and the privates receive a uniform suit of clothes, and the sergeant and corporals an allowance as an equivalent therefor.

On the 18th of January 1811, at 8 o'clock A. M., the mercury stood The total expenses of the instiin the cavern at 52 degrees; and tution and disbursements for stock in open air, as soon after as was in 1816, amounted to $15,007 22. practicable for a person to get up and the receipts 3,428 from the cavern, (which could not the same year to have exceeded five minutes,) it fell leaving a balance to one degree below 0. On the against the State of $11,579 22. 17th of June, (mid-day,) the mer-but at this time there were nails and cury stood in the cavern at 50° 10", stock on hand; a part or all of the and in the open air at 76°. This latter having been purchased, and cavern has been remarkable for its a part of the former manufactured healthfulness, which has usually the same year, to an estimated vabeen ascribed to certain supposed lue of $5,147 44. medicinal qualities in the rocks;

HARTLAND.

HARTLAND is an elevated post It contains an arca of 34 square township in the northeast cor-miles, being near 7 miles in length ner of the county, 22 miles from from east to west, and 5 in breadth Hartford; bounded north on Mas- from north to south. The township sachusetts line, east by Granby, is hilly and mountainous, being south by Barkhamsted, and west embraced within the extensive by Colebrook in Litchfield county.granite range of mountain, which

The amount of taxable property, including polls, is $27,052.

Hartland was incorporated as a town, in 1761, at which time it belonged to Litchfield county; but some years since it was annexed to the county of Hartford.

Hartland is one of the towns

commencing near the sound in the|| Machine, three Mercantile Stores, vicinity of New-Haven, leads thro' two Tanneries and four Taverns. the State in a northeasterly direc- The town contains two Congretion, and extends into Massachu-gational Societies and Churches, setts and the interior of New-Eng- and one Society of Methodists; land. From its elevated situation, nine School Districts and Schools, the town is cold and frosty, or at one Social Library, two Clergyleast a considerable part of it; the men, and two Physicians. soil is a gravelly loam, of a granite character, and generally rather cold and sterile; it however affords tolerable grazing, but produces but little grain; though some small sections are more warm and fertile. The timber consists of beach, maple, chesnut and evergreen, or perennial trees. The making of but-which were sold by the State, to the ter and cheese, beef and pork, inhabitants of Hartford and Windand pasturing of cattle, are the sor. The first proprietors' meeting principal interests of the inhabi- was holden at Hartford, July 10th, tants. The farmers in the towns1733. John Kendall, who east of this to Connecticut river, removed from Lancaster in Mashave been in the habit of sendingsachusetts, in the spring of 1753, their growing or young cattle, was the first settler. He located a sheep &c. into this and other gra- tract of land in the great valley, zing towns, to be kept during seve- on the west side of Farmington ral months in the spring & summer. river. The following year, Thomas The town is watered by the east Giddings removed with his family branch of the Farmington river,|| from Lyme. which passes through it, and affords some small tracts of alluvial, and many excellent mill seats. The main branch of this river passes through the southwestern section of the town. The turnpike road leading from Connecticut river to Norfolk, where it unites with the Greenwood's turnpike that extends to Albany, passes through this town. The population of the town, in 1810, was 1284, and there are about 200 dwelling houses, 2 companies of militia, and about 150 Electors.

There are six cider Distilleries, two Grain Mills, two Fulling Mills and Clothier's Works, one Carding

In 1755, Simon Baxter came into the town, and the year after, Joshua Giddings. Four additional families settled in the town in 1757. After this period, emigrants were received in considerable numbers for several years.

In 1761, the town was incorporated, and the first town-meeting was holden in July of that year. In June 1768, the Rev. Sterling Graves was ordained, being the fiirst minister settled in the town. In 1770, Nehemiah Andrews was appointed the first Justice of the Peace; and in June the same year, the first meeting-house was erect ed.