These cells are seven feet in depth, seven in height, and forty-two inches wide, which gives but one hundred and seventy-one cubic feet of space for each convict." The institution was long officially known as the "Mount Pleasant State Prison." and the substitution of the style of the "Sing Sing Prison " was distasteful to the citizens of the village. In consequence various attempts were made to create local sentiment in favor of changing the village name, none of which, however, resulted in anything practical. It may be remarked in passing that residents on the outskirts of Sing Sing, in the direction of the highly reputable locality of Scarborough, usually manifest a decided preference to be considered inhabitants of Scarborough and not of Sing Sing. This preference comes mainly, however, from a natural incliThe final construction

work

was

not,

however,

finished until 1830.

HISTORY

WESTCHESTER

COUNTY

nation to be identified with the more exclusive community. Any serious proposal to change the name of Sing Sing at the present day would doubtless be voted down overwhelmingly by the people. In the same year that witnessed the completion of the main work on the Sing Sing prison buildings, the Westchester County almshouse was opened-- also in the Town of Mount Pleasant, at a place called Knapp's Corners. This interesting event occurred on the 1st of April, 1828. Previously to that time the poor had been cared for by the several townships to which they belonged. Isaac Coutant was the first keeper of the almshouse, receiving a salary of $300 per annum. The institution has always since been maintained at the original location. The village of IVekskill, whose incorporation was authorized in 1816 but was not effected under the original act, received a new charter from the legislature on the 9th of April, 1827, and shortly afterward trustees were elected as follows: Samuel Strang, John lialstead, Philip Clapp, James Birdsall, Ezra Marshall, and Stephen Samuel Strang was the first village president.