Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1867-12-10
An ELEGANT STRUCTURE.
H NEW JAIL
IT'S SIZE AND LOCATION.
BRIEF Description.

. II NEW COUNTY JAIL
+ This building is situated on the corne
of Auction n Front streets, and TO th
beholder presents an imposing appear
ance. IL is of the "castelIated Gothic
as style. 1t is composed OF brick, stone ant
iron, no wood work being allowed, tn
is object being to make the jail entirely fire
L. proof. Nearly year and . half ago thl
Justices Of the county decided 10 cree
this building, and advertised for tenders
~ when the contract was awarded 20 on
les fellOw-citizen
ALDERMAN J. J. OVERS.
at a more energetic contractor could mo-
have been chosen. He al once went t.
81 work and employed 3 large force; the
proper excavations were made, and the
ad foundations laid almost by magic. The
immense structure soon rose up and
le i" delighted all who passed that way"
10 THE ENTRANCE
gs is approached from the trent, and on
d entering the building the Jailor's rooms
s. first demand attention. They are four
in number-tWO on each side-roomy
. and well ventilated, above which are the
hospital or sick rooms, two ON each side,
= approached by stairways. These apart
g ments are designed TO accommodate the
unfortunate prisoners who may be taken
n suddenly i'll on the premises. Passing
e under the iron picket screen fence, We
Il reach
THE MAIN PRISON.
L Here there areeighty cells in four tiers,
of twenty each-the walls made Of quar-
. ter inch iron, and the doors half inch in
: thickness. AS at present constructed
the cells will accommodate two prisoners
each, but the arrangement is such that
four can easily be provided for, so that if
necessity requires, three to four hundred
prisoners can be furnished with board
p and lodging at the expense Of the
county. The cells, although made of
iron are so arranged that they will not
? become cold = ~steampipes running
through every one, which, II properly
managed, will give an eve temperature
st ali times. Eacn apartment is fur
nished with 8 new style Of water closet.
The buuks are complete aud under the
control Of the keeper. The ventilation
is all that could be wished for. The plates
being bored beneath and above so that
foul air must 20 out. In fact everything
possible has been done for the comfort of
the prisoner. This apartment is one
hundred and forty feet by ffty-six.
There is al ample outlet on both sides,
where prisoners can be taken for eXer-
else. The outer walls are about three
feet in thickness and almost impregDa-
bic. Passing from this apartment we
reach the yard on the north side and
ascend
THE TOWER.
This a%Ljunct, which is fifty feet high, !
has al immense tank which is capable
Of holding five thousand gallons of water,
from which the prison will be supplied
with the cleansing fluid, forced UPWARDS
! L~ N aH.--- .--E-. TT-l,.-.,~k sLs- ]
tower the bath houses are arranged, four
for the male, and two for the female pris-
oners. In the yard is two large c~isterns,
Of the capacity Of five thousand barrels
each. On the north side Of the building
the wash-rOOm and bake house is situa-
ted. The former is large, and fitted up
with the necessary csuidrOus; and the
latter has a fine oven, capable OF baking
bread enough to supply the largest hotel
in the country. At the top of the
main building we find the
JAILOR'S APARTMENTS.
These rooms are five in number and
reached by 3 spiral tairway. They are
large, airy and comfortable. One of the
rooms is set apart for bathing, etc. A
fine bath tub has been placed therein,
and other cODveniences for the comfort
OF the officers. In the basement may be
lDun0 TIE CGDh IODils5 one lOA the pElsOl-
ers and one for the keepers. The food
will be passed through a trap in the wall
and sent up by q dumb waiter to the va
riOUs apartments. The gas and fuel
rooms are also on this floor.
HEAT AND WATER. /,
The whole building will be heated by
steam generated from a double fiue boiler, {
twenty feet by three and 8 half, and will
be supplied with water from the tank on /
the Tower. The waste water will be
carried of by means of the main sewer 6
which Tuns through the center Of the
building aud empties into Wolf river. E
The steam and water coils are in every |
room, and such -precautiOn has been $
taken that accident is almost impOs- 5
sible. The width Of the passages be- G
tween the tiers Of cells is about six feet l
giving the keepers ample space and the l
c~onviets good ventilation. The building a
is strengthened by iron girders aud is >
entirely fire proof. So complete has s
been the work Of the contractor, the
county might ave money by becoming
their insurers. S
THE ENCLOSURE. n
The building is incloseG by a brick Z
wall, which, on the north south and !,
west sides, is twelve feet high, sur !
AaRNAANh a AAD1 sNAANSa VI az N@oA D -
side, or more properly the approach to \
tina main entrance, the wall tapers of. :
Two elegant iron gates will here be Z
hung" locked safe and sure. :
GENERAL REMARKS. =
Our people can no longer be put to the v
blush with the remark, "Where are q
public buildings >" The eon- g.
Mr.. J. J. Powers, is one a
Of our most enterprising citizens. Il
Although young in years he is old in G.
sense. his knowledge of public works Il
snd machinery is extensive. The drill a.
presses, Iathes, FORCES and punching ma IA
chimes erected in the yard for the prose- 81
of the work entitle him to especial in
credit. His arrangements for the work "
and disposition of employees are system CT
aGc and complete. He has, as usual, ID
remarkable energy in pushing the st
work to a successful completion. We E
are advised that the present County IL
commissioners have rendered all the SO
assistance in their power, and are fully dC
iesirOus hat the jail shall be COM Us
lieted at the earliest possible moment. III
The prospect is that il will be ready for
occupation about the first of February. :,
some fault has been found with the loea- ~
That it is low is true, but the a
oundation is sound, and ere long the p
yicinity will be built up, and prop g.
srty in that region much increased in ~
We hope soon to chronicle the
.emOval Of prisoners from Adams street 11ss
o the new ho.el of the county. The 4
,ricE work is about finished. The erec- Is
ion Of this building h a for the past
weIve months given employment TO 90
rom eighty to one hundred men. The ar
lands az work now number ST
bout forty. They all speak of
he contractor as the poor mans ne
riendj we are the better enabled TO say TIE
his, as We did not happen to Nj
lad him On the work. Major John for
I'D Pete will, nc dohbi, relish the Es
hargs 81 quarters. The new Jail sui
!, alike an honor 10 the county and the lea
ontraetor, Aid, J. ]. Powers. Before thu
oncluding, We deem ii right TO say that The
II Of the mechanical work that could be thI
one has been executed here. The con- thi
-sctOr hes taken especial pains TO pat VIC
1nige nosae help, q be has succeeded Sh
.ght r0vklly. Alter the reception of as
5a rough material, all tine york was DEF
one "a the ground, even to fastening Of
he rivets GA the plate cells. The energy
isplayed by the contractor is worthy Of !
u COMMUNICATION. May he apd his kind I'M
,ng dwell amongst US. The information, lnt
tich We know to be correct, was Oh Sta
lined fr1na the operatives, who seem to lle'
FoII,- Live Ia t6a interest Of the work ant
classes Of the community feel deeply an'
.aSastad IN fhe nomrIation Of this buiId. inv
" and we have no fear butthat when fin AN
he'd ii Will he one Of the most complete IN
risons in the SoIthwogt. pa
WOoD AM WnDOWwARE-Messrs. "a,
Wheeler, Pickens & CO., $50 Main street, s
on hand az this time, and are con- Sul
antly ~augmenting, q stock unusually 81
rye and well selected, and embracing lnL
'eryfhing 10 their line, and many use ~ !,
! articles Of domestic economy, which "
III be sold on moderate terms. We are I
.~Quainted with these gentlemen, and ~
now them 10 be Dosaessed 81 strict busi- 7