The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1868-02-15
10 the Police Jury of the Parish of St.

o" vi 'ho ailSu O1 0t.
Landry:
lie undersigned Commissioners appointed
to exalnln" the parish Jail, for the purposes ex-
pressed III the resolution of your body, passed
ON the 18TH December, 1867, report:
hat they have made the required examina-
ton, and find the: public prison. by reas-
on or It's detective construction, the dilapldated
and dtcaying condition of its walls, its limited
capacity, the insufficient ventilation of its cells.
the want of glazed sash or shutters for pro-
lection against theinclemencies of the weather.
entirely unit tor the safe keeping of prisoners.
and injurious to their health.
!"o grand Jurles, and a committee of ply
S'clahs or the town of Opelousas, appointed
tor the purpose, have within the last twelve.
months inspected the building, and arrived at
the same conclusion. For the facts and r.as-
onS upon which they based their opinions. we
refer to their several able reports. The last
named committee considered that its condi-
ton Threatened the general health of the town.
Inc Southern apartments are not protected
by IRON cages Or castings. The walls which
consist only of brick and mortrr, have been
perforated, and prisoners have escaped on four
different occasions within the last eighteen or
twenty months-in one instance at midday.
lliS insecure and unhealthy condition of
the jail, has recently rendered it necessary to
send all the prisoners to New OrleaL.s for safe
keeping, health and comfort, to be returned
10 TINS place for trial, at heavy expense and
thls necessity VIII probably recur with the
first approach of warm weather. 1t has also
imposed upon the jailor the painful aud harsh
necessity CT placing irons upon the greater
part OF the prisoners. and to keep a guard
around the building by night, in order to Sc
cure hen safe custody, all attended with heavy
expense aud serious impeachment to the pro-
greSS of business in our courts.
Believing the present prison to be wholly
unfit tor the purposes far which it was destined.
We recommend the erection of another, Time
must however elapse before that end can be
accomplished. In order to provide for the
comfort OF the prisoners during that interval,
we advise temporary repairs. not to extend be-
yond glazed sash, plastering aud general
cleansing. Extensive assures in the eastern
and western walls. render it unwise to do
more.
The increase OF crime within the last two
years. from well understood carlses. imposes
the necessity for a building of increased ca
pacity.
We therefore recommend, that the new Jail
be a brick building 43 feet front by 81 in
oePth' two stores high, with a passage twelve
feet wide through the center, OH each floor; |
that in the upper story there be three cells on
each side of the passage; and on the lower
story three cells on orH side, and two large
rooms on the other Of the passage, the latter to
be used for confirming persons charged with
minor Offences. We further recommend that
all OF the compartments contain mon cages
placed three feet from the walls in every d.
rection
1t is impossible, owing to our restricted time,
and the limited means Of information at our
command, to furnish an ate estimate OF
cost of the buiIding.-We believe that it
will involve an expenditure of about $40, coo
We recommend that a special tax for that
amount be imposed, that it be collected in cash,
and as speedily as possible.
In conclusion we will remark, that impor-
tant modern improvements have been made in
the construction of public prisons, all having
to the health, comfort and safe keep
Ing OF the prisoners, and that it may b. ad-
'isable to consult with persons thoroughly
with the subject. All of which is
respectfully submitted.
GEO. r. KING.
J. II. OVERTON,
W. r. MCKINLEY.
THOS. {. ANDERSON.