The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1868-02-22
10 the Police Jury of the Parish of St.
Landry:

10 the Police Jury of the Parish of St
Landry:
me undersigned Commissioners appointed
10 Samin the parish Jail, for the PURPOSES ex.
pressed III the resolution Of your BODY. uass,.J
on me Eth December, 1867, report:
l nat they have made the required eyamina-
'loh' ana md the public prison. bv rpas-
on or It's detective construction, the dilan,da+.1
ana dtcayIng condition of its walls. its limitpl
capacity, the insufficient ventilation of it's cells
the want of glazed sash or shutters for nrn.
'ectIon against tn" inclemencies of the weather.
entirely unit for the SAT. keeping OF prisoners
and injurious to their health.
i"o grand Jnrlcs, and a committee of nbr-
slc''nS OF the town of Op"lousas, appointed
iol 'ne purpose, have within the last Twelve
months inspected the building, and arrived AT
the same concInslon. For the facts and reas-
ons upon which they based their o,,uinns wa
refer to their several able reports. TL.. >a.t
named committee considered that its corGi.
ton threatened the general health Of rhc town
Ih" Southern apartments are not protected
ny IRON cages Or castings. The walls which
consist only OF brick and m0,tpr. have been
Perforated, and prisoners have eScaned on four
different occasions within the last eighteen or
twenty m"nths-ln one instance at midday.
lhiS insecure and unhraltly condition Of
the lal, has recently rendered il necessary to
send all the prisoners to New Orlpals for SAT-.
keeping, health and comfort, TO be- returned
to this place for trial, at heavy expense and
this necessity will probably recur with the
first approach Of warm weather, 1t has also
imposed upon the jailor the painful aud harsh
necessity of placing irons upon the greater
part OF the prisoners. and to keep IA guard
around the building by night, in order to s4-
curefhcr safe custody, all attended with heavy
expense aud serious impeachment to the pr0-
gress of business in our courts.
brll"Vlilg the present prison to be wholly
unit 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 b..
yond glazed sash, plastering and general
cleansing. Extensive assures in the eastern
and western walls, render it uuwise to do
more.
The Increase OF crime within the last two
years, from we'll understood causes, IMPOSES
the necessity for a building of increased ca.
pacity.
We therefore recommend, that the new iail
be a brick building As feet front by 81 in
depth, two stories high, with a passage twelve
feet wide through the center, OH each floor
that in the upper story there be three cel!s.on
each side OF the passage; and on the Tower |
story three cells on one side, and two large
rooms on the other of the passage, the latter to
De used for confirming persons charged with |
minor offences. We further recommend that |
all OF the compartments contain iron :cacrs
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 accurate estimate OF
the cost of the building.-We believe that it
Will involve an expenditure of about $50, 900.
We recommend that a special tax for that
amount be imposed, that it be collected in cash,
and as speeGily as possible.
In conclusion we will remark, that impor-
rant modern improvements have been made in
the construction of public prisons, all having
to the health, comfort and safe keen
ng of the prisoners, and that lit MAYBE ad-
Vlsable to consult with persons thoroughly
with the subject. All of which is
respectfully submitted. .
GEO. r. KING.
j. H. OVERTON,
W. r. MEGINLEY.
IHOS. 9. ANDERSON.