The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1868-03-21

10 the Police Jury of the Parish of St.
Landry:
The undersigned Commissioners appointed
to examine the parish Jail, for the purposes ex-
pressed IN the resolution of your bcdy, passed
on the 18th December. lc67, report:
hat they have made the required e~xalnina-
ton, and find the public prison, by reas-
ON OF It's defective construction, the dilapllated
and d"raying condition of its walls, its limited
capacity, the insufficient ventilation of its cells.
tn" want Of glazed sash or shutters for pro-
lection against the inclemcncies of the weather,
entirely unfit for the safe keeping of prisoners.
and injurious to their health.
Two grand )uries, and a committee of phy-
slclans Of 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 reas.
ons upon which they based their opinions. we
refer to their several able reports. The last
named committee considered that its condj-
ton threatened the general health of the town.
The Southern apartments are not protected
by iron cages or castings. The walls which
consist only of brick and morter. have been
perforated, and prisoners have escaped Oh four
different occasions within the last eighteen or
twenty monthS-ln one instance at midday.
This Insecure and unhralthy condition of
the Jail, has recently rendered it necessary to
send all the prisoners to New Orleans for safe
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 a g2ard
around the building by night, in order to Sc
cure their safe custody, all attended with heavy
expense aud serious impediment 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 and 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 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 80 in
depth, two stories high, with a passage twelve
feet wide through the center, Oh each floor ;
that in the upper story there be thsee cells on
each side of the passage; and on the lower
story three cells on one side, and two large
rooms on the other Of the passage, the latter to
be- used for continuing persons charged with
minor offences. We further recommend that
all OF the compartments contain iron cages
placed three feet from the walls in every d.
rection
1t is impossible, owing to orr restricted time.
and the limited means of information at our
command, to furnish an accurate estimate of
the cost of the buildlng.-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 lie collected in cash,
and as speedily as possible.
In conclusion we will remark, that impor.
tant modern improvements have been I:adr in
the construction of public prisons, all having
to the health, comfort and safe keep
ing of the prisoners, and that it maybe adj
visable to consult with persons thoroughly
conversant with the subject. All of which is
respectfully submitted.
GEO. r. KING.
J. Fl. Overflow,
W. r. MCKINLEY.
THOS. &. ANDERSON.