Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1869-09-01
For the.Raf,sman's Journal.
The New Jail.


Mr.. EDITOR There is now quite diff
ference in regard to the most suitable ioca-
ton for the new jail. If popular vote OF
the citizens of the Borough of Clearield,
and, l believe, of the whole county, was
taken, at least four-ffths would say that the
site of the old Jail was not suitable tor the
| new one Let US look at the old site, and
see what are its advantages, If 1t has any.
The present site is on the North side OF
Market street, between Second and Third
streets, and is one O. the lowest spots in the
town. During the wet season of the year,
it is partially surrounded by pools of stag
nant water. When there is any consider
able freshet in the river, the water rises in
the cellar from one to FIVE feet in depth.
This, in itself, should be almost a sufficient
reason for not building on the old site. The
new Jail is to be heated from furnace and
how can this be done with from one to five
feet of water in the cellar? And, besides,
this condition of the cellar would render
proper ventilation utterly impossible.
The plans and specifications, as adopted
| by the Commissioners, will cover the entire
lots on which the old Jail stands. Should
the county increase in population for the
next twenty years as fast as 1t has during
the last twenty years, it will, perhaps, be
necessary to enlarge the building-an emer-
gancy anticipated by the architect: for be
has so designed the building that it can al
any time be enlarged without, in any re-
spect, destroying its proportions. But such
an enlargement could never be..made on the
old ground, and consequently another jai
would have to be built-an event that car
easily be avoided by selecting sufficiently
large location at this time.
But the greatest objection to the old site
and the one universally recognized, is the
want of proper drainage facilities. From
the ground level of the present site, to low
water mark on the river bank at the lower
and of town, gives fall of but ten or twelv,
feet-or about one inch Of fall to ever,
twenty or twenty FIVE feet of pipe. Now
having no reservoir or water works, 1t ap
pears to me, to be impossible to get sufh
]
the pipes, without pressure from either 9
reservoir or engine. In fact, the lots are
too small, and too low, in all respects, fol
the erection of so costly building a
the one in contemplation. There are many
other and more eligible sii es, that can be pur
chased for less than half the price alread
! offered for the old one and for this sur
three times the amount of ground could b
purchased, at some suitable point near tn
base of the hill, affording good slope 70
building purposes, and ample fall for goo
and efficient drainage-leaving sufhcien
space to enlarge upon, if necessary. Their
are also several other sites. One on tn
bank of the river, known as the ''Souther
Park" Objections have been urged agains
these locations on account of their distanc
from the Court House. This appears to M
to be of little moment, for if prisoners cal
n be arrested and brought from the farthe
limits of the county to the Jail, the Sheri
can certainly convey them safely to and frol
the Court House The Carlisle Jail is, pei
= haps, from fifty to seventy rods from tn
Court House, and We have never yet hear
! of any prisoners escaping whilst going to c
from the Court House. Personally hav
no interest - no lots to sell and don
wish to purchase merely desire to pre-
: sent the case upon its merits, for while ther
is such large majority of the tax, payer
: opposed to the old site, it appears hardl
f reasonable that two or three men should f
: the location, and pay no attention to tn
voice of the majority. VoX PoPULI.
4