The Cairo evening bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1868-1870, 1869-05-07
THE C1TYJA1L.
Report Of Committee On Police ana Jail,
- tne City Council.


To the Honorable Mayor and City Council Of the City
Of Cairo. -
Gentlemen The undersigned, Com
mittee ON Police and Jail, respectfully
beg leave TO report:
That they have, ut sundry times, visit.
ed the city Jail, aud hnd that it il kept
in as good condition as that building, In
its present state, can be kept; and that
the present jailor Ii doing his whole duty.
We find, however, that there Is def
cheney of mattresses and blankets, and
respectfully recommend your honorable
body to Immediately order the purchase
of twelve mattresses and twelve Dian-
kets, (if the blankets have not already
been procured), and one wash tub, and
two steel scrapers to scrape off the filth
which has accumulated and hardened
on the floors, under previous keepers.
We dad, also, that the building itself
is enli,ely too small for the present need
of the city. Cairo has more than quad.
rupled Its population since the jail was
built; and now, in warm weather, the
stencil and foul atmosphere which, under
the greatest possible care, will necessari-
ly arise In 80 small and ill-ventilated u
building, when crowded, as It very FIRE.
quently Is, with so large a num-
can scarcely find room TO lie
down on the floor, Is 80 great as TO be
come IA crying nuisance. There are but
three rooms In the prisoners department.
One IL intended for women, one for
white men, and one for negroes. These
rooms have accom- modatiOns for only
twelve prisoners in all, or four in each
room, and yet IL In common thing for
three times that number TO be crowded
into them. This state Of affairs necessi-
tates the combining Of negro and white
women In the same room, and the con.
flnement Of the filthy, drunken sot,
covered with vermin. Ia the same room
with the prisoner Of gentlemanly feel
ings, who has, perhaps, for the first and
last time, 20 far forgotten himself as to
become drunk and disorderly."
We find, also, that the rooms In the
second story, which are Intended To be
occupied by the jailor aud his family,
are badly out Of repair aud not q. all In
= suitable condition for any respectable
person to live IN comfort with his family.
We therefore respectfully recommend
to your Honorable body that as repairs
are now necessary In the second story,
that instead Of fitting IL up rs residence
part Of the prison, by reducing the size
Of each window three fourths, leaving
them one-fourth Of their present dimen-
sions aud barring them securely-by
covering the inside walls with jUinted
lumber-putting down new floor OF
some suitable material, and by strength
ening the doors. This will double the
capacity OF the prison and allow the bet
ter class Of prisoners To be treated rs hu-
manly aud justice demand.
We further recommend that a new
building for the use OF the jaiIor and his
family be erected short distance ia the
rear OF the Jail, but connected by a hall
aud roof This new building 10 be of
onestory only, aud to contain two rooms,
each fifteen feet by thirteen feet, In the
clear. THIS building to be elevated by
substantial timbers To a level with the
present second story porch, so rs To
allow secure depository underneath for
all the tools, wheel bsrrows, etc Furnish
ed for the use OF prisoners working on
the streets, rs well as for fuel for the
jailor. The doors and windows now i'm
use in the second story Of Jail Will be
used In the new building.
We also recommend that one of the
stoves In the new building, shall, in
addition to its regular pipe and ilue.
have second pipe running into the
larger room Of the second story Of the
present Jail and into the hue now In use.
This second pipe TO have large drum,
inches In diamter and six feet
long, suspended from ceiling Of said
room, In order TO warm that story Of the
prison during the winter. Both pipes to
be furnished with butterfly valves or
hampers, 80 that the heat may be COM
PEELED 10 go up the chimney Of the new
building, when not needed In the prison.
We further recommend that three
new apertures, strongly barred, be made
In the lower story Of the Jail building
one on the south side, one on the west
side and one on the north side, to allow
q more perfect ventilation. For the
same object We also recommend another
aperture, similarly barred, between the
smaller cells, in the lower story; aud
also the addition Of strong grated door
outside Of the present one at the main
entrance to that story, SO that the
present close one may be left open to
admit air, while the new one can be
locked.
We also fluid that the wooden covering
ofthe cistern Is becoming rotten, and
that the cistern be arched
over with brick.
All Of which Is respectfully submitted.
Hff vs. JOHN w. M'KEE,