The Weekly Arizonian., 1870-02-26
THE WEEKLY ARTEONAN
FEBRUARY 25..,.............-ls70.
THEC0UaTYJAIL.

E -a ] A4s
 This building, erected th-ae years ago, it would now appear, v4s intended at tbo lime of building to answer prssent emergencies only Two ceUs, each fifteen feet square, proved quite sufficient while our population was per- baps less than 3, 900; but now, with Q popu, lation roughly estimated at 5000, they have proven uu9quAl to the purpose which they are intended 10 answer True, nc criminal is ever permitted to run at large from want of ian in which to conGne him; but confinement in inc county jail, througsd as 1t now is, amounts ala,ost to torture. Fancy fourteen men crsu,- med into an apartment fifteen feet square and three fourths of this number likely to re- main there for months Others will doubtless be arrested and placed in confinement there from time to time; and when so many human beings gre thus confined together within 6 space so small an1 so poorly ventilated as are these cells, the condition becomes almost sick sninI 10 contemplate Those who violate law and order merit punishment bu: it ia uniust that through pegle't they should be deprived O. whatever few privileges are extended by law to criminals Ifaman be sentenced 10 con- fnement for year, ii does not follow, nor is it the intention ofthe law that he shal be con- fined within cell where 1t becomes impossible for him to repose otherwise than with his body iu uuwhoIesome contisuity to that of fellow prisoner, and where, consequently, the possi- bility of inhaIng fresh O. pure air Is precladed, 4 condition like this is always certain to en- gender disease, and if the prisoner live to serve out his term of confnement, at its expiration he is thrown upon the world with constitu- tion irresoveraby impairel. 4 few bcnsyolsn; individuals have almost exhausted their req soning faculties ia representing the necessity of building at least two additional cells but the facts at no cells have been bui&, and that we do not hear ofany steps being taken tobuild them, slow hoy lightly th;s humane argument has been considered. Supervisors, let a sense of duty urge you to move in this matter 4 coupe of months, and the saltry days and nights of May wiil rder confinement in the countyjail puaishmsns almost equal to the worst species Of torture nractiael by l. Say. ages who surround ui Let no ssnse of econ omy sway you ia th's natter; humanity is mach higher consideration; snda single glance nto that dark, gloomy cell where fourteen hu- man being, are huldied together in conGne- ment to which itwere cruelty to subject as many b-uteS, should be sufficient appeal.
 Go to work ot once and build two additional cells. This doas. the coaaty may boast th4 the ends ofjust;ce can here 5e accomplished in harmony with civilization andhumauity; and besides the great anl obvious evil of keeping ! every ordinary delinquent confined for month, side by side with murderers and finished thieves will be removed Any action taken in the ma ter, which vii have for lis object tbp speedy amelioration of the present shameful condition of these prisoners will, beyond doubt, meet with lhe appreciation of every tax payer in the county