Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1870-08-03

Trumbull County Iniirmary and Jail
Visit OF the Secretary Of Board o.
State Charities.
Rev. a. G. BYERs, Secretary Of tn,
Board OF State Charities, spent the day
on Wednesday last looking through the
public institutions of our county.
Two years ago the infrmary and jan
Of this county were represented as in
sad condition, and while nothing better
certainly nothing worse) can be said OF
our county Jail, the condition Of which
is still a standing disgrace as well as a
continual source of annoyance and ex-
pense TO the people OF our county, it
is gratifying to have an expression of
unqualified approval OF the present con-
dition Of our infirmary. Mr.. Byers has
been in every county in the State, and
has made a careful inspection Of all
the jails, inirmaries, city prisons and
orphan hOmes-county and city. He
says, that while no county in the State
has anything like as mean a Jail, there
are very few infirmaries in better con-
ditiOn, at present. than the inhrmsry
Of Trumbull county. Since his former
visit the buildings have been enlarged,
remOdeled and refurnished; adequate
drainage has been, or is being supplied;
baths introduced, better ventilation Sc
cured, general cleanliness observed, and
the convenience of the management,
as well as the comfort Of the inmates,
greatly promoted.
Such a statement in regard to our
infrmary, must constitute a just ground
Of pride to every citizen, and yet it must
be a source of modification to any
people possessing wealth, intelligence,
social and nora culture, and sharing in
the spirit Of public enterprise and prog
ress Of this age-(and we claim all this
for the people Of Trumbun county)-to
tolerate such a condemned nuisance as
our present county jail.
The day is near at hand, when, under
the intelligent aud humane direction Of
such men as constitute the Board Of
State Charities, our entire prison system
will be reformed. Very soon district
houses Of cOrrectiOn-probably one in
each judicial district in the State-wiIl
be erected. Into these, juvenile delin-
quents, petty offenders, Migrants, lOiter-
ers, ct genus OHJliG, will be sent to irorE-
not, Is now, to idle away time in jails,
or to torment society, for want Of some
proper place of confinement and suitable
modes Of punishment; and the location
Of these district prisons is a matter for
consideration now. TrumbuQ county
will have many claims that she may
urge justly why such an institution
should be located somewhere within her
boundaries, not necessarily at Warren,
but at any point accessible, and where
manufacturing facilities can be afforded.
And it is time that, as a people, we were
manifesting some public spirit in enter
prizes Of this kind. We need now, and
always will need a good Jail, as a house
Of detention; and with a disposition to
act up to our local necessities, we will
be ready to assert our claims to institu-
tons Of a more general character. But
Of this we will have more to say at
another time.
Mr.. Byers has requested us to &C
knowledge for him, the courtesies of Or.
Harmon, Physician, Messrs. Bacon
and Ewalt, Directors. and Mr.. Lodwick, I
superintendent of the Infirmary, who
accompanied him in his visit to the
infrmary. and contributed very much
to the pleasure Of the occasion. sHe also
had a kind word Of acknowledgment for
the editor Of this paper, which our mod
estly cOmpels us to scratch, only saying
hat we shared fully in the pleasures OF
he visit.