The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-01-19

PLACE FOR BAD PEOPLE.
New HtntIon House on Fifteenth streeL-A
Brief Description of IL.


New Staten HSSss o., S% Fl Elfteenth street-A
Among the few things that have been no
sources of pleasure or pride to Philadelphia are
her station houses, which, with maay who take
delight-as do the Gothamites-in abasing the
Quaker City in popular estimation, have formed
an excellent groundwork for ridicule. This we
compelled to acknowledge from tour OF
observation through them, that Phlladeiphla
has very sadly neglected her police stations.
One in West Philadelphia is in the basement OF
a hall, in the upper stories of which nightly Is
enacted much of the Iniquity the officers are
called upon in various other places to suppress.
The Fourth district station, in Cherry street,
has bton indicted as public nuisance; aud its
foul condition, resulting in great part from the
entire lack Of any conveniences, ought to have
put the authorities to shame ere this There are
others of the same dingy, disagreeable character
that we have not time to particularize. There aro
are few station houses erected especially for
police purposes, but they are small, bOtches of
architecture, and every one wanting in perfect
adaptation to the business.
Within q day or so now there will be dedicated
to the city new edifice, with the opening OF
which we hope will commence new era in the
management of that unweldly and ultra Demo-
cratic corps-the police force. This building,
occupying the site of the venerable scarecrow
structure which stood on Fifteenth street, below
Walnut, is.a model of architectural beauty; aud
from the fact that before it was designed the
Police Committee intrusted with its erection
visited the most complete of the station-houses
of other cities, our readers who have not seen it
will at once apprehend that it is not wanting in
any of the features that should make it a COM
plete success. There are two buildings, the
main one fronting on Fifteenth street, with a
facade of pressed brick and sandstone facings
1t is four stories in height, the upper one being
formed by Mansard roof. Over the entrance
door, carved in marble, are the arms of the city.
The interior of the building is finished in fine
STYLE
On the first floor we have on the right of the
main door the lieutenants room, aud then those
of the sergeauts, while opposite is the space set
for calling the rolls and the telegraph operators
apartments. Spcaking-pipes and be-wires run
to all the upper rooms On the second floor are
two high-walled, airy, and comfortable bunk
rooms for the officers, and the third floor is
duplicate of the second while the fourth is
thrown open into large drll-room, where the
officers may be instructed in the manual of arms
and in the aesthetics of the drill, and where in
addition to these, by the usual appliances found
in every gymnasium, they may develop to their
utmost all their dormant muscle, which may in
coming time be fully required. The second
building is properly but two stories in height
and is also composed of brick and surmounted
by Mansard, which gives it the convenience
OF an additional story. In the basement
and first story are the cells, which,
inasmuch as their walls are of solid brick and
mortar, and their doors of heavy wood will
Withstand all the assaults that may from within
be made upon their strength. The second story,
like that formed by the high roof is sconvertednto
alodging-room for those miserable creatures who
happen to be too poor to find any other place to
rest themselves for night. One of these rooms
in order that there may be no discord-wi be
reserved for the women and the other for the
men. All these rooms are furnished with wash
tubs--a provision which, if considered from
none other than hygienic standpoint, deserves
to INNS ortalize the Committee on Police The
heating and ventilation of the entire station have
been arranged for with care.
In after years-if, in the goodness of Provi
dence, the first decent station n-house Philadel-
phia possesses is not overwhelmed with destruc-
tion by the elements; or if, in the inscrutable
wisdom of that body which governs her, it is
not converted to some other purpose-when the
visitor shall step into this beautiful station he
will discover, if he but raise his eyes to the
southern wall, a shield of polished marble,
from the indented words on which he will learn
that the building was erected in the official term
of Hon. Daniel NJ. Fox, Mayor of the city of
Philadelphia, and St. Clair A. Mulholland,
Chief of Police, and will also there discover the
names of the members of the famous Police
Committee, who stand, so long as this marble
is immutable, exalted among men