The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1874-11-12
Tho New County Jail.

The above institution being one in which
every Taxpayer in the county is interested
and one towards which every property holder
must contribute, and as 1t is receiving the
finishing touches, description of it may
prove interesting. Through the courtesy Of
G. W. Fisk, the original contractor VINO
kindly showed us through and answered our
many questions We are enabled to give our
readers something Of an idea OF its dimen-
sions and make up.
The building is located on the court house
square north of Central avenue. and fronting
upon Market street, leaving site for the
court house upon the same plat, but which
will front upon Main street. The building
consists of the sherif's residence and the jail
proper, the former being 2Gx34 feet nine inches
and the latter fifty and nine inches by twenty
! two feet, from out TO out, or the whole build
ing 50:9x4S:9, two stories high, with hip roof.
covered with tin, the foundation and cellar OF
stone and the upper walls of brick eighteen
inches thick and twenty-five feet high' the
contract price being Sl0,10o.
The jailor's residence consists OF iarg"
hail. four rooms, a pantry and closet oeio"
stairs, and four rooms above. In addition 10
one strong or barred room above for iemaie
prisoners, a sberiff's office below and pri-
yate stairway. Under ground is cellar and
furnace room. The resident part will be fin
ished up in a comfortable style, with plaster
paint, etc. Upon the whole nice and con-
yenient home for the sheriff OF Scdgwick
county.
The jail Is entered from the back end of the
hall, through thirty inch wall, which is cased
with iron and furnished with two doors, the
outside one being solid iron and the inside
one of wrought iron bars, the latter door be-
ing made with an observatory grating, an ar
ranyement whereby the keeper can look in
and see that everything is right before he
throws back the bolts. At the side OF this
door is solid iron leyer-box under strong
lock, which box contains the iron lever where
by the TAILOR can by the turn of the wrist fast
en- up or let out every prisoner in the cells
without going inside Of the Jail. The jail
room proper is large open room 43Xl' feet,
and 1SA feet to the ceiling, furnished with bar
red windows placed five feet above the floor.
The floor is OF hard wood one and onc-fourth
inch stuff laid on 3x12 joists foot from CEN
ter to center. The floor is covered with ''Jaii-
plate" iron spiked 10 the floor. Along The
center of this main room stand six iron cells
tx feet square and seven and hall feet high.
In front Of these cells, running their entire
length. is a corider with iron floor AMI encios-
ed with iron ballusters, the ends of which are
anchored in iron above and below, forming,
as il were, cells within cells. The noor oil the
cells and corridor are finished with extra heavy
iron plate Beneath the floor and running the
entire length of the cells Is a sixteen inch IN
diameter galvanized ventillating pipe, con-
Meeting with each cell and the furnace tue,
which is large stack or chimney four ieet
square. In addition to this there Is center
ventilating flue 2x2 feet square. The jail Is
heated by two hot air registers connected
with the same furnace that heats the resident
portion Of the building water closet IL
placed in one corner OF the Jail room and can
be reached from inside OF the corridor. and a
water tank is placed in the upper story which
catches all the rain fall 1t is estimated that
the six cells already contracted for viii prove
ample and sufficient for years 10 come, but IN
case more should be needed six others can be
placed Immediately on the top of these in The
same manner that the cells OF penitentiary
are arranged. The cell work is now beng
put in. Every piece of iron bar and plate has
been fitted and drilled and all that is necessary
10 make it a compact job is a forge TO heat the
large riyets which are put in red hot and NV
eted TO their places with great dextcrity.
As we stated before, Mr.. c. w. Fisk, OF
Wichita, one of our home men, has the prln-
cipal contract. he sub-etting the brick work
TO uartell & Longbottom and the piasterlns
to Mr.. Fuller and the roofing to Mr.. Butler,
To Captain Sea,on of the Atchi-on foundry
| was awarded the cell work and gratings. The
cells cost $500 and the entire iron for the
building nearly $4,000. A. far As we are able
to Judge we arc satisfied that both MIR FISK
and Mr. Seaton have done honest and sub
stantia work, and that upon the whole Sedg-
wick county can boast the oest. most healthy
| and secure Jail in Southern Kansas, aud that
our county commissioners have not only acted
| honestly but shown wisdom and foresight In
the choice OF plans and in the awarding OF
! contracts