Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-08-14
NO MORE JAIL BREAKING
A Miraculous Memphis Invention
Criminals 20 be Immured I'm walls
OF Sand-ExPee1ed Revolution In Tail
Architecture.
AIemnhis I.edrer,

OF Sand-EXPeetedR Revolution In Jail
Architecture.
Memphis Ledger,
Mr.. j. B. Cook, the wellknoWh and sci
entific architect ofthis city, and Mr.. Heath,
OF the firm Of Randle, Heath & Livermore,
proprietOrs Of the OkickasaW foundry, ale
Il e inventors and patentees. 1t is already
patented In this country and in Europe,
and If We are not mistaken, it Is destined
10 work out revolution In the economy
and discipline Of securing PRISONERS. II Is
very simple continuance by which the
walls Of the Jail are hollow and filed with
line, dry and almost as volatile as water.
large reservoir il located on TOP Of the
buildiDg whereby the pressure is main
talned and any deficiency easily supplied.
A model was on exhibition YESTERDAY
afternoon at the ChickasaW Foundry. and
dozen or two gentlemen, intending repre-
sentatlyes OF the preas, we're present TO
witness the workings Of the new invention.
a wall ot wood, with supply tank above.
repfes ented a wall of the Jail. II had
pam, strong weather boarding or planking,
and the space between, as well as the source
Oh the supply hopper like above, was filed
with common dry loose sand. A small
section Of the wall, large enough for a
mans body possibly, was removed by some
one who was supposed 70 be anxious to get
out. The spectators could readily under
stand Why bis operations would Uofiie to
an inglOrious end. In the first place, a
heavy weight resting on the top of the
column oil sand as it began to descend
touched of an alarm bell, which might be
supposed 10 be. in the jailer's room, aud
loud as a hotel gong. Such an alarm
would arouse a whole village. But bell or
no bell the helpless prisoner would be
much more anxious TO stop up the opening
thus made than to make it larger or bore
at the outer shell of the wall.
The pressure above and all around is
such that the sand comes through in a re-
sistless tide like grain In bulk emptied
from an immense elevator into the hold of
a vessel. An ordinary cell would speedily
be i1lled up, and the solitary prisoner would
see and feel and hear nothing but sand, 4
sea Of sand pillows rising higher and higher
on every side to engulf him IN their deadly
embrace. About this time we can easily
imagine how much he would feel interested
IN letting the outside world know that
somebody had been trying unsuceessfully
70 break Jail. Imagine such a colossal |
State prisoner as Boss Tweed, weighing
54O pounds, floating up to his middle on
the crest Of such an inundatiOn, and
shouting Justify, "StOp thief! stop theft |
and stop this id sandin The whole !
arrangement is as simple as an hour glass, |
and admits OF an infinite variety of |
structure and material. The walls can |
be made Of caSt-irOn, of brick, stone, |
heavy panels Of sawed or hewed timber, |
or even, as the Appeal suggests this |
morning, of papier mache pastebOand, /
thin siding tin OF leather. 1t is perfectly |
simple, and could be constructed of ordinary |
cheap material, though, Of course, for per- /
manent use and utility it would be better /
If erected by some one like the inventors,
who would put every piece in its place with /
a scientific eye and skillful hand, calcu-
lating to q nicely the relation of each to
the whole, and making no part too thick or
too thin or too wide apart, and avoiding an
excessive use Of material, as well as all pos
sibuities Of weakness OF deficiency. Il is
susceptible likewise CT the most elaborate
finish, and could be made model of arch
ltectural proportion and finish and durabil-
ity. The invention cannot fail to attract !
the attention Of scientific men everywhere, |
and Of prison authorities throughout this
country and Europe, and we doubt not that
when its merits are understood it will be
adopted in all progressive communities,
and that the old-fashiOned, clumsy walls,
always easily passed by expert jail-breakers,
viii gradually pass into desUetude.
The applicability and the utility ofthe in
-entiOn will commend it to every city and
county not already provided with a jail
structure too costly and massive to throw
away or convert to other uses. Il is more
han likely that It will be the means of !
.olving the most difficult problem, as to
he best means Of properly securing pris-
,ners, which has long perplexed the world. !
dessTs. Cook x Heath deserve credit for |
heir genius and enterprise in bringing an |
improvement 10 public notice, |
md We desire, in common with their !
many friends 10 congratulate them on the |
uccess which apparently awaits their
'1Orts. This is surely making good use OF
heir talents, and at the same time illus !
rates that the very simplest and cheapest |
ubsJances in nature may be applied to i'm
DOrtant uses. No one can look at this con-
rivauce without wondering bow it hap
'ened that nobody ever thought Of it be-
ore. Bot there is time enough left to |
hink OF it yet, and turn it 70 the best ad-
antage.