Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1875-08-12
A NOVEL JAIL.
Something New Under the Sun
Memphis Inventors to
the Front.
Sand as a Keeper Of the Peace and
of Criminals.
Description of the novelty.

Mr.. ]. B. Cook, the well-known and
scientific architect Of this city, and Mr..
Heath, of the firm of Randle, Heath &
Livermore, proprietors Of the Chickasaw
foundry, are the inventors and ~pstentees.
1t is already patented in this country and
in Europe, and five are not mistaken, it
is destined to work out a revolution in
the economy aud discipline of securing
prisoners. 1t is a very simple contri-
vance by which the walls Of the jail are
hollow and filed with fine, dry sand
almost as volatile as water. A large
reservoir is located on top Of the build-
ing, whereby the pressure is maintained
and any deficiency easily supplied.
A model was on exhibition yesterday
afternoon at the Chickasaw Foundry,
and a dozen or two gentlemen, includ-
ing representatives Of the press, we're
present to witness the workings Of the
new invention. A wall of wood, with a
supply tank above, represented a wall
of the Jail. 1t had plain, strong weather
boarding or planking, and the space be-
tween, as we'll as the source Of the sup
ply hopper like above, was filled with
common dry loose sand. A small sec.
ton Of the wall, large enough for a
mans body possibly, was removed By
some one who was supposed to be anx-
ious to get out. The spectators could
readily understand why his operations
would come TO an inglorious end. In
the first place, a heavy weight resting
on the top Of the column Of sand as it
began to descend touched off al alarm
bell, which might be supposed to be in
the %jailer's room, and 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
resistless tide like grain in bulk emptied
from an immense elevator into the hold
of a vessel. An ordinary cell would
speedily be filled up and the solitary
prisoner would see, and feel, and hear
nothing but sand, a 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 some
body had been trying unsuccessfully t
break Jail. Imagine such a colessa
State prisoner as Boss Tweed, weighing
$40 pounds, floating up to his middle OF
the crest of such an i%nuudation, anC
shouting Justify, stop thief stop thief
and stop this id sandl" The Who'll,
arrangement is as simple as an hour glas
and admits of an infinite variety o
structure and material. The walls cal
be made Of cast-iron, Of brick, stone
heavy panels of sawed or hewed timber
or even, as the Appeal suggests thi
morning, of papier mache pasteboard
thin siding tin or leather. 1t is perfectl
simple, and could be constructed Of ord
nary cheap material, though, of course
> for permanent use and utility it woul'
! be better if erected by some one like tn
. inventors, who would put every piece i
its place with a scientific eye and
skillful hand, calculating to a nicely tn
relation of each to the whole, and NAL
ing no part too thick or too thin or to-
0 wide apart, and avoiding an excessiv
d use of material, as we'll as all possibil
ties of weakness or deficiency. 1t
susceptible likewise of the most elabt
rate finish, and could be made a mode
D Of architectural proportion and fms
and durability. The invention cannC
fail to attract the attention Of scientif
e men everywhere, and of prison author
ties throughout this country and Europ'
y and we doubt not hat when its merit
! are understood it will be adopted in a
' progressive communities, and that tn
T old fashioned, clumsy walls, Away
easily passed by expert jail-breaker'
will gradually pass into desuetude.
' The applicability and utility Of the il
vehtion will commend it to every elf
e and county not already provided with
: Jail structure too costly and massive
throw away or convert to other uses
r is more than likely that it will be Il
G means of solving a most difficult pro
= lem, as to the best means Of properI
e securing prisoners, which has long pc
d picked the world. Messrs. Cook
Heath deserve credit for their genius an
enterprise in bringing an important in
provemeDt to public notice, and we d
sire, in common with their many friend
to congratulate them on the success
which apparently await their effort