The semi-weekly miner., 1882-03-04
1Ba11gD TIN AA10.


gate the condition OF the county Jail,
which ve are compelled to say seems to
be we'll and diligently managedas tar -
is practicable under existing arrange.
ments.
The communication is Is follows:
Editor INncr:
SIR: 1t is about time the public should
know something about how matters are
conducted in the Silver Bow county
Jail In the fir.t place the building Ii
entirely inadequate to the wants of the
prisoners therein confined. The room
! in which the men are confined Is Tut "A
by 50 feet, with four feet taken off from
the west end for hunks, which will ac-
commodxte but p persons. Another
cause Of complaint is the placing o: city
prisoners among those belonging to the
county, til 8 making the room over
crowded. The overcrowding of small
colnparti,,e nts, it is well known, is di.
rectly in violation of all sanitary laws.
County prisoners alone could keep their
room neat and clean, as it is bat seldom
one is brought in intoxicated, whereas
| the prisoners are liable to be brought IN
any and every night. and ut all hour,
! and are generally not only drunk but
beast!y %, and often filthy in their hab-
ifs when IN that condition, no matter
how neat and gentlennanly when sober.
During the visit of the grand jury to
the Jail the officials in charge being ap-
prised Of their coming took care to have
everything neat and cleanly and plent:
ofrrovisions piled up on the table for
dinner. Before and since then the
food is portioned oat and sent
through the window on plates.
The breakfast every morning
; consists "f a piece "f steak, three
small slices Of bread and about
three ounces If potatoes, generally, and
one cup OF tea. For dinner, one cup of
ten, three small slices Of bread, small
piece Of boiled beef and plate 'of soup,
sometimes few bears ar;' added as
kind of side dish. This is the entire ra-
tions for twcnty-iour hours, there being
no supper.
The men confined in the Western
ja;Is are. with very few exceptions,
harl-working men, and they find this
amount of provisions entirely made
1u.,tc to appe:tse their rugged appetites.
The punishment inflicted by law should
bc sufficient without compelling men to
20 hungry.
Outside Of the above evils. the water
c!,,~ct is in the center Of one side Of the
room. and the ''out-llouse." which com
Sists Of nucket inside Of q box, is also
in the center Of one side Of the room. and
is removed generally every a hours.
These king in use by a men, now con-
fined in this small! room, you can
imagine the atmosphere We are forced
to breathe continually. The Old cDanty
hospital received thorough airing
through your columns, and it is h,lt just
and proper that this public institution
should have the same. Mr.. Lowry re-
ceives from the county Sl.::5 per diem
for each man > board. and should surely
give his boarlcrs plenty, p .rtic:'larly
when our restaurants. give their GUESTS
three square meals per day for 81. and
that If the best variety in the market.
Respectfully.
ONE WHO Knows.
In regard to the complaints contained
in this letter it may he said frs, Of all.
that the keeping OF the city and county
prisoners separate. and in distinc; build
ings is certainly desirable anil Is
change which would meet with the
hearty approval Of Sheriff Lowry and
his assistants. The present arrange
llcnt Is made i"r ccon"my's sake, and
the sequence, "f it can in 10 way re-
fleet Oh the sheriff: Il j. Il matter to be
.r,ns:.lcrd and provided for iy the
county.
The Jail j. ut present ii: She si,a:ia:
charge: Of Deputy sheriff }. NJ. Fish,
who is universally known a> kline!
hearted AMI intelligent man. All that
c:n and should reasonably J." done '"r
til. welfare Of the inmates j.. We firmly
believe. ,i"mc Ly Mr.. Fish. il sonc-
time. happens now th't ti.r. arc ni"rc
pri-",,crs in the Jail than can hc ac'onl-
ln,slat,tl in tn: hunks, ami i";l.iing j.:
ti.cn provided Oh III: floor. III: walls
and floor are kcpt clean AID 10 ~; out
slider the inmates :cns reasonably "p!n-
Portable. I)uri,,. - i',"t day, q: will
ter lwo n,c;.l- u day on. have been fur
nish..l them. but it j., authoritative
" stated that now that the
d:.yS have bccn somewhat lcn., ,!.c:icd
the regular three meals day will be
served. Of the cooking. amount and
quality Of food served, it may b.: said
. that il j. nOr.. abundant and better than
thu. fare Of soldier, in the regular army,
and 10 indeed, 1" all appearances, sutIi-
cient for any reasonable man. especially