Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-12-12
The City Council and the New Jail.


It is expected that the City Council
will consider tonight the proposition ofthe
County Commissioners to purchase part
Of the Police Barracks property for jail
site. The proposition was once rejected,
with the understanding that the Commits
sioners should try to find an eligible site
elsewhere. The Commissioners made a
pretty thorough inquiry and failed to
find a satisfactory site, and they
therefore renewed their proposition.
The Council, it is understood, rejected
the proposition in the first instance, not
because they did not want to part with
the barracks property, or because they
thought the location unsuitable, but be-
cause residents in the neighbOrhOOd of the
barracks protested against having the jail
located there. The question, therefore,
which presents itself to the Council Is
this: Is this protest to override the judg-
ment and wishes of the County Commits
sioners and the great majority OF the peO-
pie of the city?
No satisfactory site can be selected that
will meet with the approval Of everybody.
neighbOrhOOd, and protests may be ex-
pected wherever site is selected. If
protests are regarded the new Jail project
might as well be abandoned. Assuming,
therefore, that mere protests are to count
for nothing. what are the advantages of
the barracks property? In the first place
il is the most eligible location in the city.
1t is central, it is near the
court house. and it is under the
shadow of the headquarters of the
police department. In the second place
the iail will be in the vicinity of fewer
residences there than in any other eligible
place in the city. 1t will be on a square
ON which there is no dwelling and not
likely to be very soon. Except on Lib
ertv street there are comparatively few
dwellings in the immediate neighbOrhOOd.
The reasons on which the directors base
their opposition do not appear to be very
strong. One is that it will be unpleasant
to have executions in the neighbOrhOOd.
II we are not mistaken, the walls of the
Jail will be so high that only those on the
inside Will known when an execution
takes place. The tendency is towards
private executions, and we are convinced
that this tendency is growing. Public
hangings, we hope, will soon be unknown.
1t must also be remembered that exc
cutions occur only at long intervals in
this city. Another reason advanced is
that the presence of insane persons IN the
vicinity would not be agreeable. 1t need
never be known that there is a crazy per-
son in the Jail. The jail isn't an asylum,
and insane persons will not be kept there
permanently. If any Of them are violent
while there it is not probable that their
rawlings will be heard beyond the Jail
walls. and the time occupied in conveying
them into the Jail will hardly be long
enough to allow much attention to be
attracted to them. 1t is not to be eX-
pected that insane persons will
be taken to the Jail every day,
or every week, or even every month.
Instead Of injuring the neighbOr-
hood the new Jail will really i'm
prove it. 1t is to be a splendid struc-
ture. Its style Of architecture is to be of
a kind that will attract attention by its
beauty and originality. 1t will be finely
finished inside and out. The Commits
sloners expect to make it n model prison,
which will be visited by strangers as a
sight worth seeing.
If the City Council are disposed to as
sist the Commissioners in the new Jail
project. now is their opportunity. 1t is
by all that new Jail is needed.
Time and time again grand iuries have
that the present Jail was insult
able and unfit for the county prison. The
county is in positiOntO build a new Jail;
all that is necessary is for the City Coun-
ell to do their part. 1t is in their power
to make the Jail enterprise a success or a |
failure.