Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1883-07-12

The New County Jail Something tpo"'the
Appearar. ce II will Present when
Finished,


The New Coun,.y JAN Something tboutthe
Appearance II will Present When
Finished.
The action Of the county commits
sioners Yesterday In accepting the
plans offered for the new Jail aud in-
stru citing the county clerk to advertise
fog bids for its erection, finally gives
Use to the hope that Tarrant county
will eventually be supplied with &C.
cure and handsome Jail. The matter
Is fraught with interest 70 many and
as IL Is proposed to erect build
inc that will not only be a
place In which TO keep criminals,
but an ornament to the city. The
building viii be % in depth by
i0S feet in length. Ii Is TO be Of blick,
with stone foundations and trimmings,
slate roofs and galvanized cornices. In
the interior, iron j. to be used wher-
ever practicable, and when finished IL
will be fire.proos. The archts, juisis
and floors of the eel will be of iron,
and prisoner once placed within It's
walls stands but sorry chance TO get
out, except by due process of law. The
basement viii be divided as follows:
Directly below the main part of the
building will be the boiler, furnace
and fuel rooms, and in the two
wings. the kitchen. servants room
storeroom, dungeon. and closets. Be-
sides these rooms there will also he
two large halls, one in either wing,
nine feet seven inches In width 10y
forty-two feet in length. The first
story will contain n large corridor in
the rear part of the building, and a
dining room and bed room for the at
tendants, jailers room, hospital, re-
tanning room for attached witnesses
and other prisoners, whom IL Is not
advisable to put in the ordinary cells.
The hospital Is supplied with bath
room and III each wing Is hall OF
corresponding size 10 those in the
basement. In the second story are
the cells. In the main part
of the building are two
cells for females. two for
Juveniles and guard room. The ellis
for ordinary criminals are situated In
either wing. There are four in each
wing, and are merely iron cages. Out
side of these cages and passing around
three sides Is corridor five feet wide,
in which prisoners are allowed TO
the iailer's corridor, which is four feet
wide, and from any part of which he
can see what is 9sing on iA any of the
cells or corridors. The visitors CORR
dor is outside of the jaier's. and next
to the wall, so that while friends of
the prisoners may see and converse
with them, they cannot reach them.
Above these cages are eight more,
four in either wing, but built
upon n gallery, the visitors corridor
being only two feet wide, thus max
ing an opening through which the
light from the upper windows can
penetrate below. In the main part OF
the building is another guard-room
and three insane cells.
The staircases are so constructed that
the jailer may readily pass from one
part of the house to another without
unnecessary delay Toe entrance 10
the jail is worthy of especial mention.
In front of the large corridor on the
first iloor in tue main part of the build.
ing is II small room into which
visitors are first admitted
This room has entrance which can
be seen from the jailers room, which
is just To the lett and adjoining the
large corridor. An application to
enter is Immediately answered by the
jailer drawing the bolt OF the outer
door, by means of a lever passing into
his room. The visitor then opens the
door and passes in, when the door is at
once locked behind him by the lever
being reversed He is then prisoner
in the ante-room, where he can be in
81. cted by the jailer through lattice
from the corridor, before he isadmitted
to the interior Of the building. When
finished, the jail will present very
handsome appearance and will be /,
credit to the city. The plans were
drawn by Mr.. Heiner of Houston.
County Clerk Swayne will at once
advertise for bids for its construction,
and il Is hoped that the work will be
well Under way before the first of Sep
TENDER.