Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-09-27
THE CITY GOVERNMENT.
REFUSING TO GRANT THE PRO
POSED JAIL SITE.

POSED JAIL SITE.
The County Commissioners Heard on
the jail Questionable Council Dis
agrees with the Report Of the Com
mittee Recommending the sale of the
site by a Vote Of to 5-The New Gas
light Company-Increased Fire Pro-
lection Called For
f The proceedings Of the City Council last
night were made interesting by the dis
+ cussion upon the location Of the new jail
on the proposed site on Habersham street.
Commissioners Estill and Casey, Of the
Board Of County Commissioners, and a
number Of spectators were present.
The Board met in regular session at
$50 O'Clock, the Mayor presiding.
Present-Mayor Lester, and Aldermen
Hamilton. Nell, Hanley. O'COnnor,
Wilder. Green, Minis, Wells and Hamlet.
The Clerk read the minutes OF the pre-
yious meeting, which were confirmed.
ACCOUNTS.
The Committee on Accounts reported
that they had examined and found cor
rect accounts against the city amounting
to SI1.01I %, and recommended that they
be passed for payment.
REPORTS.
The Committee on Fire reported fayOra-
blv upon granting petition Of VIM. kehoe
To erect a steam engine, and the report
was cOncurred in.
The Committee on Public Sales and City
lots reported fayOrablv on granting petit
ton Of WIN. p. Hardee. COncurred in.
The Joint Committee on Health and
Cemetery and Public sales and City Lots,
= rsffaar Of
Heidi TO sell lots IS and SO Springfield
plantation. reported that the city would
not purchase the lots, and the report was
cOncurred in.
THE GAsLIGHT COMPANY.
The Committee on streets and Lanes,
in their report upon the application of the
Mutual Gaslight Company to lay its pipes
and mains in the streets OF the city, recon-
mended that the application be granted,
provided the excavations be covered with
in twentv-four hours after they have been
made and that the streets be restored 10
the same condition they were IN before
the excavations were made, and that the
Grade be preserved and all accumula-
tions Of sand or other material be removed
and the pavement relaid, subject TO the
inspection Of the Street and Lane CON-
mittee A further provision, In order
that the health Of the city be not en-
dangered. provides that the excavations
shall moi be commenced until
the Board of Sanitary Commissioners
should authorize it, and that the company
should use such precautions as 70 dlslL-
fecting the excayating earth as the Hanl-
tary Board should direct; and further,
that the company be responsible Tor all
casualties that might occur. The report
was adopted.
The report Of the Committee on City
Buildings in reference 10 the renting OF
the building on West Broad and River
streets. was referred back to the COM
mittee for further report.
The report Of the City Marshal IN refer
ence to serving notices ordering the re-
pair Of sidewalks, was read by the Clerk
aad the Marshal ordered to have the ne
cessary repairs made.
THE NEW JAIL MATTER.
Alderman O'COnnOr moved that the re-
port Of the Committee on Public Sales and
CITY Lots. recommending the sale Of lots
on Habersham street for the site Of the
proposed new Jail. be taken from the
table. The motion prevailed, and Alder
man Hamlet moved that members Of the
Board of County Commissioners, who
were present, be heard on the matter.
The motion was carried, and the Com
missIoners were invited to the floor.
Council. lie said that the Board Of Com
missiOners were no more interested in
having the Jail located on Habersham
street than in any other locality. They
had canvassed the matter fully. and had
decided that the location there was the
most eligible Of any that could be found
in the city-near the police barracks
and under police protection. They knew
OF no other place, and formally made ap-
Ill, to aa nj ~ for Irql ef
the lots. If the city did not deem it adj
yisable to sell the lots the Jail would in
all probability remain where it IS. The
Commissioners had no desire TO force the
Jail upon the citizens in that locality, and
if the protest was recognized, and they
did not propose to have it there, all well
and good.
Alderman Hamlet wanted to know
what kind of Jail would be erected.
Commissioner Estill replied that the
Commissioners contemplated a prison
similar to the Jefferson Market Jail, New
York.
Alderman Wells wanted to know if the
Jail would include a yard, and if eXecu-
tions would be private.
Alderman O'COnnor also Inquired if
Iunatics would be confined there.
Commissioner Estill replied that yard
or area would be necessary to secure ven
tilation to the cells. AS to the cOntine-
ment Of lunatics. it was not understood
they were to be confined there perma-
nently.
Alderman Hamilton, as member Of the
Council Committee recommending the
sale Of the lots, explained his pO-
sitiOn. He was in favor of sell
ing the lots and locating the Jail
on the proposed site when he signed the
report. because he believed the Jail where
it now stands is an injury 10 the prop
erty surrounding it, but he was not in
favor Of damaging any other community.
He was now opposed to the location. He
was in favor Of building a new Jail and
removing il from its present site, but he
would move it either to the eastern or
southern part Of the city. He was in
favor OF a removal from its present site in
order that the value Of property in that
vicinity might be enhanced, but he was
opposed to location in the centre Of
the city.
Alderman O'ConnOr, Chairman of the
committee recommending the sale, was in
favor Of granting the site to the Commits
siOners, but in the interview between the
Council committee and the Commission
ers, he understood that lunatics were to
be confined elsewhere than in the Jail, and
that the building was TO cover the entire
lot, without a yard or area, and that all
executions were to be private. He signed
the report because ne DellCNeu IL best 10
assist the Commissioners in the effort to
secure new jail-the sale of the present
site returning a revenue for that purpose.
He believed the proposed site TO be the
most eligible in the city. The parties
who had signed "A protest against the To-
catiOn-many Of them-he understood had
served upon Jurles prOnOunclng the pres
ent Jail disgrace to humanity, and they
were now the first to oppose its removal,
and throw obstacles in the way Of the
Commissioners i'm their efforts to secure
the site.
The Clerk read the report of the com
mittee as presented at previous meeting
of the Council.
Alderman Minis, also a member Of the
committee recommending the sale Of the
property. had the same understanding in
the interview with the County Commits
sioners in regard to the confinement OF
lunatics, the yard and the privacy of
executions. At the time he signed the
report he was unaware of any opposition
to the site on the part of citizens, or that
any protest had been made. Had he
known of any such opposition he would
not have signed the report. He was
opposed to the proposed location.
Commissioner Estill stated that the
board was unaware Of any opposition at
the time they selected the site and made
application for its purchase.
Alderman Hamlet moved the adoption
of the report, and Alderman Hamilton
called for the yeas and nays. The vote
was as follows:
Yeas-Aldermen Hamlet, O'Connor and
Wells.
Nays-Aldermen Green, Wilder, Minis,
Hanley. Hamilton and Nell.