St. Paul daily globe., 1885-11-11

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ing them aloof from companions of their
own kind, with whom they would be quite
happy. and at the same time protects fro m
such degrading associations the decent men
who are sometimes confined to await their
trial.
The jail is of two stories, with ten cells
ON each floor five on side, and each cell
is 6xS feet. The twenty cells are inclosed
in an iron cage without break. and of Pc
culiar construction. 1t is thirty feet
long by twenty-four feet wide by seven
teen and a half feet high (weigh-
ing about twenty tons) all in
a continuous structure made Of 11s-inch
round uprights placed four inches apart and
219X11s inch horizontal bars all framed to-
gether. The great popularity is in the ma
terial, which is soft steel, highly carb0nized
by special process that renders it file
proof. The uprights are hollow. and through
the cavity runs continuous rod Of soft
iron. The latter will prevent heavy blows
from breaking the tubes. A jailer's corridor
runs around the cells on the outside. The
iron cage forms the outside wall of each
cell. A center corridor runs through the
cage On both floors, the cells being on the
left and right sides. Outside of all is built
the brick outer wall of the building, per-
forated by a strongly-barred window op-
poSite each cell. The floor of cells and
corridors in both stories is composed of
huge slabs of Ohio blue stone, single slab
flooring each cell. The center corridor has
no openings into the cells except solid iron
doors. Thus, prisoners on opposite sides of
the center corridor have no communicate On
with each other, and the jailer, by walking
round the outside corridor, can see what
each prisoner is doing and has clear view
of the corridors from the ''peep holes" of
which there are four, opening into each of
the four corridors. The two sides of the
jail are separated by solid walls. so that it
is practicable to heat one side or one floor OF
one side without heating any of the rest Of
the jail The cells are provided with ven
tilating shafts, and each is furnished with
an air-tight cell bucket. One cell is used
for bathroom with all conveniences
Another is dark cell for refractory pris-
Oners.
The Jail is rendered completely fire. proof
by solid brick arches built above the top of
the iron cage.
Besides the four divisions of the Jail,
above described, there are two separate cells
for women and insane persons, and a Pauly
& Bros steel cage in a separate room.
uuS, lu6T6 dT0.S .SGNGH ulNlSiOuS VI
the Jail and twentyfour cells.
This Jail eXcels in the following particu-
lars:
First-It is the best lighted jail in the
state, the cells being as light as the rooms
Of a dwelling house.
Second-It can be more economically
heated than any other cage-jail, being di-
vided into sections.
rNhir6 TT wall uanti1otal ocH ho
easily kept clean.
Fourth-It is the cheapest cage-jail in the
state. The cells are 6xS feet, intended for
one prisoner each. If four prisoners were
placed in each, as is common in cells of this
size, and two in each insane cell, the new
cells in this jail would accommodate 80
prisoners at cost of $275 each. The Clay
county Jail cost $40, 900, and accommodates
% at cost of S715 each. The ST. Louis
county jail cost about the same. Winona
and Houston county jails cost more. Count
ing only one prisoner to cell, this Jail ac-
commodities % prisoners at cost of $3.50
each.
Fifth-It is the only Jail in the state pro-
viding for separation or even classification
of prisoners. This prevents contamina-
ton, diminishes danger of escape and pro-
tects officers from assault.
SiXth-It is believed to be as secure as
any Jail in the state. The cost of the Jail
and sheriff's residence has been about
$22, 900 exclusive of the old cage removed
from the court house.
The accompanying cut shows the Jail
and sheriff's house from the rear. 1t is
from photograph taken before its COM
pletion to show the interior construction.
THE ROCHESTER, CITY LOOKUP
is situated ON the first floor of the new city
hall. The cell room is 1Sx27 feet and II
feet high, well lighted by five windows.
The walls are of birch upholstered. The
ceiling is plastered upon wire lath. The
floor is of Mantorville stone tagging with a
drain leading to the outside. There are
four cells each 4X7 feet composed entirely
of open lattice work and supplied with iron
swing hunks; the cell bottom is the cell
room floor. This lookup is light, airy. can
be readily cleaned with hose, has no
harbor for vermin, is sufficiently secure and
is practically fire-proof. There should be a
partition between the cells to screen prison.
ers from each other With this single ex-
ception the lookup answers all the needs of
such an institution. 1t is much the best
lookup in the state and is a credit to the
city of Rochester.
RAMSEY COUNTY PoORHoUSE
has accommodations for 135 paupers. The
main building is $50 feet long and averages
42 feet in depth. There is new wing,
6Ox34 feet, containing dining rooms,
kitchen and laundry, with apartments for
male help and sick patients above. A eel
lar extends under the whole building, not
intended for use except the part under the
rear wing, which contains cisterns and
store rooms.
The first floor contains sitting rooms for
male and female paupers, wards for infirm
and crippled inmates, bathrooms and wash
rooms for both sexes, together with Office
and storeroom for both sexes.
The second floor contains the overseer's s
apartments, a hospital, single rooms for
both sexes, and larger wards containing
from three to nine beds each.
The third floor is divided up into wards
containing from three to nine beds each,
and contains also rooms for female servants
In the attic are two large tanks, connected
with the roof. to provide water supply for
the house. Fire escapes are provided by
outside staircases from both sides of the
house.
There is provision for complete separation
of the sexes, except that they use common
dining-room. Earth closets are provided at
distance of twenty-five feet from the
building, to which they are Joined by COW
cred passages. A comfortable smoking and
work-room is provided for the men above
the boiler-room. 1t is designed to allow no
smoking in the main building. The build
ing is heated by steam and admirably venti-
lated by interior shafts heated by steam
coils.
In so large building it is to be expected
that there would by some defects. There
are two fire-walls, but no fre-doors have
been provided to separate the different
sections of the building. Hardwood floors
are provided in the corridors, but softwood
is used in the stair-landings. which will
necessarily receive much more wear.
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