Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1886-04-10

~ to keep the buckets and vessels neces-
sary for water-closet purposes. The
stencil emanating from this room, ming
led With the strong odor OF carbolic &C.
id, indispensable for its disinfectant
eiTects), is almost intolerable.n This
is strong language-and as true as holy
writ. 1t is declared that room Is #.
8 in. by IL IT. and it. in. pitch is
"overcrowded with seven inmates;"
that the b;cil-room II It. by 16 IT. and 0
feet pitch sis used exclusively" for
water-closet purpose" and ''the stencil
cmanating from there n is almost
intolerable." Yet, for many weeks
these rooms have been filled-having at
one time q inmates-and averaging 10.
l can bear testimony to the '.intolerable
stench"-a stencil so profound "all the
perfumes of ArabY could not sweetesl',
it. And among this crowd of prisoners
were sick men who were compelled to
inhale the noXous vapors from the bod
les Of filthy companion s-the foul and
fetid air produced by ovcrcrowding and
the ''intolerable stencil" referred to;and
the only ventilation is by two windows
. #. in. 3 TT. 4 in. and two others
! It. in. Y . It. II in. in size. Add to
all this soil within the jail wall which
has so absorbed thedejections of prison.
ers for decades that the very grass is
thoroughly impregnated with all the
foul odor it contains. And more-in
the rear of the jail, within the Jail wall,
is n pool enough to poison the whole
village. Then to add to the comfort of
the wretches confined there "all manner
of creeping things" cover the floors
Notwithstanding. 1 wish
could say hedsteads, but the comfort of
even Il canvass cot is not had by the
prisoners. In Il land whose people
boast Of their humanity-who are proud
of their reputation for good morals
charlty-honest purpose-inteligence,
it is hard to believe such II state of af-
fairs can exist. Yet, it is absolutely
true in every detail
The committee referred to made GER
tain recommendations and Tie Board Of
Supervisors approved them. So far as
they go they are good-but their limit is
too narrow. Whatever is done now
unde: these recommendation will be
thrown ;wiy--:lld for the reason that
the entire jail must inevitably be re-
built, altered and strengthened. The
agent of The Marvin Safe Co., de-
clared not long since 1t was but shell
that any ordinary burglar could easily
break through. Of course everybody
looted at the idea. But, only few
days ago All attempt was made to break
out and the ease with which the nntu-I
Lored workers progressed showed that
the four feet of brick wall would offer
poor resistance; and our strong Jail has,
by order of the Judge, to be supplement
ted by armed guards. So then, it is to
be hoped that the Board of Supervisors
will begin at the very foundation Il work
which shall while offering entire sccuri-
ty afford something like decent comfort
The soil within the wall should be re-
moved-and the means for health and
cleanliness suggested by the committee
should be carried out further than they
recommend Mr.. G. Welly Coard
measured for Inc the fall from the base
Of the jail wall to the drain below and
found it TO be 8 feet. The distance
from the jail wall to the drain is about
200 feet, which gives fall of more than
one foot in % feet for drainage: and if
supplemented by the fall from a height
Of four feet through pipe % feet long
to the base of the wall an impetus would
be given ample to keep the pipe clear
If the pipe should not go to the drain it
should go outside the wall into deep
covered pit. The necessity for ''some-
thing to be done'' made by the late az
attempt to break jail must. take it,
in1uce speedy action by the Board, and
when that something is done, every pos
sible consideration demands that 1t
shall be thoroughly and effectively done.
If experience teaches, the ''lew-old"
court house points to Il man in every
respect thoroughly fltte'l 10 plan and ex-
ecute the work to be done-G. Welly
Coard, whose Unborn genius evolved
from naked, SCARED walls the neat
work named.
am moved to this communication.
MI. Editor, by the facts related, with
which by my professional connection
with the Jail for years, I am entirely
familiar. In all that have said dis
claim any reflection upon the Board of
Snpervisors-nor do mean to condemn
the keeper of the Jail; as now arranged
and continually full-the Jail cannot
be kept decent by any man. AS mat
ter of great public Interest, call atten-
tion to it-;lnd express the hope that
speedy action may he had.
&. II. ScARBUneH, NJ. D.
DoliTqUert land Sale.