The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1888-11-27
| FLoRIDIAN, Oct. 16, 1888.
Leon COunty's. New Jail.

The tax payers OF Leon county, and even the
county prisoners themselves, can well be proud
OF our new JAIL for ii is one of the most complete
handsome and secure jails in the Southern
States.
The finishing touches are now being put on,
and the Jail Will be complete and ready to turn
over to the County Commissioners next Satur-
dav, ut which time they meet to receive ii.
The building is massive brick structure, of
artistic architecture, and the outside view pre-
senis quite an attractive appearance.
Knowing that our readers feel considerable in
erest in all public affairs, d FLoRIDIAN pencil
pusher made thorough inspection of the build
lag yesterday, that we might inlelligcnrIy
write up an accurate description of it,
Entering the front door, with the genial and
accommodating Nj. Z. H. Flynn, WHO ha,
charge of putting in The steel cells, etc, for the
contractors, The NanDom Iron Works Com
panY, of Cleveland, O., rs orr guide, We iOuud
q snlali but neat hallway, with stairs leading to
the upper story. To the left Of the entrance is
Il Iarge airy trout room, 15Nl8 feet, which is to
be used as the Shclifi's office. This is entirely
separate and distinct from the .ii proper as is
the strong room which is Immediately in the
rear OF The office. Tie strong room IS - Zee,
inches by 90 feet inches in >:Ze and Is divided
INTO Two laIge cells, with pialc steel floor ;.t,d
ceiling, and highly tempered steel bar sides.
These arc to be used for special prisoners, H.
males, or any prisoners who it Is desirable 10
mcdlatcly over the office is Tie sleeping apart
mcnt of The jailorS, and back OF This is the large
and roomy kitchen, - by IS feet, connected
with which is large closet and pantry.
These rooms constitute the north hall OF the
building and are 50 completely separate and dis
lnct from The Jail proper that one might live
quietly and contcntedly in them without know
ing themselves to be 50 near to incarctr rated
criminals
We now tuln TO the south half of The build
ing in which are located the cells and cages.
Crossing the hall we come toa solid steel plate
door in The solid brick partition. For the mo-
ment we will suppose that we were the jaior,
and that we had dangerous prisoners inside. We
turn little knob, and "a small peep hole opens
in the steel plate door, through which we can
see whether any one is waiting inside to bump
our heads or not No one is there so we turn
the key in the massive lock- lay back a heavy
steel plate from the edge OF the door and open
it, to find heavy, hardened steel. grated door
barring our further progress. In the centre of
this is an arched mask, SO to speak, in which we
stick our heads; we can then see all around in
the jail, and find no prisoners waiting TO p0unce
upon Us. We then unlock the grated door and
enter the Jail proper. In the centre are the
cages, ali around which is narrow passage
way, so that the jailor can walk entirely around
the cages and see that every prisoner is quiet
and safe in his cell. We are now OF! The first
floor In The centre OF Tie cage is large CORR
dor for HE prisoners. Ga the cast side
Of the cage are two cells and a dun.
geon, and on the west SIZE, tao
cells and Il bath room. The tjlog can and N
thc passage way, and with simple twist OF
his wii7,, lock or unlock th- doors oi every
eel. in the cage Il; one move Of a lever
f ca Gel. is tillel ny with canvass COZ, So that
the prisoners can sleep quite comfortable. Each
cell is also supplied with cOmmndc. The bath
room is quite complete, with large tab, etc.
and prisoners will have no excuse for not keeping
clean and healthy. In he bath room is also q
resovoir into which the prisoners empty their
commode pals, etc, without going outside of he
cage, and he dirty water, etc, is carried off by
drain pipes The bathroom is supplied by a
tank which holds about 400 gallons, and his
tank is filled by force pump winch is supplied
with hose, and a strong stream OF water can be
thrown by it entirely over the building. The
cages have heavy steel plate floors and ceiling,
and the grating is OF Extra hardened steel which
IS tempered BY a peculiar process and is 50 hard
That the Van Dorm Iron Works offer large re-
ward for any man that will find a saw or file
that can cut through it. The second floor cages
are in exact duplicate of the first floor, having
also a bath room.
The Il ors all cemened and then covered
with the steel plate flooring, and with the steel
ceiling, makes It AS near a fire-proOt building as
one ever sees. The brick, lumber and all ma
terial used in the constructors of the Jail are of
excellent quality, all OF which was examined
and approved by Messrs. J. A. Edmondson and
p. Ioustoun, OF The building committee who
have personally inspected AL the work as it pro-
crossed, and who have conscientiously seen and
approved OF each step in the work to its compile
ton
The entire building is 80 by 81 feet in Size and
fs "a feet high in the body, the turrets being
higher. The rooms of the first floor have IL foot
ceilings, HE ceilings OF the second floor are 10
feet high and all rooms and cells, and even the
dungeons are well ventilated.
The contract for building The Jail was taken
by the VmD 'rn Iron Works, OF Cleveland,
Ohio, and it will cost the county complete, $10,-
III, which is money well invested. All of the
wood and brick work was done by the enterprs-
ing Tallahassee contractors aud builders, Messrs.
Gilmore & d wis. and right well have they
worked. Mr.. r. II. Flynn, who is representing
the VanDorn Company, in the putting in of the
iron work, cages. etc, is Young man who thor
Oughly understands his business He is delighted
with the Tallahassee Country, and says tina, he
is sorry that he cannot remain longer among our
high clay hills
We understand that the building committee
contemplate having an iron fence, say seven feet
high, with sharp pointed iron pickets, placed
around the Jail, and We really think that this
will be very necessary and important addition.