The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-04-07

s s.,is sa;rrs y plsce Of those that -
1870 ...... - provided for the county.
T,set e eendition Of the present
eeeecmruodetions might be presented
8 a. publfc. : reporter Of the kasx.
I--.sxsarrosn ~ss yesterday detailed
8 100 nd examine the jail &nd every
eountx clIcs and TO make seracieus
$500 Il bis observations. This re-
r'nvk Nh b fouEd sub;oined.
xfxe corsTr's JAIL.
That de arrangements for conflf'-
inr couaty prisoners are saamesully
nsdeousts: Inst shc jail Il old. small.
n,,sefe sud unxho'eronae that II +
- : 81 piacs f6r the confinement Of
hnrlen beings and IL continued rse
- 1tending shame and dIsgracs 70
- ueujthy county Of King that
fk<4e h no proper place for the tempo
rsrv care and confinement Of insane
rersous. female prisoners and those
I'D - Witnesses On the part OF the
en- ,nonsesIth. hiss been 50 often ani-
uedyersed upon ~ the newspaper
urns and 50 regularly commented
npoa and condemned BY each sueces-
IN Grand jury for the past six years.
& sesns almost supernuous 90 RENT
eut is specific defects.
a court article
when The jail was first built 10 was
lnienfied only ~ temporary struc-
turc, and shs contractors we're al
lowed 70 throw Il together in sach
nhaps that when 1t was completed the
npvnning board OF commissioners hes
Ifsted for some time about accepting
II The jail Il situated in q natural
hoilou below the street grade. and
oDvess plot about szx7o feet in size
The walls are Of stone, and are about
Two feet thick. The interior II sii-
vided into three corridors and 10 cells.
Tia front corridor. which is entered
~ the front and only door.
from the outside Is 3 feet wide and 80
feet long. running across the front end
81 The building. Leading from this
corridor on each side of The building
Is another corridor, 9 feet wide and 81
FEET long. Opening into Theses two
last corridors are 10 cells. 70 each
corridor. These cells are each q by q
feet IN size and less than 7 feet high,
and are none too large for the hu.
name confinement of our prisoners.
1t will be feen from this that the Jail
has suitable accommodations for ex-
nctiy 10 prisoners. At the time the
Jail vas buiit thefe were never more
than eight or 10 prisoners in eon.ine-
mef1t 1t one time, and so far a. room
Was concerned. the Jail was amply
1srRe for all requirements. With the
great increase la population uf the last
Aix years, the condition has changed
and to-day the Jaii has Eve inmates to
avery one there Ii room for. During
Sheriff Cocifnne's term of Office as
prisoners wern confined in the jail az
one fime, and before the last
term OF court IL became
necessary 20 build temporary wooden
structure ia front of the court house
Tor the accommodation OF nearly fifty
moro prisoners who had been kept on
HcEeil's isiand for several months.
simply because there was no room in
the county Jail. In other words. King
county. on the iirst day of February
has1 Ito persons in custody. with ia.
csiities for the decent and humane
confinement OF not more than 10.
Al that time there were also several
female prisoners who were kept Under
guard IN tiie sheritf's private office
and 1T various houses about lown, A
large number OF guards were uecea-
snfily kept about the jail proper and
the temporary jail. and In guarding
The outside prisoners dag and night at
= great expense TO the county, The
cells, which AFRO barely large enough
Tor the habitation of oae man during
his e'eeptt,g hours, were made 10 &C
cofisinoflate from two % four. day aud
night; the corridors were iiiied with
men Tor whom there Was no cell room
The grand iury did not visit the Jail
natA II had bern emptied OF over one.
halt OIL Its inmate. yet the members
fccoile with horror ana disgust when
they we're shown It's terrible state, and
IN their report they spoke their opin.
ions In words OF strongest condemns.
ton.
There are now less than 30 prisoners
IN the jail and yet il Is terribly over.
crowded. Two nen are assigned 80
each cell and II, are allowed to slesF,
IN the Corridors. Ii IL probable that
- Is the minimum number that will
ever be confined in the jail So rs con.
dition will never be more favorable
Than II Is now. so far AS sire il con.
cernesi.
uswisoLEseae AND uNchEAN.
The mnwholeseme and unsanitars
condition OF the jail Is also shamefully
manifest. The small cesis eontalu
less than $50 feet of cubic air. whiel $
much He's shan r. required for the
health and ply zeal demands OF any one
person. and yet two. three, and even
touF men are al necessity compelled
70 breathe one man aliow anee OF air.
The drainage of the ixsl il also
wretchcd. la each al the corridors Is
placed water closet. into which the
night soil from tlse ceffs Is stnrtiesl Al
Intervals during the tlav. aud. although,
the greatest pains are taken. ia
nttiieh arising from these sinks ner.
meaies The whele Jail, adding pollution
ana disea.e io the already user.hus-
s>-tssa "tAa i@fts1ttHa1 alfs
lSFigm Ann nASsHasga
The jail i catirely Insecure and un.
sale. anu II Il only hy constant sixi.
lance on the part oi the sheriff and the
iaiier that the prisoners ara kefst with.
In Its wallis. The cell tlesars arr 3.
sheei-irou and can be beaten back a,
the top so that mans body can
squeeze through. Several prisoner,
have made their escape in this usaa.
ner. Every window in the Iaa has
Deem used az att avenue q. s<safse ~
sonic prisoner az une time or another
and desperate nsssn could effect hss
escape in less than two hours work
&c fsr - bolts aud bars are concerned
MAl1f prisoners have escaped ia this
way. and II Il oals BY constant " AteA
Iashess that Il general sail.dslivery /.
Ali TsSafEn LIKE CRIMINALS.
sinsiag The past year over u insane
persons have been temporarily esss.,
hned IN the tail. and. from necessity
have been given precisely The same
accommodations - the most hanienes;
anu desperate criminals. Persons De,
tsiiiel ~ Witnesses and persons Sus.
peesesl q crimes OF whirls shey have
afterwards proven their lssnsagae.,
nave all been made 20 taste the horsors
III this place.
THE corsry vgrfors
The wrctehesl. s.saat.s frame sssus.s.
aFe safinoansing the Jail 4 occurred
~ si'e Offices os the sheriff ans. ts.a,,tv
suslisoy. The hGilaine, lsee ira Ia
i nseaa in proporsions' shahAs' = . s,.s,
ssssassaen and entirely inadequate 10
he demands III pnaiie l,s.sis,ss<s a. =,
=, .stp NC present building ~As haxfsass-
y o,auS la take sae place IS she os.s
Ys \. which was sestrarea * ase
= intended ensy ~ . EnakesSsssfs