Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-01-12
THE COUNTY JAIL.
The Wall Beneath the jail Leans
Out More Than Ever.

ERe wall Beneath the jail Leans
Out More Than Ever.
The article which appeared in yester-
day mornings HERALD concerning the
appalling condition of the Jail building
and the imminent hazard which it sus-
tains of falling to the ground, had the
effect Of bracing up the efforts of those
who are trying to have something done.
During the day number of people who
had read the article strolled up Franklin
street to New High and took
look at the building and the
wall beneath. As if to confirm
the prediction, the wall budged a few more
inches yesterday, and its slant is now
plainly visible from the street. The
crevices in the earth have widened per-
ceptibly in the twenty-four hours, and
the cracks in the wall have increased in
number and size. Near the bottom there
is huge opening in the masonry large
enough to admit the end Of cane.
The contractor, who has been digging
out from under the foundation, became
frightened yesterday when the threat of
rain came on, and sent his men up in
the yard Of the Jail to see what could
be done. A trench was dug along the
wall, covering up many of the openings
which had appeared in the hill, in order
to turn the food of water which would
pour down the incline in heavy rain
away from the wall and prevent the un.
dermining, which would have been in
evitable. 1t is possible that this plan
may avert the catastrophe. 1t was the
only remedy which could be effected at
so short notice, but it is only q partial
protection, as the weight of earth and
water will still press against the crumb-
ling wall.
Contractor Burlingame took look at
the wall yesterday and gave it as his
opinion that it would probably come
down, certainly if it happened to rain
very hard. He thought, however, that
the Jail was safe, as it's foundations were
unusually deep. Several other builders
who looked into the matter were not so
confident on the latter point.
Sheriff Aguirre is much more disturbed
over the possibility of disaster than he was
at first willing to admit. He laid the mat
ter before the Supervisors yesterday and
two of them visited the building. The
advisability of taking out the prisoners
in case rain sets in and of deserting the
building was subject of frequent dis
cussion between the Sheriff and his
deputies yesterday.
There is one fact which has been kept
secret, but which it is just as we'll
should be known if it will help to stir up
those who have responsibility in
the matter to action. Day before
yesterday, one Of the large, solid
granite sills on the lower floor
of the Jail cracked in .wo, and yesterday
the seam widened perceptibly. This
shows beyond all question that the front
corner of the building is settling, and
leaves no possibility of a doubt that if
the wall goes the Jail will come down.
The giving away of heavy granite block
of such size as this indicates an enor-
nous pressure and when the earth be-
meath softens in rain and falls with the
wall away from the foundations the
whole edifice win crumble into ruin.
The occupants of the Jail are pretty
we'll alive to the condition of affairs and
are much agitated over the horrible pos
sibility which stares them in the face.
Something must be done and they pro-
pose to move heaven and earth to get it
accomplished Immediately,