Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1890-07-26
povER.s QUEER JAZZ.
New HsmPshirs Towns Imprsgusble
Fortress for Criminals


Fortress for Criminals.
Dover jail, 40 this place Of confine-
ment Is termed. Is situated on the sum
init Of commanding hill about one and
quarter miles from the depot. There
are practically two brick buildings con-
nected by meek" The front building
Is three stories In height, and is used rs
o residence for the sheriff and his fam
lily. The rear building is two-and-a-
half stories In height, and contains the
rotating cells, while the meek" between
comprises the guard-room en the first
| floor and four cells for female prisoners
on the second. The rotating cells In
the rear building form the patented por-
tion OF the jail. There are twenty Of
them, and there Is only one entrance or
exit for the entire number, and that
passage Is separated from the guard
room by four iron-barred gates and one
solid iron door. When an officer desires
to see prisoner he doesn't go to him,
he simply turns crank and brings the
man In confinement around 10 the guard
room.
The principle OF the jail Is simply
this: To have one entrance TO the cells,
and to keep the prisoners away from the
entrance at all times, except when they
are wanted. The interior OF the rear
building. or jail proper, resembles gi-
gantic cage. There is an immense cir
cular grating extending around the in
terror of the structure, and in this circle
revolve the two tiers OF cells, there be-
ing on each tier ten compartments. The
front OF each cell Is almost open, except
for an iron plate running from the tor
OF the upper tier 10 the bottom Of the
lower. This offers little more solidity
TO prisoners residence than would b,
afforded by the grating simply, which
shows. when the jailer wants a man, al
astonishing prediction for slipping
away. The iron plating is also used to
hold up the ends OF two hammocks
which are used by the prisoners TO sleeI
in.
The ten cells on each tier are arranged
in a circle, and 1t is obvious that tn,
outer end is quite wide. while the inne
is very narrow. They don't quite q
down TO point. however, for In th'
center OF this big squirrel cage" Al
some OF the prisoners delight to call IL
is q big hollow pipe. which, besides be
ing the pivot on which the cells turn
answers for q big ventilator, and als'
contains the water pipes necessary L
supply the prisoners.
The two circular floors OF the Jail ar,
hung from the roof Of the rear building
SO that the Jail swings very easily in
side the circular grating. Every thin
J is ball bearing except the crank gearing
and the tiers turn so easily that
twelve year-old boy can move the TWEEN
ty cells and their occupants withou
J much trouble. The interior OF thi
square brick building looks more like
cheesebox monitor turret than any thin
else, except that, instead of the Who'll
turret turning only the inside of it, Tia
} cells-movcs around. When tho jailo
i desires to see man he first unlocks tn
door OF the compartment containing Tia
crank and gearing by which the cell
are moved This door is fastened by
combination which is known only to tn
. sheriff himself. Then with key h
unholts the iron door which separate
: the passageway to the revolving tier
from the guard room. This done, h
unlocks a paddock which holds the brak
Of the moving tiers in place, and the
grinds away at the gearing which turn
the tiers. This Is SO perfectly adjuste
; hat IL can be moved by the little fit
) ger, and 1t can be turned when the prii
oners are asleep without waking one ,
! them. When the cell containing tn
prisoner desired is opposite the passag'
way, the iailer unlocks three more iror
barred gateways, each lock taking
different key, and then has his man a
hand.
The same work is necessary up-stair
to get ut prisoners in the upper cell,
the mechanism there being an exae
c duplicate OF that below. Boston lie