The record-union., 1891-04-07
THEY ARE SADLY NEEDED.
Improvements at the County Jail and
Dispensary Ordered.
The Supervisors See the Necessity and
Take the Record Union's'' Ad-
vice-Other Business.

necessity of various improvements at the
County Jail, and at the City Dispensary.
But this was not the first time this
same subject had been referred to the
board by any means.
At all events, the matter was taken up
and seriously discussed. A resolution
was prepared favoring the improve
ments needed, and Mr. Bates was to have
introduced it at the February session of
the board. But he didn't. At the next
session another attempt was made to
have something done, and nothing re-
suited. proposition had been brought
before the board to the effect that i'm
provements were needed at the County
Hospital, and while the Supervisors
thought that this should be attended to
right away, they did not consider that
the jail and dispenSary Improvements
need be hurried.
ONE COULD WAIT.
Since that session the RECORD UNION
took up the subject, and pointed out the
absolute necessity for new dispensary
and additional cells at the County Jail for
insane persons, sick prisoners, female
prisoners and detained witnesses, and
also stated that the County Hospital inn
provements would not be needed for
some time yet-neXt winter at the earliest
The RECORD UNION was right, and the
Supervisors so declared yesterday when
they convened for the April session.
All the members were present, and
Mr.. Greer, who heretofore had fought
single-handed in the Board meetings
for the improvements, occupied the
chair. The first important business
transacted by the board was the introduc-
tion of a resolution by Mr.. Bates, favor
ing the remoGeling of the County Jail
IGEnarG-r Uh Mr
gets all the glory in the matter now, the
chirography of the resolution looked a
great deal like Mr.. Greer's. The docu-
mentread as follows:
WHEREAS, 1t appearing to the Satis-
ton of the Board of Supervisors of Sac
ramento County that the County Jail and
Dispensary are inadequate in their de-
tails; whereas, former Grand JurieS have
called the attention Of the Board of Su-
viSors of Sacramento County TO this fact
whereas, eN-SherltfS, as we'll as the pres
ent incumbent, and the City and County
Physician and others have pointed out
the great and urgent necessity of having
these institutions remodeled and thor
oughly overhauled, so that proper places
or cells should be made for the care of the
unfortunate female prisoners in a hu-
name way, also TO arrange cells for the
care of insane prisoners, and better venti-
lated and lighted cells for sick prisoners;
and whereas, the ventilation and sewer
age is very imperfect in these institutions
and in the near future the stencil will be
unbearable, and viii undoubtedly be a
breeding cesSpool of disease, to the i'm
minent danger of the inmates of the JAIL
as well as those adjacent thereto; and
whereas, civilization and humanity de-
mand that the aforesaid improvements
should be made. and that as speedily as
possible, therefore be it
''ReS0tUed, That the Board of Super
visors of Sacramento County confer with
City Physician Nichols and Sheriff Stan
ley, in relation TO the best and most eco
nomical plan to arrange the County Jail
and City and County Dispensary and
that the Building Committee be instruct
cd to procure plans and specifications in
accordance with instructions from this
board, and that said plans and specifca-
tions be submitted to this board for their
approval at as early a day as possible"
NO TINE TO BE LOST.
The resolution was adopted by a unan-
imous vote of the board, and the Build
ing Committee was requested to act as
soon as possible by Chairman Greer.
The wants of Sheriff Stanley and DR..
Nichols have heretofore been published
in full in this journal, in the shape of in
teryiews with those officials. Dr. Nichols
is particularly well posted in the matter,
and IN the course of a conversation with
a reporter said: 1.-The Grand Jury recon-
mended it long ago. but somehow or
other 1t was never done. You see it is
very important that the public medical
business should be concentrated, to saw
nothing OF the changes and improve
ments needed at the County Jail. At
present l have to attend to the INDECENT
sick and dispense medicines to them in
this little tumble-down shanty on the east
side OF the courthouse, and it is so
rickety now that it is liable to cave in at
&c f,1n
OF holes, and the roof let's in the rain. /
have to keep all my drugs in the same
room that l consult my patients.
Now remember" continued the doc
tor, this building is at Seventh and /
streets. At any moment ! am liable to
receive message that somebody has
been injured and my services are needed
at the Receiving Hospital, which. YOU
know, is down at the Police Station.
That person might die before ] could get
down there, whereas, if the hospital and
dispenSary were all in one. as is pro-
posed, / could be right there and no time
would be lost. But these are not the only
reasons why the improvement is needed
by any means. Prisoners at the County
Jail
ARE oNTINUALLY GETTING SICK,
And where are you going to put them?
N place; except to keep them in their
dark and unhealthy cells. There should
ing for these persons. Why, do YOU
know, / have patient in the Jail now
who Is suffering with a broken leg and
for lack of any better place to keep him.
ne lies in his dungeon. / even had to
send outside TO get bed for him. 1t is
disgrace TO the county, and am glad, if
even for only humanity's sake that
change is TO be made.
But would not suggest that the Re
ceiylng Hospital and Jail hospital be con-
nected. Many people meet with accidents
on the streets, and are carried to the Re-
ceiying Hospital, who feel much en-
barrassed, as do their friends, too, TO
think that they have been thrown in with
q lot of thieves and other criminals. AS
u Is now the hospital is in the police sta
Iion and the odium is all the more en-
barrassing. Another thing: The Comfy
Jail IS absolutely without accommoda-
tions for female prisoners and insane
persons. They are all thrown into one
common Jail. The most respectable per-
son in the world might lose his reason,
and, II he is taken in hand by the authori-
ties, under the present arrangements, he
is east into cell with a lot of hobos and
larcenists, like common criminal. 1t is
not the fault of the Jail otIicials-they
have no better accommodations TO offer
There should be separate apartments for
the female prisoners and insane per-
sons"
ROUTINE BUSINESS.
After disposing of this matter the
Supervisors proceeded to attend TO the
various minor matters that came before
them.
Hartford Anderson was appointed Jus
@ EAT<;nlY@