The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-11-21
Smoke "Nfckelby."
For sale by A. Canfarotta, Salem, Va
THE JAIL INSPECTORS REPORT.

The Entire Removal of the Old Jail Rec
commended.
The newly appointed Jail inspectors
held a meeting Thursday afternoon, and
after thoroughly discussing tho condit-
ion of the city Jail prepared the follow
ing report, which was submitted to Judge
Robertson. AS the Jail was partly de-
molished and there were no prisoners
there when they made their examina-
ton, they reported only on what they
saw:
ITO the Hon. VIM. Gordon Robertson,
Judge of the Hastings Court, of Roam
oke, Va.
'In accordance with the instructions
of the court, and in pursuance of the
statute, we beg to make the following.
report;
eve have carefully examined the
building recently used as the city Jail
AS originally constructed and prior to
its partial demolition, preliminary to
the erection of an addition by order of
the City Council "a small portion of
which has already been done, but upon
which work has been suspended), it was
two stories in height and contained
eight cells, four on the first, and four
on the second floor, OF size each 7xSx7
feet high
The jail, pending the erection OF the
addition stated, contained no prisoners,
but sufficient evidence remained to
show the condition of the cells, which
was bad, they being unclean and foul
smelling and without proper ventilation.
From the best information obtainable
we find that as many as thirty-six
prisoners have been confined in the Jail
at one time, SO that there has been an
average of over four occupants to cell,
or certainly double the number of
ordinary prisoners which an apartment
should contain, and quadruple the num-
Der of chronic or notorious criminals
that should be allowed to cell
From structural point of view, the
Jail gives evidence Of gross neglect of
duty on the part of the contractor who
built it. The stone slabs forming the
ceiling of the cells have insufficient
bearings and are liable to fall at any
time. Mortar and rubole have been
used to fill in the spaces which should
have been closed by the ends of the
slabs of stone abutting. Large cracks
are observed in at least one of the over
head slabs, which is liable to give way
at any time. The uprights forming the
partitions are not of sufficient thickness
TO sustain much additional weie hit, nor
admit OF proper bearing of the ceiling
slabs, and one or more is greatly out of
perpendicular. The ventilation of the
cells is entirely inadequate, and OF a
character tending to produce rather
than prevent disease. All fresh air
enters the cells in draugbts through
the contracted windows, and not by
proper and separate fues provided for
the admission of fresh air and the out.
flow of the foul gases.
ITO sum up. we find tho arrange
ments for ventilating. heating and a
proper regard to cleanliness are print
tive and not conducive to the health,
comfort, &C., of prisoners. That the
jail was poorly and improperly con-
structed; the cells too low and the area
of space improperly distributed; the
flues and partitions very faulty in size,
and poorly and unsafely constructed;
the ventilation, heating and sanitary
arrangements crude and imperfect, and
tho building, as whole, Inadequate to
the requirements Of the city.
GAS result of the general conditions
of the jail, by reason of these inherent
defects and foul condition due partially
NNTANTED-A BOY TO DELIVER
Wv sTHE TIMES in Salem. Apply to