Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-12-14
THE NEW JAIL
The NEW INSTITUTION THROWN OPEN To
VISITORS YESTERDAY.
A Large Number of People Go Through the Well
Equipped STRENGTHENING at the Cells,
the Medical Rooms and the Vari-
GUS Apartments.


has been SO long in process OF con
struction, was thrown open to the gaze
Of the public, and quite large number
OF people served short and agreeable
sentences. The time at which the visl'
tors were expected was specified as be-
tween the hours of nine and four
o'clock, and it was during that time
that the viewing went on.
A more gloomy, ominous day fol
viewing the grewsome scenes that De-
long to a jail could not we'll have been
devised. Dark, misty and raining, the
abbreviated departments known as
cells, looked particularly uninviting.
The Committee on Court House ano
Jail Of the Board OF County Commits
sioners, was to have shown the guests
about the institution, but only two
were able to be present, Commissioners
Voellinger and mckinley, the former
being present nearly all day.
The new Jail is not wholly completed
as yet for there are number OF tnlsh'
ing touches to be made, and worknen
are busy on nearly every floor fastening
on doors, adjusting bolts and screws,
and painting and shellacing, and Tor
this reason some little inconvenience
was experienced in navigating the
guests around. Nearly all who looked
in upon the jail were quite impressed
with the front Office, which Is neatly
tiled, is spacious, and we'll lighted, and
is fitted up with a large, handsome fire.
place. AS one OF the visitors remarked,
This is the last piece Of luxury the
prisoner will see after he passes
through here" Passing from here the
guests were escorted out to the corridor
which extends around the great
block Of cells. The corridor is about
ten feet wide. There are four floors, or
tiers of cells, twenty cells in each tier,
and they are most systematically ar
ranged and neatly appointed, ii the tix-
ings in cell can be so dignitied. Each
of these abbreviated chambers Is Sx57s
feet, and to persons unaccustomed to
Jail life, it does look like pinning mau
down to very small territory to walk
around in. Should prisoner break out
Vi lL6 COLL uC MOulQ AONO w SAAAh
up stone wall fifteen feet before he
could reach the heavily barred window.
So far as safety Is concerned, the pris-
oner, after once being placed in the new
jail, will be there.
One Of the most interesting features
Of the visit was the glance at the dun
geon cells on the ground floor near the
front Of the jail. There are two OF
them and some Of the most desperate
characters are to be placed there. When
Commissioner Voellinger turned out the
gas in the hall q lady screamed, "Oh,
where are we?" 1t was dark as Egypt.
One could hardly believe they really had
any eyes. "Well. this Is the way 1t will
be all the time after the prisoners are
locked In these cells" said Mr.. Voelling-
er, and the lookers-on felt cold chill
creep up the spinal column. The vsi-
tors were next taken to the padded
cells, where insane persons, or those
unable to control themselves, will be
placed There were five cells built for
this purpose but only two are padded.
On the upper floor in the main build
ing, apart from the main blocks Of cells,
are the women's cells, the mems medi-
cal room, the woman's medical room
and a few cells little larger and better
fitted up for better class prisoners who
desire to pay their own expenses.
There is very large, well-lighted
apartment just over the jailer's resi-
dence on the third floor which will
probably be used as jury room in
place of taking the jurors to a hotel
from time to time.
All the lights for the outer windows
are Of ground glass, making it impos-
sible for the prisoners to view the out
side world, or outsiders to look in.
There are several rooms to be used fol
exercise rooms, or other purposes. In
fact, person would be surprised at the
large amount of space there is on the
inside. The work on the inside has been
endless, and, as one Of the contractors
said yesterday, sit isn't so much the
building itself that costs as 1t is the di.
gestive organs that go on the inside, u
and at the same time he drew out 9
plan Of & big Jail that was soon To be
erected at Columbus, which is some.
thing after the plan of the jail here.
Everything about the Jail yesterday
seemed neat and clean, and the
construction throughout of the
most improved pattern. 1t was
expected that tie prisoners would be
transferred from the old jail to- the new
tomorrow, as this was the date fixed
upon by the Board of Commissioners,
inasmuch as the work on the inside is
not wholly completed, Sheriff Steenrod
did not deem it advisable to make the
change until everything was completed,
and the change will not take place fol-
several days.