Asheville daily citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1890-1900, 1893-02-03
THE GRAND JURY REPORT
INSPECTION OF THE COURT
HOUSE AND THE JAIL.

The Necessity For a New VauHa
Pointed Out-Parts of The JaIl |
lot I'm n Filthy COns1isiOn-The
Poor House All Right.
The grand jury of the Criminal court
has made the folio wing report to Judge
H. B. Carter:
1--WE find that the heat furnished the
court room and several of the rooms
occupied by the county officers is def
cient, especially in the room occupied by
the Clerk ofthe Criminal court. The fiue of
late in the room when the wind comes
this room causes the smoke to accumu-
from certain directions; also, that the
stove is in a dangerous condition In
several of the rooms there is no protec-
ton of zinc under the stoves, making
them unsafe.
| "The vault in the Office OF the clerk of
the Superior court is too small. Only
part of the public documents can be
placed therein. In case of fire they
would be destroyed. Also. the office
floor extends under the vault door, hence
fire could extend into the vault withou ut
any difficulty, and the cavity under the
door is such as to admit rats into the
vault, that have already been damaging
the papers. There is no protection IN
front of the fire places in several OF the
rooms. If such a thing could be accom-
plished we would recommend that a
heater be placed in the basement OF the
lcourthouse, to heat the entire building
Such an undertaking could only be de
termined by an expert IN the heating
and ventilation Of large or public build
ings, A.,
Jail and found the outside in a filthy ano
muddy condition, caused partly by th'
1 4 I11 I, T., II
lowing, but the entire premises neet
cleansing and there should be walk
out of rough material constructed iron
the gate to the front door. We entered
the prison through the kitchen, the onl.
entrance. We found one prisoner wh'
had been sick with typoid fever, bu
he is improving. The keeper reported
lice in the lower cage. and said he co nl
not get rid of them. The condition c
the upper cage is some better. The be
clot hing is in a filthy condition. Poss
| bly, the want of a supply of water eS
plains the condition of things
1--WE recommend that the old filthy be
clothes be burned and new cheap one
purchased. We found the plumbers q
work on the water pipes, SO the wate
works will be remetiitd. We found
large sewer pipe, OH the outside wal
open at a Joint so as to allow tt
fumes to escape. But plumbers ha
been instructed to repair this. tt
sanitary condition of the Jail is not wha
it ought to be.
The jail being constructed so low O
the ground makes it possible for any kin
of implements or weapons to be handt
to the prisoners from the outsld
through the windows, with but lit
difficulty. If not at too great exPens
we would recommend the conStructlc
of stone wall around the jail, theret
preventing the ineress and egress of pc
sons who might render assistance for t.
escape of prisoners. The w all need n
be constructed around the entire lot, b
limited to a short distance aboye
Jail; on the north side.
"The committee of the jury visited
poor house, and found twenty four
mates. All seem contented and hap
and wel-fed; the premises cleanly insio
and as much so outside as the prese
condition of the weather would perm
In case of sickness medical services q
furnished promptly"
The report is signed by DIR. d. 7. M
lard, foreman.