The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1893-07-21
A NEW JAIL.
The County Board Discusses the
Matter-Letter from the
Board of Corrections
and Charities.

able TO agree, up to the time of going
to press, upon the amount which the
jail shall cost. Commissioners Han
nay and Hughes thought that $40, ZOO
was enough and wanted to follow the
plans of the Rochester Jail. CONS.
Mahowald, Graf and Mountain favored
making better Jail, especially as the
iron cell work alone costs $4,000.
Some of the commissioners desire. to
make a tax levy of $4,000 to extend
over two years, $4,000 to be raised
next year, to pay for the jail. Com.
Mahowald proposes to issue bonds for
the amounts necessary.
The following letter was received
from the State Board of Corrections
and Charities, regarding the new jail:
To the honorable Board Of County Com
mliSSOnerS of Blue Earth County, Gen
tIemen:-
The state board of charities and cor
rections having been notified that
you are contemplating the erection of
a county Jail, respectfully offers the
following preliminary suggestions, as
required by law:
First: In view of the fact that
the Blue Earth county Jail is entirely
inadequate for the needs of the cOun-
ty and is insecure: and in view of the
fact that the said jail has been re-
peatedly condemned by successive
grand juries, and in the reports of
this board, and in view of the fact
that there is no suitable county Jail
within reasonable distance of your
county seat, we recommend that you
proceed to erect county jail, as pro-
posed.
Second: We would suggest that
the jail consist of Sheritf'S residence
and prison, to be located separate
and apart from any other building,
and to be so situated that the sun
will shine into each prison cell at
some time during the day. The
prison department should be at least
twenty feet from the nearest street.
Third: We recommend that the
sheriff's residence be a plain, sufstan-
tial structure, containing besides the
Sheriff'S office, sa kitchen, pantry, din
ing room, sitting room and suitable
sleeping rooms; besides the entrance
hal, both room and Suitab BILE closets.
The residence should be carefully
planned for convenience, and should
be substantially built to avoid the
necessity for frequent repairs.
Fourth: We recommend that the
prison department be entirely fire.
proof, the floors of the first and Sec
Ond stories to be composed Of sawed
stone tagging supported or iron ~
beams; the ceiling TO be composed of
brick or tile arches supported on iron
beams; the cell floors to be composed
of sawed stone tagging, and not of
iron or steel, The second story to be
entirely distinct and separate from
the first story and to be reached by
stairway located in the sher.ff's Office
If the sheriff'S office is not made fire.
proof, one window grating on each
floor should be hinged and paddock
ed in order to premit the taking out
Of prisoners in case of fire IN the
dwelling house.
We recommend that the Jail con-
tain from 20 to "a cells, each cell to
be 63xS feet, or Xxi, and to be arrang-
ed so as to accommodate one prisoner
The front of each cell towards the
windows to be composed of an open
lattice work at least 44X7 feet. If fiat
bars are used the bars to be set with
edges towards the light; if round or
square bars are used, the bars to be
set four inches on centres.
We recommend that the cells in the
main cell room be set in two parallel
rows separated by corridor six feet
wide into which the cell doors shall
open The cell door and the cell par
titiOn next the corridor to be of solid
plate lion. We Recommend that a
large window be placed opposite each
cell, allowing light and air to circul-
ate freely. We recommend that the
cells be set at a distance CT at least
four feet from the outside wall. and
that four peep holes be provided from
the jailOr's residence, overlooking the
outer corridor. We recommend that
the outer walls of the jail be compOs-
ed of brick, with an air space, and
that the walls of the cell room be
plastered one coat brown finish upon
the brick. This plastering to be left
brown, or painted, mot whitewaShed).
We recommend that the prison be
not provided with water closets, but
that air tight. oderleSS buckets be
used; and that suitable Slop sink be
placed in the prisoners corridor upon
each floor; and that suitable provision
for bathing be made within the cell
block on each floor.
We recommend that the partition
extend through the cell room from
front TO rear on each floor and that it
be provided with doors in the jailor's
corridor, in order that the prison may
be divided into four distinct rooms,
each containing two or three cells, in
order that prisoners may be suitably
classified; and also. to avoid. the nee
essity of heating the whole Jail in
winter when there are but few prison
erS.
We recommend that the iron and
steel work be SO prepared as to enable
any responsible builder to bid on
them; and that each bidder be requir-
ed 10 describe his proposed work in
detail, specifying the material to be
USED and the manner in which it is to
be put together with the locks, lock
devices, plumbing, beds, etc, and that
each bidder be required to present
pies Of the material, locks, etc. to
10 be used, to be subjected to such
test as the board of county commits
SioneTs may direct.