The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-11-21
A NEW JAIL NEEDED
Sheriff Toffey's Complaint
to the Board of Chosen
Freeholders. 4
ELLIS URGES PROMPT ACTION
Railroad Companies Ordered to
Put Up Gates at Danger
GUS Crossings.
ELLIS URGES PROMPT ACTION

The disgraceful condition of the Hud-
son County Jail was again brought to
the attention of the Board of Freehol-
ders at their meeting yesterday after
noon.
Sheriff Toffey, who has twice sent to
the board complaints, sent this letter
which fully sets forth serious matters
which need immediate attention.
ITO the Honorable Board of Freehol-
ders:J
"Gentlemen-Some time agogaI called
your attention to the lack of water in
the Hudson County Jail. At times there
is al insufficient supply, even on the
second floor. The water closets through
out the building are not properly flushed,
owing to the insufficient supply. ~
MY men are kept constantly carry
ing up water by the bucketful in order
to get such supply as we have. This can
be remedied by the continuation of a
tank or reservoir on the top of the Jail
and having the same pumped full and
kept full. Your board started this work
some time ago and then stopped. II
you will finish the same and overhaul
the closets and plumbing, all cause Of
complaint on the score of lack of water
would end.
THE sewer connections should also be
improved front and rear. | would ug-
gest you have a connection made with
the Pavonia avenue sewer, and thus
the outlets for bad and malodorous mat
tiers would be increased and danger to
the health and accommodation of the
inmates cease.
NO ROOM FOR CHILDREN.
There is a lack of proper
dation in the Jail for witnesses, and
especially for children who are detained
as witnesses. These little children 1 am
obliged to keep under the Courts orders.
In some cases they are witnesses
against their own parents. l have not
sufficient space to keep Athem at all
times away from adult witnesses whose
influences over them are bad or may be.
If your board would Complete the work
on the second floor and complete the
change of rooms on the. same floor which
it was intended should be enlarged and
improved for witnesses, it would remove
another ground for complaint.
MY attention has been called to mat
tiers outlined as above by a letter re-
ceived from the Hudson County
Branch of the State Society of
Charities and Corrections. In this
letter a copy of resolutions is contained,
passed by said body and a copy is Stated
as having been sent to your board.
PROMPT ACTION URGED.
Your board therefore will see the
necessity of prompt action to avoid
further complaint. Without a plentiful
S,,ppJu Of ,,ota. on1 rood cauyara pa on1
ample accommodations for the parties
confined as witnesses, l cannot remedy
the evils complained of, as the Jail is
under your charge, as is the Court House
and other buildings under, your board in
the matter of repairs, etc.
Trusting that your board will give
the foregoing your immediate attention.
Il remain yours respectfully,
JOHN j. TOFFEY.
Sheriff.
At the close of the reading of the let
ter by Clerk John Boyd, it was moved
that the communication be referred to
the Committee on Jails. This was. agreed
to. Then Freebooter w. H. Ellis said
A NEW JAIL NEEDED.
"In reference to the matter, / think
the committee (meaning the Committee
VI NOdAI 1IoQoC dlld LII VII.
slider between now and the next meet
ing, and report back to the board, the
necessity of the construction of a new
Jail for Hudson County. This is a mat
ter / have been thinking over for three
years. A new Jail is needed as much
as anything else in Hudson County, and
l think now is the time for the COM
mittee to report on it. 1t became evident
that we needed a new County Jail when
this county was cut off from Bergen
County. In size the Jail is obviously
too small. In construction it is not fit
nor large enough for criminals incar-
cerated there.
mo provision is made in Hudson
County for the detention of young per-
son committed. Today, and for the last
three months 1t has been crowded to an
extent that never was intended. The
committee should take consideration of
a recommendation to the next Legisla-
ture for a proper Jail for Hudson Coun-
ty; something in accordance with the
wealth and population of the county.
That is a matter for future considera-
ton, but 1t is for the board to recon-
mend the construction of an entirely new
Jail and enlist the aid of the ladies and
gentlemen who have complained of the
conditions prevailing and of the judges
of our courts SO as to get all the assis-
lance possible to secure the passage off
such an act"
Mr.. Ellis speech was very much COM
mended, and although no action was
taken, the committee will probably tax
the suggestion of Mr.. Ellis au Serieux.
GATES FOR HOMESTEAD.
Freebooter Schwar5 moved that Judge
McGrath, Counsel to the board, shall
notify the Erie and Susquehanna Rail-
road Companies hat the level crossings
at the Homestead station in North Ber-
gen Township are unprotected and the
board requests that, gates be put up at
that point Immediately.
These companies nave already promised
to put up gates, but these promises have
not yet been redeemed. The reason
given by the railroad people is that they
are fixing up the grade crossings and
when that work is finished the gates will
go up.
Judge McGrath will compel the com
panies to erect gates whether the cross
ings are fixed or not.
The last bushes before the board be-
fore it's adjournment until next Tues
day was to refer a letter from Mr..
Michael Kelleher, contractor for the adj
ministration building in the New Lunatic
Asylum at Snake Hill, to the proper
committee in charge of that building.
Mr.. Kelleher wants Is per cent. of
s27, 900, his contract price, for the cree
ton of the building. He says that the
work is up to the second story, and he
would like a little money to go on with.