The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1894-05-06
BLACK HOLE OF Los ANGELES.
A Tour and Inspection of the
City Prison.
An Airless Dungeon Reeking With
Contamination.
Forty Prisoners Confined In Cell with
Room for Only Twenty-The Foul
Place to Be Investigated.
New Jail Needed.

10 rem0QylnX the 6Nll Will Dc maue soon
By those in authority. Let the inspec-
ton come, and with it prison in which
lives will not be sacrificed aa they have
been heretofore.
A visit to the jeil will convince any
one that it is no more nor less than a
crime to imprison men in such foul
place. The faults OF the old structure
have been pointed out in general way
by Chief of Police Glass in his annual
reports to the council for the last three
years, but it falls upon the HERAL D to
give the situation more fully, though
the space allowed for such detail is not
half sufficient.
There are only 10 cells in the prison
10 of the most foul, poorly ventilated
and darkest holes in which man was
ever placed. Four OF the 'cells" were
formerly vaults for the city clerks
when the present police headquarters
were occupied az the city hall. In them
there is not even CRATE for ventilation.
What little contaminated air finds its
way into the vaults from the foul pass
ageway that leads to them is enough not
only to cause illness but death
1t has been not more than year
since woman died in the cell where
women, girls and children are crowded
like sheep in the slaughter pen. Think
of city of $4,000 people affording only
one cell for class of prisoners-not
criminals-that should have every care
possible under such circumstances
As many as six, eight and ten women
have been confined in the cell at one
time, with only room for two.
The cells for men are far worse. A
little crate 10xl4, high above the door.
affords the only chance for ventilation.
AS many as half a dozen prisoners at
once are thrown into the cells at times
when the bastie is crowded, and there
has not been a day during the last year
that it has not been crowded.
Great solid iron doors are closed
against the prisoners, and fresh air never
penetrates the cell,
Number three ia the chaingang cell.
Every day in the year no less than 80
men are crowded into the cell with only
2x4 skylight opening for ventilation.
Ventilation as it should be is an utter
impossibility. Imagine the foul air that
such g body of men must breathe. The
prisoner who is confined in this cell
more than day emerges from the place
H Hssf II abr p pffllhid5 and ILL., reaamhln1
When the reporter WAS shown through
the Jail yesterday he saw the worst
sleeping apartments that man was ever
compelled to use. Upon a hard plank
bunk one prisoner lay i'll from long con-
tnement in the foul air. The door lead
ing into the cell was opened and hand
kerchief had to be placed to the nose to
keep from vomiting. This was at a
time when nearly all the prisoners in
this cell were working on the chain
gang and were absent. Imagine, if you
can, the stencil arising from the cell
when the men are in it. as they are
from O'Clock in the afternoon until 7
the next morning. On more than one
occasion the jailer upon opening the cell
at O'Clock III the morning, has vomited
before he could get away-the stencil
being terrible. The police department
deserves great credit for its endeavors to
keep the prison clean.
There is not enough water in the iail
to flush the waste pipes, not even
enough to force it as high as ones head.
Thanks to the department, the cold
stone floors, under which the most care
less sewerage has been done, are washed
every morning. Whitewssh is used
often, more as disinfectant than any
thing else.
The city of Los Angeles, through it's
is violating the laws of
the state. The statutes provide for
apartments in the prison for
women and juvenile prisoners. 1t 10
NJ a hnr Ia hn
made to suffer for this condition of
affairs. Certainly the police department.
is not to blame. Here is what Chief
Glass says in his last annual report to
the council:
''Once more l must cali the attention
of your honorable budy to the old city
hail building, now used for police head
quarters, police courts and city Jail. In
former reports have pointed out the
many irremediable defects of this shaky
old structure. and the wrong-almost
positive crime-of crowding prisoners of
both sexes and all ages within the mar
row limits of the old jails damp and
sewage contaminated cells. We must
have more room for prisoners, and. if
we are to comply with the laws of the
state, must have room to provide sepa-
rate apartments tor females and for iuv-
emile offenders. And, if we are to prop
erly perform our police work, we must
have larger and more convenient build
ing for central station. The building
should contain apartments for the mat
ron, an armory and drill hall, bath
rooms and gymnasium, and, most i'm
portant of all, large dormitory
for the accommodation of a reserve
force, which experience shows may be
required at moments notice. l there
fore again most earnestly recommend
your honorable body to sell the old
building and site, and erect suitable
building on larger grounds, and be-
lieve it matter of economy to do the
work at once. The city is growing SO
rapidly that site for the new building
can probably be purchased now for less
money than will be required in future
year, and building materials and labor
are now cheaper than for many years
pact.
"The foregoing suggestions and rec
shall continue to make
in each annual report so long as l am
chief OF this department, until such &C
ton is taken as will render them no
longer necessary"
A glance at the apartment used ~ q
kitchen and as y cell for TRUSTEES" may
not be out of place. 1t was built long
after the Jail proper was constructed.
Think of combining prisoners in simply q
structure with only two bricks between
them and liberty. One can almost kick
his foot through tbeSwail. 1t requires