The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1894-03-17
To the President and members of the Polic

To the President and members of the Police
Your committee appointed to inspect the
sanitary condition of the parish prison and
premises adjoining, upon the complaint of
Committee from the Town Council of Opelou-
sas, beg leave respectfully to report that we
have examined carefully into the subject mat
ter of the complaint and we find the prison in
as Gle My condition as it is possible to keep
it considering its crowded row condition aoa Ihe
other other day and that disinfectants are con-
stantly used. That the walls of the rooms are
blackened is due to the coal smoke and the
smoky chimneys. We recommend that the in
terror Of the building be thoroughly whitewash-
ed, and that facilities for flushing it be improv-
ed. We are informed that this can be done at
above the ground with force pump and hose
attachment connecting with the we'll. In order
that the prisoners may obtain needed exercise
nish a secure lookup while the rooms are being
secured, we recommend the erection of a
fence upon the following plan and speei-
fcations: Fence to be plank rect nigh;
planks to be upright, posts to be put outside;
scanthng SKA with wire nails driven through
and to point out inches and to be inches
apart and placed secure on top OF fence. Nails
to be made sharp. Fence on back OF Jail to take
in all spare space between the Jail and court
yard fence. South side of fence to be put 10
yards from the Jail North side to be 10 yards
from the Jail. Fence to be put up stout and
blanks to be put one foot in ground.
We have inquired into the complaint of the
uoisv and indecent behavior OF the prisoners
and find the same to be partly due to liquor
furnished them by outsiders who have free ac-
cess to the prison windows an evil which the
erection of fence will prevent.
We have ascertained chat the unseemy con-
duct and loud indecent language charged
against the prisoners often comes from drunk
en- and disOrderly persons put in the prison by
the town constable for violation of the town
ordinances and over whom the jailor has no
CONTROL the key to the room used for that class
of prisoners being kept In possession OF the
constable. It has been brought to our know
ledge that the room so used is frequently in an
authorities do not attempt to cleanse it nor
nav the sheriff turnkey fees nor compensate
the tailor for having 1t cleaned up. We suggest
that the town authorities be conferred with in
order that they may make suitable arrange
ments to pay the sheriff turnkey fees as COM
pensatiOn for keeping the said room in clean
fy condition, as the Police Jury by allowing
the town the use OF the jail for lock up, has
saved it the expense OF building ana MAINTAIN
ing one Of its own.
We have also carefully examined the sink
near the prison and find no offensive odor about
ii nor do we think it at all affects the sanitation
of that portion OF the town. We had the pres
ence and assistance of the coroner in making
the examination and he cOncurs in this view.
We do condemn the privy near the Jail and
recommend that two new ones be erected suf-
and sink beneath 1t six feet in depth, and that
it be SO constructed that when 1t becomes
necessary 1t can be moved few feet and the
old sink filed.
=. ~ Respectfully submitted,
". F. CLOPTON,
ADEIMA Gu1DRY