The Newtown bee., 1894-08-17
A fairs About Town.
PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS OF THE COUNTY.


 THE COUNTY JAIL AT BRIDGEPORT.
 Through the courtesy of County Con- missioner M. J. Houlihan, the editor of THE BEE accompanied the commissioners on their monthly tour of inspection of Sheriff Clarkson's popular boarding house on North avenue, Bridgeport, known in more general terms as the county jail. Commissioner Rowland was at Block Island enjoying the breezes over Sunday, so the party of inspection consisted of Commissioner Houlihan, Commissioner Mead of Greenwich and THE BEE man. Arriving at the institu- tion on North avenue shortly after o'clock, the scribe was first introduced to Deputy Jailer E. A. Tibballs, who cordially greeted the visitors, and piloted them about his hotel. Jailer Tibballs is a man of generous form, and the prison CT who tries to run away from him has tackled the wrong man. Armed with big bunch of keys Jailer Tibballs led the party into the jail and proceeded at once to the new addition built in 1890. There are now in the jail 197 cells, and with the additional cells to be put in where the old workshop was, this number will be increased to 239. During last winter the jail seemed especially popular, and the number of inmates at times was oyer 200. At present there are in the jail as prisoners 145 males and 20 females.
 Not the least interesting place visited was the kitchen. Everything was noted for it's cleanliness. On the floor was great kettle of potatoes, and MT Tib- balls enquired if his guests had any bet was a large vat of soup for supper, next a vat for cooking meat, vat for the coffee and so on. Much of the work in the kitchen is done by the prisoners themselves.
 To gain an idea of what it costs to en- certain Mir Tibballs' guests, it might be stated that they consume four and a half bushels of potatoes per day. $50 worth of bread during the month and 5000 worth of meats during the year. The health of the prisoners just now is excellent, not a man being on the sick list.
 To the writer perhaps the most inter- esting part of the institution was the new workshop, just erected under the supervision of the commissioners at a cost of some 5000.
 The services of the prisoners is con- tracted for at a certain figure by Frank Clark, who keeps them busy botteming cane seated chairs. The new workshop ! occupies the second floor of the new structure, a'large, airy room, and the prisoners appreciate the change. There were at work probably 75 men, each one attending strictly to business. The average age must have been about 25 years. There were few, men, old rounders who spend most of their time here. The jailer told of one man who came to iail with check of $25 in his pocket. He had enough money to pay his fine, and secure reduction of his days, but he preferred to stay at North avenue.
 What do these people come here for Let us see. In the report for 1893, we fad that four were charged with adul. tery, 40 with assault, 21 with attempt to kill, seven with attempt at rape, two for bigamy, TO for breach of the peace S9 for burglary, Is common drunkards B common prostitutes, two contempt O court, three for cruelty to animals, 74' for drunkenness, 10 for embezzlement six for forgery, two for fornication, ? for frequenting house of ill fame, 10 fo horse stealing, 36 for injury to property
 122 for larceny. nine for leud conduct one for passing counterfeit money, thre
 for murder, lh for neglect of family, !
 for obtaining goods on false pretenses
 two for perjury, 35 for resisting an of
 ficer, 24 for robbery, two for seduction
 one for setting fires, P for stealing frof
 the person, seven for takirg horse with out leave, "A tramps, Il for trespassing O : railroad property, 160 for vagiancy, si
 for violation of liquor law. This is
 notable fact of these prisoners, thos
 who had been strictly temperate ther
 were 79, moderate drinkers, 250, habi ] ually incorporate, 1884. Could there b
 a stronger temperance moral than this The new workshop is struetur |. lO0x40, and is substantially built. c. E
 Botsford had the contract for the ca
 penter work and Casey & Hurley th i. mason work. In round figures itcosi
 almost $25, 1000 year to maintain tn
 institution, and from the tour of inspe,
 tion made by the writer he would say
 was economically and wisely managed
 It should be said there are two deput n jailers, William Scofield being MT ri | balls associate. A cut of the new worl house is given herewith. It is printt s by courtesy of the Bridgeport Union. \ \ SHILOH.
 | X spinster's Leaflets ls being eagel