The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1894-01-09
FOB ANOTHER JAIL.
THE FEDERAL COURT GRAND JURY
WILL ASH CONGRESS- For ONE.
There Should he a Prison Here-All the Pris-
oners from the south HOvo to be Carried
al Long Distance at Great Expense.

| An important document, proceeding from
| the United States court for the northern
district of Georgia, has been transmitted 10
| Washington.
The document relates to the establish
| ment of 81 United States prison in Atlanta,
| for the accommodation of federal prisoners
| in the southern territory.
From the urgent manner in which the
| erection of a prison is urged by the graho
| jUry-the fact that q general Dill proVloils
| for the location of prison In the south
| has already passed-and the further sact
| that Atlanta is the most convenient anu
available situation for a prison in this sec
ton Of the country-it is hiShly proodoie
| that the petition will be granted
In addition to the plea of the grand Jury,
addressed to the congress of the United
| States through the congre ssman from inns
district, Colonel l.. L. Livingston, speol''
| petitions will be sent by Judge Newman
| District Attorney James, the cieihS VI 'ne
| federal court the postmaster, the commas
| sioner of the internal revenue anu lhe
| United States marshal
| Columbus Too Far Or.
| This recommendation of u prison TO De
| located in Atlanta is due to the TACT thas
| the prison now used for the lncarceratlon VI
| prisoners is located in Columbus, y.
The distance is altogether TOO great Aoi
| the south Atlantic states. IN aool'ioi "
| the heavy expense entaiIed upon the govern,
| nlent bv the conduct of prisoners TO ana
| fro a number of arguments aliectlnS inc
| welfare of the prisCre rs might re c!teu.
| Not the least among these Is tue nidltSf
of climate. The atmosphere %! mo me- nave ave
| tude is too severe for prisoners VINO NAVE
! lived all their years in the south. Inc re-
| suit of this exposure is frequently d uer
| struction of the health, ana the plli5li4S
on of such complaints as often terminate
| i'll consumption. -, ox.;o,
Three or four years ago, during the servic service
| for the establishment of three prisons
one to be located in the north, another
| west of the Rocky mountains anu 'iio
| other in the south. =,
None of these prisons have yet been 10
Gated, but in view of the 1act thsta pr ~ he
| has already been made, there seems 70 NC
| little doubt attaching to the nope .lidt
congress will take the matter lilto ooh8iN
GRAFTON.
This Is the Location.
| Or all tho available situations for prison
south of the Ohio river, Atlanta is unuoupt-
| edly the most important.
situated at the foot Of the Blue hldSe
mountains, the altitude IS nlsh aiu litetl 'r ,
and commands outlook OF all the soulh-
ern country. 4 t., Atlanta
| for the use and the benefit of the southern
states would be more convenient thah "
locate it anywhere else in the south. =,
1t would draw from all the neignporlne
and adjacent states and would greatly re
duce the expense of the government lhcuit
ed by carrying prisoners all lhe way ~
In a sew years the total expense of erect,
ing a nrison in the south would be equaled
by the A4vings in the cost OF al
United States prisons provides that me aa COS.
in each shall not exceed $ooo,o oo,;ra AZ
| effort, however, VIII De naue W eeO"io
| 81 900, 000 appropriation -, . sroo+
a nrison of this kind will mean grea1
| deal for Atlanta. 1t will give employment
[ to hundreds of men, while it will add consid
ably to the material wealth OF the Guy.
Letter of the Grand Jury.
! n,,a following is the letter of the grand
1 iury that will be forwarded to washington
t today: 1,4oa c+o+os-
w III INC nndersiened committee of the
oreod urv of the United States court, al
the last meeting of this term o. ne co ol
IN this ecitXs Yiattfeea sttAafe '5 e., Existing
and county prisoners, to say nothing OF
United States prisoners: There were as
cell was only SKIP feet. Prisoners whose
sentences are long are transmitted to, other
cities and often innocent men are torn away
from their friends and families who cannot
| assist them. The south needs n govern
nent prison badly and Atlanta, being a
central point and furnishing in and around
the state numerous prisoners, and for other
reasons we the grand jury, heartily re-
ommend to you the passing of a bill and
appropriation for government prison
''Signed by the members Of the grand
jury. w. G. SHEARIIR, Chairman"
District Attorney Jmmes's Letter.
District Attorney Joe James, in further
ance of the effort of the grand jury to
secure the prison, has written the following
letter to Colonel l.. F. Livingston, the con-
gresham from the fifth district:
Hon. l.. +. Livingston, Washington d.
C-Dear Sir Herewith l transmit to you
a communication from the grand jury of
the United States district and circuit courts
of the present term at Atlanta.
The subject of their communication
the establishment CT a national prison in
AtJaOta--iC to
itself to any thinking mind. The grand jul
ry has labored aSSiduouSly in the matter
| of getting facts i'll regard to the transmit
ting or prisoners from the soutl erh states
to prisons at Columbus, O., witch is used
by the government for the southern states
and there is not a doubt but i'll few
| years the saving to the govern
,ment in transportation alone would amply
| repay the expense of the establishment of
such a prison for the exclusive use Of
| Florida both the districts OF Georgia ard
in fact, all the United States courts for
| North Carolina South ar0lina, Alabama,
Mississippi, Texas, Louisiana, Tennessee,
to the Ohio penitentiary. The expense in
cfdent to the transportation of these pris-
! oners, including also the guards, are enOr-
| nous, and Atlanta being centra. point
| and the most accessible of all the southern
states, it is highly desirable that such a
prison should be established in Atlanta. l
| write you this with the hope that you will
| introduce bill for the establishment of
| that you will have the hearty cooperation
| of the Georgia delegation, and possibly of
| al the members from the southern states
| believe If you will put your wonted energy
| into this matter you will succeed beyond
| your expectations in getting an appropria-
| ton for the establishment of this prison.
| 'Hoping that You may do so and wishing
| you abundant happiness and prosperity for
| the new year, am truly your friend
| a. s. JAMES,
Talk with Hgr. Shearcr.
| Mr.. W. c. Shearer, the chairman of the
| grand jury, who has been specially active
| in his effort to secure the government
prison, was seen In the district attorneys
| Office yesterday at noon.
! I'VE ought to have a government prison
| here by all means" said Mr.. Shearer land I
| intend to leave no stone unturned that will
| contribute to that end. There is no telling
| how many lives are destroyed each wear
| by subjecting southern prisoners to the
| rigors of q northern climate. The health
| of a prisoner, ike that of any other in
| dividual, is sacred, and the law while if
| may restrict his liberty, has no right to
| impair his constitution. This is an urgent
| reason why we should have a large and
| commodious prison in the south Another
! good reason is the saving that would be Sc
! cured to the government. AS it is now If
| takes enormous sum to transnor+