The daily morning journal and courier., 1895-02-15
IT WAS NEW RAVENS DAY.
NEW HAVEN JAIL'S NEEDS AND IN ADEQUACY CONSIDERED

By the New Haven County Members in
 Caucus-The Improvements That Are
 Recommended-Needs of the County
 Home-New Havens West Boundary and
 the Kimberly Avenue Bridge-New Ha-
 vents Charter and New Haven's Repre-
 sentatiOn-State Law and Order League,
 Etc.
 Hartford, Feb. 14.-The members of the legislature from New Haven county met this afternoon at 2:2O, Senator Johnson presiding and Representative Morrow of Meriden, clerk. Represen- tative Gum of Milford reported for the special committee on the New Haven jail. He also explained a map of the jail and grounds. He said the com mittee recommended an addition on the rear of the present jail, but not interfering with the workshop. The workshop can be improved by remov- ing a bank of earth on the east side and lowering of the windows. In the basement where the machinery is To- cated there is poor ventilation; better light and ventilation is essential. The chapel, which is unsafe owing to dan ger from fire, should be turned into the workshop and a new chapel built. Increased facilities in womens prison are needed. All of this would neces- sitate large expense. The committee recommend an increase of 25O cells. Some of the committee wanted steel cells, which are favored by the state prison authorities; they are expensive and cost about $500 each. A building that would be good for ten years is needed. A ventilating fan to be used in ventilating the prison is also recom- mended.
 The estimate for expenditures is for a sum not less than $100,000 and not more than $150,000. Prison authorities do not recommend over three tiers of cells. The committee recommend long eX- tension rather than high one. The new chapel would be located just west of the women's prison. It the rear of the prison is a lot 200 by 250 feet and on this lot the proposed addition would be built. The committee found the cleanliness at the jail much more marked than in any other prison visited, except the state prison. MT. Gum re- ported concerning commitments. In 1893 there were 2,90S and in 1894, 2,87S.
 The county debt is about $4OOOO and one and one-half mills would raise about $15000O.
 Representative CowelI of Waterbury moved that the county commissioners in connection with the legislative com mittee, be empowered to build the ad- | dition. The jail had paid about $11OOO net the past year. The expense need F,fr %I,o 51,, AI ,3., | cumstances. It would be well to get l authority from the legislature to issue | bonds to raise money for the improve ment: the commissioners to issue bonds l or notes and to secure any needed | legislation for that purpose.
 Mr. Gum reported that the food | in the jail was of very ample quan- tity and better than in most jails. The cost of food at the state prison was forty-nine cents for each prisoner each week and ninety cents at the New Ha- ven jail.
 County Commissioner Lindley report ed that in the expense for the Washing ton bridge the county foated tenn porary loan at per cent.
 Senator Johnson stated that 1t would be well to divest the money now used for the superfluous expense of pension ing policemen and using the same for the county.
 Representative Gum said it would be wise to defer action that the selectmen of each town and other officials might canvass the matter. Several other mem bers concurred in this opinion, and on motion of MT Gum the whole matter was deferred until next Thursday after noon at.1:30.
 Representative Wood of Derby report ed in the matter of the county home. He said the county home was well kept, but 1t was an old wooden building, a Veritable fire trap, and sleeping and cooking accommodations and ventila- tion were very deficient. There are 55 children in the home and accommodations are very inadequate. A new and ample brick building is needed, using the pres ent building for cooking quarters and sleeping rooms for the servants There were 63 of the number of children com mitted who had since been transferred to private institutions at the expense of parents. A county home with capacity for 75 inmates would be necessary, if the law concernig commitments is to be changed. If no change was made a building to accommodate 300 children , would be necessary.
 The report was accepted and the com mittee instructed to report such amend ments to the county commission law as they deemed best. A committee from Fairfield county representatives was appointed to confer with New Haven county in regard to the case of the Washington bridge. It ( was voted to hold a caucus next We'd nesday afternoon to nominate com | mittee to act with the committee from Fairfield county. NEW HAVEN'S WEST BOUNDARY. Late this afternoon there was a hear f ing before the committee on cities and q boroughs on the bill changing the boun- & dary line at West river between Orange i and New Haven so that most of the S bridge at Kimberly avenue will be in F the town of New Haven. The bill is Il in the interests of Orange, which does n not wish to bear the outlay for a new T bridge Many who wished to be heard V were obliged to leave on the o'clock $ train. Among those present were a Messrs. H. E. Benton, Engineers Kelley