Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-01-16

and lily ventilated, contains ample and
sufficient room to accommodate all pris-
oners belonging 10 Wood county, and is
a healthful place to keep prisoners
securely with ordinary vigilance on the
part Of the officers in charge, and
WHEREAS, We believe that said jail
by the making of certain repairs and
Improvements thereon, may be placed
in a frst-class condition for use and
occupancy, and it being our judgment
that the notice served by the Board of
Control upon said County Clerk is unfair
and does not state the true condition of
said Wood county Jail, and that said
notice unless revoked will result in i'm
posing great burdens upon Wood county
by way of taxation,
Now, THEREFORE,. BE IT RESOLVED, That
we do petition and request that another
inspection and examination of said
Wood county Jail be ordered and made
by the present State Board of Control
for the State of Wisconsin, with view
of ascertaining if the building of a new
Jail at the present time cannot be avoid
ed, and for such action as the said
Board may deem to be proper. just and
fair, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the
County Clerk of Wood county without
delay forward certified copy of this
petition and resolution to said State
Board of Control at Madison, Wisconsin,
Dated May lst, y. y. 1895.
Mr. Cady moved The adoption of the
resolution, which was seconded
Geo. L. Williams moved to lay the
resolution on the table, which was
seconded.
F. A. Cady then made lengthy
speech in support of the resolution.
He was opposed hy Geo L. Williams.
l.. NJ. Nash and j. w. Cochran who
| favored the motion 10 lay the resolution
on the table.
The motion to Law the resolution on
the table was carried by the following
| vote:
Aycs-Arpin Z. P, Arpin \. L.,
Alexander. Bowden, Brown, Cochran,
Coon. Iiuer, Hooper, Kopf Mullen.
Nash, Phillips, Sampson, Schnable.
Searls, Shcvmock. Williams, Whrclan,
Wood NJ. H., Wood G. H. Total 2l.
Nayes-Bakcr, Chriftenstn, Cady,
Kolshed, Upham, Vedder Total II.
T. A. Cady asked to have his vote
changed from Nay TO Aye before the
vote was declared.
This settled the contest The Marsh
field contingency was defeated and
| went home heart broken.
Bids for the construction of the
building was advertised for and move
ment made to procure q suitable site in
| close proximity to the court house.
The committee and architect finally
decided that the land opposite the
court house and back of the city hall
with fine view overlooking the Wis
! cousin river would be JUS the place for
such an edifce. Tie land was procured
by the city of Grand Rapids at a cost
of $1,000 and donated to the county.
Suitable and satisfactory plans we're
drawn and the contract let to Mr.. John
Miller, of Wausau, for the sum of
Sl3,S00. The contract for plumbing was
let to the Centralia Hardware Co. for
$72O.
The construction of the building was
under way in June and required seven
months for its completion. Messrs.
Charles d. Lemley and W. M. Martin,
architects and builders, were employed
by the county to give their personal
supervision of the work as it progressed
the former from the time work COM
menced until the 10Th of August and
the latter until it was completed.
The building was not accepted by the
committee until the 10th Of December
when Mr.. Miller was paid IN full and
released from his bond. The building
proper cost about SIG, 400 and $500 was
expended in putting in stone sewer,
premium paid on $4,000 insurance for
five years, and supplying other neces-
sary articles for the building.
DESCRIPTION.
The sheriff's house and Jail, an ele-
CANT illustration of which is given here
with through the kindness of the build
ing committee, is one in which every
resident of Wood county can we'll feel
proud 1t is so located that it occupies
a conspicuous place with the court house
on the south, city hall Oh the west and
Congregational church on the northeast,
and overlooking the Wisconsin river
with its beautiful rapids. A better loca-
| ton could not have been selected by
the committee in spite of the statement
made by those opposed to the construc-
ton, that it was located in slough or
swamp
The building is constructed of solid
red brick, with a substantial basement
of sand stone upon a solid rock founda-
ton giving it solidity and firmness, with
no fear of settling.
THE first floor of the sheriff 5 resi-
dence contains parlor, situng-room,
kitchen, pantry, china closet and sher-
if s office. The second floor contains
four sleeping rooms, a study and con-
venient closets. The basement con-
tains the laundry, vegetable cellar,
wood rooms and a Bovnton steam heat
ing apparatus, by means of which the
entire Jail and the first floor of the
sheriff S residence is heated.
There are three floors to the Jail
part The first floor contains four small
brick and stone cells, two large ones,
two bath rooms and water closets and
two corridors. This department s de-
/ signed for the moderately insane, for
boys aud for women.
THE second and third stories are
exactly similar, both in construction
n nd in arro,,rn0aDt Each contains f 20