The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-02-08
PLANS FOR POLICE PRISON.
PROPOSITION TO ERECT TWO NEW
BUILDINGS.

Amount of the Appropriation by
COunciI-The Council Committee
Wants to Make 1t Go as Far as
POssibIe-DetaiIs of TIL cir Arrange
ment-A Convenience to the Police.
The aldermanic committee on city lots
has advertised for bids for making altera-
tons to the city prison at police headquar-
tiers, the erection of a one-story police
court building and also for the erection
of a two-story police court building.
Three separate proposals are desired.
The first for making alterations to the city
prison; second, for making alterations to
the city prison and erecting a one-story
police court building: and the third, for
making alterations to the city prison and
erecting a two-story police court building.
The reason for this is very simple The al
terations to the city prison are to be made
anyway, whether anything further is done
or not. 1t is also the desire of the commit
tee on city lots to build an addition to the
prison building for use of the Recorders
Court and for other purposes. 1t is believ-
ed that the prison alterations and the one
story addition can be secured for about
the amount appropriated for the purpose
by Council $1,000. 1t is the belief of the
committee that the prison alterations and
the two-story addition can be secured for a
little more than the amount allowed, and
II this be the case it is likely that the COM
mittee will recommend 10 Council that the
appropriation be increased sufficiently to
cover the cost.
The plans for the improvements mention
ed have received the approval of the COM
,nittee on city lots and the Police Com
mission. The plans, which have been pre-
pared by Messrs Eichberg & Witcover,
will, If carried into effect, make a vast
Improvement upon the present state OF
affairs in the city prison. The prison is
square brick building sitting back IN
The police barracks yard from the Haber-
shaln street entrance. There is a kitchen
On the right OF the entrance where the
prisoners meals are cooked, a search room
on the left, and seven cells in the rear
Inere are four rooms upstairs two of
winch are occasionally used to keen pris-
oners whom it is desired TO separate from
the other prisoners, while the other two
are used for storerooms and for keeping
me afchlVes OF the police department On
saturday nights and on Sundays when
there are frequently forty or more pris-
oners' the place is disgustingly overcrowd-
co. ana 1t IS impossible TO treat the pris-
ohefs with any decency men and women
Delng frequently herded together. 1t is
proposed TO remedy this condition of af-
lalrS by means of the improvements men
TONED, and at the same time add to the
facilities and conveniences of the police
low. "-'
By the proposed alterations the number
OF cells viii be increased to twenty-two
EASht additional cells will be provided on
1ne hrst floor and seven on the second.
Whle two large rooms viii be left on the
second moor for the accommodation of
male ana female dodgers. These rooms
VIII be provided with lavatories and clos
ets' Whlle bath and closet will be provid-
ed Tor the prisoners on the first
tloor. The cells on the first
floor will be arranged around the walls
with court in the center for ventilation.
ana in the center of which a heater will
De located IN winter. One corner of the
hrst floor will be given up to a kitchen.
which, however, will only have an en-
trance from the outside. The floor will be
OF concrete and the cells will be vaulted
over with brick and concrete The en-
trance Will be protected by a king door
consisting of a 21a-inch wooden door on
the outside and a steel door on the inside.
Heavy shutters Will be provided for all
the windows.
The one-story addition is intended 10 be
used as police court building II Will
De directly in front of the prison and
connected with it by a covered passage
way, htted with Bostwick folding gates
The building viii front on Habersham
street. The entrance viii be into a main
hallway. To the north of the hallway will
be the Recorders court room 18x3O feet,
and on the south of the hallway the SER
geant's office, where the prisoners will be
received and the police will make their
reports. There will also be a detectives
room and an officers or search room. the
latter SO situated as to connect directly
with the prison.
The two-story design has the first floor
arranged just as described for the one
story design. IE the third design the
second story is divided by a hallway, with
large room on the north side for the
use OF the fire detail and two rooms on
the southern side for general use.
The building will be in the Renaissance
style. The front and sides will be faced
with pressed brick and trimmed with
Georgia marble. The entrance will be
fianked with large pilasters standing out
prominently, and with large window on
each side of the entrance. There will be
three windows on the second floor front.
thanked by pilasters, supporting classic
entablature. The first story will be IA
feet in hight and the second 1917, the total
hight of the building above the ground
being 50 feet The bids are to be in by
noon, Feb. 10. 1t chiefly depends unon
the size of the bids whether the commit
tee, will adopt the one-story or the two
story design for the addition.