The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-09-06
new JAIL WOULD
PROVE ECONOMY
Councilman Gunst De-
Clares This to be True.
GIVES SOME FIGURES.
City Would Have Gained $1,000.
Annually by Building in 1896.
KIND OF PRISON He PROPOSES.
Modern, But Plain Structure to Cost
Not Over $40, 900 or $5o,ooO and
to DC Paid for 10y Sale Of Unpro-
ductive Property-That
the City Now,
Holds.
GIVES SOME FIGURES.
KIND OF PRISON He PROPOSES.

VIC SiNJ wv
Holds.
Councilman Marx Gunst believes his
labors for the past Sky years n the interest,"
of a new and modern Jail for Richmond
are about to be awarded by success. THE
people have begun to realize that there is
great need for a safe and proper prison.
for the criminals of the city,, deciareu
Mr.. Gunst, while discussing the matter
Yesterday afternoon land I have Yet TO
meet a man who has offered plausioie
reason why we cannot now put UP
suitable jail Goodness knows we need one
badly enough That old hull down IN the
hollow is not fit to be dignified by the
name jail It's anN eye-sore and DIS
grace, and I'll bet all the money I can
raise that I can take hair-pin and cut
a hole through. any of those walls big
enough to admit my body if no one were
to interrupt me.
MODERN BUT PLAIN.
what sort Of a Jail would you build?"
Mr. Gunst was asked
..It is my opinion that Richmond should
erect a jail providing accommodation for
about 2l5 prisoners; one with steel cages,
good sanitary arrangements, and one that
criminals could not lie always escaping
from. Such Jail could be put up for
about $4,000 or $4,000, and it would answer
all the purposes for at least twenty-five
years 1 might add that if the census of
the city should show no greater increase
in proportion during the next twenty or
thirty years than it has during the past
ten years a $4,000 Jail Will do Richmond
for the next half or three-quarters OF
century.
..However, 1 think the building should be
so constructed that when room should be
needed a section could be added to it at
small cost, and eventually, If we wanted
to add a fine 'front.' this could be done"
HOW TO PAY FOR IT.
Mr. Gunst then took up the matter of
how the proposed Jail should be paid for.
'sI would vigorously oppose the issuance
os any bonds to build a. jail. he declared
with emphasis, "and you will find that
nv resolution providing for the appoint
| ment of a committee to look into this mat
fer and report as to whether a Jail should
be built if So the cost of same, to suggest
the means, to pay for same. etc. distinctly
provides that the means to pay must be
| other than by the issuance of bonds
.sNow I want to say at the outset that
| I am not in favor of the erection here of
Il
finances are in such a condition as to lusti-
| fv us to make such an expenditure at this
| time and don't think the exigencies de-
mand any such an outlay The jail should
be obtained bv the sale of property that IS
producing nothing for the city.
'T contend That a new iail along the lines
7 have suggested would be a. piece of
economy for the city and I think I can
prove It. have been of this way OF think
| ing since I became a member Of the Conn
I! ell in 1894. and found as far back as then
| that there was CRYING need here for better
| prison accommodations
THROUGH THREE COUNCILS.
TT will be remembered" continued Mr..
/ Gunst, that at that time the Council re-
| ferred the resolution offered by me regard
! ing the erection of a new Jail to the Com-
| mittee On Grounds and Buildings, and that
! that body went into the question: but
nothing ever come of it's effects. In 1895
| I again introduced resolution when a
| special committee, of which l had the
, honor to be chairman. went into a most
elaborate consideration of the matter We
found the old Jail in most deplorable
condition, and that new jail was an
absolute necessity the cpi pinion of every
man on the committee. We had a bid
from a responsible concern. which offered
to construct a Jail 10 meet the demands of
the times for $4,000 The jail committee
recommended that q new jail be built and
that funds for this purpose be provided
by the sale Of the Clarke Spring property
and the Seabrook Warehouse. We. at that
time. had a bona-t,dc Gfferz Of $4,000 for
the Clarke Spring land and s30,OGc for the
Seabroo,l warehouse property. which would
have been ample to have built the Jail
ana to have purchased a suitable site
The council. however, refused to sell this
property and the Clark Spring property
has continued a dead loss to the city
bringing in no revenue to the CITY, while
The annual rental of the sseabrook ware
house has gone down from S1.SG0 to 1920.
Ihez CITY fathers may ncry realize the lack
nf wisdom dfspiayad then. fer it is doubt
fui if they can get as much as $500 for
the~r : s-r,= ns nrooertv now
In lS9S renewed my new- jail resolution
and the matter died IN that Council when
it expired July 1st. this year
CITY HAS BEEN LOSER.
Now, want every,sensibIe man to con
Sider this as business proposition The
city, in 1896 and 1897 got 81 500 a year from
the Seabrooke property. It got nothing
from the Clarke Spring property, NOT even
deriving taxes from IT. The firm that Of
fered s25. .o1 for the Clarke Spring land
proposed TO improve It by building resi-
dences thereon, by which the city, had it
sold. would have derived taxes, not only
II,
probably as much as $1,000 a year The old
jail has been costing for years from 81 400
tats1. .f1n r2sr annum in repairs. That would
make s3,4ea the city would have been get
ting in and saving on the transactions:
charge against this the $500 being paid
at that time as rent on the Seabrooke
warehouse, and it can be seen that by not
building the jail at that time the city has
actually peen loser to the extent of $1,000
year. But I will put the estimate ex-
fs,a''leiy low. nd say at least s1e1o year.
This is saying nothing of what could have
been done with the old city JAIL
Mr.. Gunst added in conclusion that he
did not have any special place in his mind
as site for the proposed city jail. He
thought the Seabrooka- property an admit
rable place, but thought it too expensive
3 az ste. as he believed this property
would bring about SIS 600 at this time.
He was of opinion that q good site could
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