The age-herald., 1900-06-20

for a long time, and hope you gentlemen will take the matter up, and that we may soon be a member of this great bureau.
 Station House
 The very close and cramped condition of the building now being used as a station house, offices and city jail, impels me to suggest urgent need of a building better adapted to the requirements of public serv- ice. The office of the chief of police Is up- stairs, over the jail, in an out-of-the-way place, and is not a fit place to invite a lady to visit The ladies do not come to the office, and are compelled to call an officer over a phone in some nearby store and request him to come there, so they may re- port to him the information that should be reported in the office. 1 would suggest that this board endeavor to have arrangements made whereby the office of the chief of po- lice may have an entrance upon the street and in place where ladies would not be ashamed to visit when they so desired
 The city jail so l am informed, will soon be repaired and the prisoners that are now kept there will be taken to the stock ade, which is in course of construction The entire community should shower thanks upon the ladies of the charitable organiza- tions, and especially upon the members of the Womans Club, who were instrumental in the building of the city stockade. Many times there are placed Tn the city prison over one hundred and fifty prisoners, and the capacity of the jail is eighty prison- CTS. The Mayor has been caleld upon in many instances to pardon many prisoners whose terms he would under no other cir cumstanceS lessen, that more room might be had. Many were sick, from no other cause than crowded jail. With such a crowded condition it would be utterly im- possible to keep it in healthy and cleanly condition.
 1 hope that the repairs promised upon the present building will be forthcoming at once as 1t is very badly in need of same.
 Detective
 The detective branch of this department, which was lately organized, is entitled to much credit for the prompt and persistent manner in which they have performed their duties. They not only have been success 1ul In the recovery of property reported stolen, and the tracing and capture of criminals, but in many instances have suc- ceeded in capturing crooks and petit thieves so soon after their arrival in the city as to deprive them of an opportunity to ply their vocation, thus in my opinion much crime has been prevented They have been very successful in locating parties who had located here, and whom informa- tion of their whereabouts was wanted by other places and relatives. They have been an excellent addition to the department
 Hospital
 At the present time the city is without a hospital for the prisoners, who are con- fined in the city jail, and on many oc- casions l have seen a small table, now in the wardens office used as an operating table by the city physician. If the City Council would provide the policemen with new and more convenient offices, 1 would suggest that the present offices be used as a hospital for the prisoners that is if it were repaired and placed in such condition as to make it secure from escape by the more convalescent We have a great many prsons who when arrested and placed in jail require fedical aid, and I do not think that they should be placed in jail with the other prisoners until such injuries have healed. They cannot work in this condition, and should be in a hos pital.
 Mercy Home
 During the past year this department had occasion to send several persons to this institution who had come to the city in destitute condition, and we have always found a stopping place for them at the Mercy ome Too much praise cannot be given Mrs. Ballard the president, and Mrs. Ramsey, the matron, for the good treat ment accorded us in this way. Another member of the Board of Control of the home who is due much praise for the good work she has done in the way of helping destitute families and homeless children of the city and that is Mrs. w. H. Jeff feries. Mrs. Jefferies has investigated many cases that had been reported to this department and when found to be worthy of charity she has always lent them a helping hand. These ladies have been of much service to us in the way of providing home for runaway and wayward girls and aged and destitute women. The city and county should contribute freely to the maintainence of this institution as it is one of the best this city can boast of.
 House of Correction
 We have for a long time been sorely in need of a House of Correction and have at last through the efforts of the ladies' got one in course of construction. There are many boys who roam the streets at all hours of the night and day and who are frequent visitors to our court and jail These boys should be placed in a home where they could be taught trade and given fairly good education This work is being looked after by Mrs k. D. John ston and Mrs. Coles, who are taking very active means to rid the streets of homeless boys, and boys who have no one to look after their early training. These ladies are just starting in their work, but great good will undoubtedly be accomplished
 Our Dead
 During the year just past the department lost three patrolmen. One died and two were killed. The men We lost were very efficient officers and had no fear of the worst of criminal classes. At the time the two men were killed they had under ar rest two of the most desperate crooks the country could produce These men had committed crimes from New York to San Francisco, and from Chicago to the Gulf and had not been molested. They had blown open the safe of the Standard oil Company and attempted to murder the night watchman. They were afterwards arrested by Patrolmen Kirkley and Adams, and while being conducted to the station house they shot the officers. from which