Evening journal., 1901-09-25
BUT l2O CELLS
ARR NOW READY
Time Fixed for Completion
Of WOrkhOuSe Passed
OLD JAII'S FUTURE IN DOUBT
It's Services Will be Necessary il The
KOrkhOuSe Is Made a State
Institution
OLD JAIL'S FUTURE IN DOUBT

When will the new county workhouse
be finished and ready for the reception of
prisonersf This is a question asked daily
by the public and one that no one seems
to be able to answer satisfactorily. Con
icting reports have been i'm circulation
regarding the progress made in the work
of the new prison. but the fact remains
that it was not ready for the reception of
prisoners at the specified time, September
II. although a notice TO that effect was
served upon Sheriff Mcdaniel under date
of September 10. hut subsequently with
drawn. Today only 12O cells are ready
for occupancy, while the number of pris-
oners in New Castle Jail reaches the 200
mark, and the list is being added 10 daily.
Another question which is frequently
asked is what will become of the old
jail in New Castle When the prisoners are
transferred to the worllhousey VIII it be
abandoned by the county, When the
project OF an institution in which prs
oners could be confined and given employ
ment was first brought up. il was the idea
of the projectors to make it a prison
where criminals from the three counties
could bc confined. However, when "a bill
10 that effect was introduced into the
Legislature of 1899. it met with the OPP
position of the members of the two lower
counties on the ground that the expense
would be too great and the measure was
killed. \ substitute bill was offered,
bonding for the erection of the New
Castle county workhousc. This measure
was concurred in by thrce-fourths of the
members of each house Of the General
Assembly. and was passed 10y the Lcgis-
lature. The language of the cnacting
clause of the bill was that the buildings
should be completed within two years
from the passage Of the act, March II.
1899. and that as soon as the buildings
were completed and within ten days ar
ter notice in writing Of such completion
shall have been served upon the Sheriff
of New Castle county by the trustees, the
Sheriff shall deliver all prisoners in his
charge TO the trustees" As the time ar-
preached for the completion of the work
house it became evident that the building
would not be finished in the specified two
years and an extension of six months. or
until September IL. 1901. was granted by
the last General Assembly.
Now. supposing in time to come, that
the Legislature should enact a measure
making the worhhOuse a State institu-
tion. would it be large enough to confine
the ever-increasmg number of prisoners
from all over the Statey If not. where
would the surplus be imprisoned. If not in
New Castle iailY Supposing this should
be abandoned what thenY As every one
knows the Jail in New Castle is erected
upon land decided to the city by William
Penn and known as the Commons.
In event Of the jail being abandoned it
would revert to the Trustees of the New
Castle Commons and they could not CON
sent to its being used again as a Jail and
would probably convert il into a school
house. The New Castle High School to- |
day is occupying the old arsenal, The Gov
ernment having vacated the building
many years ago. Effort 60 reoccupy il |
was presented under the Penn grants. |
and similar conditions would grow out of
the abandonment OF the Jail by the
county authorities.
Should the Jail be abandoned and n
State penitontiary substituted, the county |
would be compelled to erect an adj !
ditional building at a probable cost of
100000. Because if the present Jail is !
abandoned it reverts TO the city of New J
Castle. and can never again be granted
for that purpose Would the already !
over-burdened taxpayers consent 10 this z
Then again where are the short term or
buns TO be coniinedY In the new work |
house there viii be but sixty cells for the !
accommodation of such prisoners and al !
though they will be fitted up for the oc-
cupancy Of two prisoners each, AT the rate
at which this class of prisoners are daily |
sent over to New Castle, these cells
would soon be filled to overhowing
1t is the opinion Of most men that the
Jail in New Castle should be retained by
the county if only for the reception OF
thirty and sixty day men. In the Jail
yard is a stone pile upon which those con
fined in the institution could be given suf-
iicient employment, the result Of which
would be n profit to the county.