The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-01-18
MORE TROUBLE IN SIGHT
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS HAVE NOT
YET SOLVED JAIL
PROBLEM
COURT HOUSE A POOR PLACE
RemOdelins the Fourth Floor Will
Cost About $I2, and VIII
BE a Furnace Even
Then.

The members of the board of county
commissioners are congratulating them
selves on the successful disposal of the
county Jail matter in the securing of the
fourth floor of the city hall as a tenn
porary abode for prisoners during the
erection of the new Jail, but despite this
fact trouble threatens to break out
afresh.
The old board in its hurry to clinch the
contract before going out Of office select
ed Feb. 1 as the time for commencing
work on the wrecking of the old JAIL and
awarded the contract to James ForrestaI.
That gentleman at once commenced the
work Of renting, Wrecking machinery and
hiring men, and now comes the an
nouncement that the work will have to
be delayed as the rooms in the city hall
will not be ready in time. Contractor
Forrestal is not opposed to the delay,
but, the question now arises, who will
pay him for the expense this delay is
mourning. The old board In it's rush to
build the jail gave this question no heed,
and, as no money has been provided for
extras, litigation will necessarily follow
unless immediate steps are taken to head
it off.
Estimating roughly the members of the
board figure that the cost of remodeling
the old library rooms in the city hall
as temporary jail will not cost more
than $4,000, but prominent contractors
who have examined the rooms say the
cost will not fall far short of So, 900. Cells
must be rented, and the lease will run
year, with the privilege of two, for,
while the contract for the new building
calls for its completion in year, 1t will
undoubtedly take longer.
Here Is what contractor estimates
as the cost for remodeling the old
library rooms and installing the prison.
ers:
Rental Of cells for one year.......... So, COO
installation of same with other nee
Delay in tearing down old structure fS SSs
Restoring temporary quarters. 1,50t
Total ...............................$11 , COO
when 1t Is taken into consideration that
the temporary quarters must be made
perfectly escape proof and healthful as
to sanitary arrangements, the figures are
not very far-fetched.
IS IT FIT FOR A JAIL?
Said a court house official yesterday;
God pity the poor devil housed in
that hole this summer. Why, he will
fairly roast alive. Cramped as to room,
there will be no exercise corridors, and
every man will have to stay in his cell.
1t will be one round Of solitary conf1ne-
ment under a roof exposed to the merci-
less sun, and with his iron surroundings
forming a heat conductor that will make
life anything but pleasant. To a man
it is bad enough, but to a woman, and
possibly children, the idea is bereft of
all that is human. The intensity Of the
heat in those rooms Is terrific, as any
one will find when the doors are sudden
ly opened and he enters. The city hall
commission refuses to allow the cutting
of any windows or openings in the roof,
and this fact. only intensifes the situa-
ton"
A meeting of the county board COM
mittee will be held today for the purpose
Of receiving bids for, the Transforming
Of the rooms, but it is unlikely that the
contract will be awarded, The committee
was given the power to act, but, as there
will be a meeting of the full board Mon
day, the matter will in all probability be
laid before 1t.