The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-09-02
institutions Inspected.

Institutions Inspected. "a
In accol dance with custom we have in
spected the county jail, the central police
station, the county poor farm and the city
work house. The Jail we found to be
we'll kept and in a scleanly condition. Its
sanitary condition is excellent and every
attention necessary to the proper care and
comfort OF the inmates appears to be
given. We were particularly pleased to
ind good library for their USE We
io"nd the asphalt floors in a portion Of the
jail corridors to be in a bad condition, due
PROBABLY to Improper construction and to
tne frequent scrubbing necessary to keep
them clean. We would recommend that
such places be Immediately repaired. The
general management of the Jail appears to
De hrst class in every particular.
Inc central police station. or city
lotN Ir Is In an exceedingly unsatisfac-
tory ani unSu ritary condition. The air
III the cell rooms on the first floor is very
loui and In the winter must almost be in
tolerable. In the cell rooms in the
women's ward and in those used for male
prisoners On the main floor, the air is bet
ter but could be considerably improved.
The flooring Of the stable on the first
moor Is In Very bad condition and should
be renewed without delay The tramp
room is located In the basement imme-
d1asely under it. AMI there is a considera-
Die leakage th,oLgh the defective floor
mentioned. The air in this basement Is
| exceedingly foul and musty, and in the
winter when the room is full Of tramps
must be extremely unhealthful. The I'M
satisfactory condition of the station is due
largely. to its location and Immediate
surroundings.
The police management of the station
| appears to be systematic and efficient. A
proper record IS kept of the attendance
OF the force and of the arrest and dispo-
| sltfon Of the prisoners. We noticed the
absence of the duplicate record Of ar
| rests and complaints concerning which
we have expressed considerable criticism
| Under the late administration the original
| record OF arrests and complaints was
made in pencil in one book, and the entry
| could be changed, If desired by the OFF,
GERS, by 81 final record kept in ink in q
separate book. This reprehensible prac-
ttce has been abolished, and only one book
Is now used and the entries therein are
made in ink
Fans Recommended.
| Large fans operated by electric mo.
tors should be placed In one or more out
side windows of the building, and suitable
1nlets should be made for the admission o.
as pure air into the building as can be
obtained in that vicinity. The cost o.
| installation and of the current will not bt
large, and we believe the sanitary benefit.
to the police attendants therefrom will
more than justify the expense incurred
We heartily recommend that the presen
location of this station be abandoned a.
soon as a more suitable building can b,
secured
The county poor farm was examined
by us on the 10Th day Of August
thorough inspection was made and every
thing was found to be in a satisfact tor,
condition. The food furnished to the in
mates was found to be wholesome and n,
complaints whatever were made TIL
buildings and grounds are kept scru
pulously clean and neat, and the system
of plumbing and ventilating Is especial,
corlmendable. -. - ~
f. -, Workhouse Conditions -: -
The buildings Of the workhouse Wer
found to be in satisfactory condition; an,
all their parts were, very clean. The farm
seems to be run in an economical manner
and should be a source of income durin,
| the present year. The building used 70
the laundry and as apartments for tn
women Is constructed of wood In cas-
OF a fire at night there would certainly b.
a large loss of life. We recommend tina
a new brick building be at once erected
The farm should be fenced in, as it /
impossible under present conditions t.
work large number of the prisoner
without maintaining number of guard
to prevent them from escaping We hay
made comparisons of cost Of salaries
etc., between this and state institutions q
a similar character, and find that the cos
of running the workhouse is about TIL
average Respectfully submitted,
-Hovey G. Clarke, Foreman"