The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1902-05-20
| REMODELED CITY
JAIL OPEN Today,
PRISONERS MOVED
doll House. on the Southside
Becomes a Thing of
the Past
| NEW JAIL Is A MODEL ONE
Has Separate Quarters for Blacks and
Whites, Males and Females
and Hospital for the
Sick.
NEW JAIL IS A MODEL ONE

City prisoners will be placed In the
new jail in Third alley between Nine
teenth and Twentieth streets tomorrow.
The contractors have nearly finished the
work in altering the interior and they
will be ready to turn the Jail over to the
city by Wednesday.
The city prisoners have been kept in
doll house on the Southside for the
past two months or more. 1t Is a wooden
shack and capable of holding about forty
prisoners. In the new jail there will be
room for several hundred. including
large number of women.
Since the doll house has been the
Jail negro women have been very rowdy,
and the policemen have had much trouble
with them. There was no place TO put
them and they, knowing the conditions,
have committed all kinds of offenses.
With the big jail open for boarders the
police will be relieved from very bad con-
ditions which have greatly handicapped
them.
The changes In the Jail make practi-
caily new building. 1t is much larger
and for the next ten years will have suf-
fcient capacity to hold all prisoners ar
rested. One of the most important
changes was larger rooms for the female
prisoners, both white and black, and the
addition of a hospital and operating room.
Judge Feaein's Old Room.
The entire interior of the jail was
changed. The room formerly used by
Judge Feagin as court room has been
and an office for the city physician. The
operating room is on the southwest cor
ner of the building and will be nicely fit
ted up with all modern implements. Next
to that will be the city physicians office,
and beyond that the hospital, which will
for patients in the jail.
The steps which formerly led to Judge
Feagins room have been walled In and a
portion Of the space used for the war
denis office. A flight of narrow steps
leads to the second floor from the war;
wen's office. and this will be used for
white female prisoners to reach their
quarters. 3.
Quarters for Negro Women.
The steps leading to the quarters for
negro women are on the inside of the
Jail proper. They are reached through
the door which leads from the wardens
office to the main rows of cells. This
flight also passes by the second tier of
cells, which are used for negro male pris-
oners. Below this tier are the cells for
white male prisoners. The cells for negro
women are on the second floor and occupy
the entire space before used for prison.
ers of both colors.
The warden's office, which Is In the
southwest corner of the building on the
first floor, is nearly twice the size of the
former one and will be fitted up better.
1t has a railing around 1t to protect him
from the public. The kitchen is just in
the rear of his office and Is larger than
the previous one.
The entire interior of the jail has been
painted and new cells placed in many
portions. There are a number of Star
chambers where unruly prisoners will be
locked. They are noise proof.
Last night there was water and lime
on the floor Of the Jail at least quarter
of an inch thick. This was. one of the
main faults of the old jail