Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1902-08-08
FIRE AT COUNTY JAIL.
Five Inmates Nearly Suffocated by
Smoke.


the deputy sheriff over to Tom
Fay's new saloon building. All
this occurred early Wednesday
evening. 1t appears that the
' prisoners IN the cage have a lamp
inside, but the lamp was defective.
inasmuch as there was used, in
lieu of wick, a piece of blanket
that the prisoners had cut from
their bedding. The wick was the.
cause of flames bursting from the
lamp as it was setting on the table.
One of the inmates at once caught
up a blanket to smother the fire
but in so doing the lamp fell to the
floor and broke when the oil took fire
and filled the cage with smoke and
flames. Patsy Conway who sleeps
in the Jail, at once gave the alarm
and started out to find the deputy
sheriff, who, when he reached the
Jail, opened the door and the in
mates were gotten out and were so.
weak from exhaustion that they
had to be held up for time. No
great injury was done any of them
further than being well warmed up,
and their lungs we'll filled with
smoke. 1t was well that the deputy
was so quickly found or there,
would have been few dead prison
ers for the county to bury. There
are five inmates in the county Jail
and they were very frightened lot,
1t will not be long ere this county
will have to pay more for some
prisoner that is cremated in the fire.
trap Jail, than it would cost to,
erect first-class court house and a
safe Jail. A petition was presented
to the present county board year
ago, requesting them to- levy a
special tax of five mills and then
build court house and Jail The
grand jury appointed by Judge
Perky to investigate the county Jail
and other offices, and reported the
Jail unsafe and recommended that
action be taken to correct this.
nuisance. A levy of five mills will
raise over seven thousand dollars.
the larger part, in fact over two
thirds of this amount, would have to-
be paid by the railroad and the big
sheep men. Should the county
office burn it would cost
more than forty thousand dollars
to renew the records from the books,
of Blaine county, while all trans
actions since this became Lincoln
county would be lost entirely. A
seven thouiand dollar court house.
and Jail is plenty good enough
for Lincoln county, and all that it
will need for many a year. The X.
If ?. and l. O. O. f. hall that is.
being built will not cost six thous-
md dollars and it is building 100
eet long by 80 feet wide, two stories;
high and all built of rock and is.
me of the best jobs of stone masonry
II Idaho. From this it can be seen
What a court house would cost.
t an election is called to vote on
he building OF a court house..
which would have to be done if the.
anne was to exceed the amount
hat could be raised by five mill
evy, the election would cost half
S much as the court. house should
ost..
If the old jail is still to, be used
would. be well to have a deputy
r jailer at the Jail at all times.
his is claimed to be done, jailer.
ho works day times and simply
eeps in the Jail, and has no Key
} release prisoners if the Jail gets,
ire, but has to.run around to lind
me one to open the doors to let.
'e prisoners out, will result in a
tofcooked prisoners; big damages
pay and the people who live il.
e county and own property Hi-l
20 m foot ALn hili-