Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1903-07-13

plank. IL is not uncommon 10 find a
number Of prisoners congregated in
one room where they are allowed 10
read dime novels, play cards, and
smoke at viii. Because of the univer-
sally bad condition Of these places, the
board Of control deems il advisable 70
issue this circular, recommending that
the persons in charge Of them take i'm
mediate steps TO relieve such deplor-
able condition. The board suggests
that Improvements be made as fol
lows:
That sufficient windows or openings
be provided in the walls of the jails or
other prisons to admit the necessary
light and allow proper ventilation; that
the cell rooms and cells be thoroughly
cleaned and kept so. and that they be
repainted whenever necessary; that
the keeper of each prison shall keep
such prison constantly clan and health
ful, and, as far as may be, the persons
and clothing OF the inmates also as re-
Quired by Section 1850 of the statutes
Of 1895; that provision be made for a
room 10 keep women prisoners, as pro-
vided by section 1852; that the neces-
sary and proper plumbing for water
and lavatOries be provided, and that
the same be kept in clean and proper
working condition; that each cell be
provided with only one bed, TO consist
either OF a prison bed or a spring fast
ened TO the walls OF the cell, and 70 be
furnished with a proper mattress and
the necessary bed clothing as provided
by section 1854; and that each cell room
be supplied with the necessary stove
or other apparatus for heating, so that
the cells may be kept warm at all
times.
1T should always be borne IN mino
that al inmate who is serving a regu-
lar sentence should be dealt with as
prisoner, and that. 10 allow such in
mates to congregate, play cards, smoke
and read improper literature is highly
Objectionable. II is further recon-
mended that each police officer keep
the same record of all persons arrested
by him and kept in any lookup or po-
lice station, as is required by sub-divi-
sion Of section 725 Of said statutes TO
be kept by sheriffs of prisoners COM
mitted TO county jails, so thatthe board
OF control may at once be apprised as
70 the number of people that may have
been kept in such place of detention at
any specified time. Oficers in charge
of any OF the places above mentioned
for the detention or confinement OF
persons charged with or convicted or
crime are earnestly requested 10 use
their best efforts TO improve the condi-
ton thereof in accordance with the
above recommendations"
State Board in Session.
The state board Of control viii meet
in the capitol today u open bids for
the contracts for the labor Of the pris-
oners in the state prison at Waupun
and the state reformatory at Green
Bay. a number IF bids have been re-
ceived and Il is expected that the Of
fers viii be larger than was the case
before. when al the bids were rejected
either because they were too low or
they did not offer a sufficiently large
variety OF employment for the con-
victs.
The bCari at the present meeting
viii let a contract for the construction
Of a large smoke stack az the bone IoI
the feeble minded ar Chippewa Falls.
This has become necessary owing &c
the large growth OF the population OF
the institution and the fact that new
buildings have been erected there. The
stack VIII cost perhaps $4,000.
The board also expects to let the
contract for the teas, coffees anT
spices for the state charitable and
penal institutions. This is let with
the option that the board may continue
il for two months or may prolong it
for six months, providing it so desire.
The contract carries some $4,000
worth Of business when il runs for six
months.