River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1905-10-05
Our City Jail.

interviewed this Office last Saturday
and presented the claims of the
Howard Association noticed on
the first page OF this edition-as its
Northwestern representative. Mr..
Coffey is very pleasant gentleman
and an able representative of the
association. He stated the objects
of the society and presented its
claims to recognition and support
in convincing terms. The primary
object of the Howard association is
of encouragement to worthy ex-
prisoners, the intention of helpful
ness to the unfortunate who have
once experienced the penalty of
broken law, but as a question asso-
ciated with this is the environment
of the accused held in confinement,
the association considers by investi-
cation and publicity the condition
of places of detention.
| At this point Mr.. Coffey asked
this question: What is the condi-
ton of your city jail?" We told him
we didn't know AS we managed
to keep on pretty good terms with
the city marshal we had never had
occasion to investigate, but we had
understood from those who had
been there" that the interior was
not very inviting, and we suggested
that he go up and ascertain by in
| spection and report his impressions
and we should be pleased to give
expression to them through the
| JOURNAL. This Mr.. Coffey did.
| He described the situation as un-
pleasant. The place was damp, ill
| ventilated, and necessarily unhealth-
full, as a consequence, but its un-
sanitary condition was partly due
to the lack of cleanliness. He said
the bed and bedding were dirty and
bed.bugs infested the room in
frightful numbers. We asked him
TO state succinctly such remedies as
he thought necessary. He made
this brief memoranda:
Unfit bedding. Charitable So
cieties in the city might furnish
clean and suitable blankets or
quilts, etc.
II.-Unsanitary bedstead. The
bedstead should be of iron to give
no hiding places for vermin.
Wood floor, harboring yer
min. The floor should be of cement.
IV.-No service. The inference
may be better imagined than de-
scribed.
V.-Poor heat.
Vino water.
Mr.. Coffey wished to emphasize
the fact that a city Jail was not in
tended as a place for punishment
for crime but should be considered
simply and solely as place of de-
tention.
The jail is in basement, neces-
, sarily damp and so always in con-
; dition to create and encourage dis
ease. With the absence of any con
venience there is not much induce
ment to keep the place well cared
Z for. Mr.. Coffey was positive and
: insistept on this point: 1.-THE jail
should not be of such a character
and in such a condition as 10 create
/ and spread disease. It's unsanitary
situation and condition is a men.
, ace to the public health" Well, that
, is question of serious consequence
t We can readily see that if these
: defects were renedied and city
water were put into this building
and an iron pipe placed to extend
from the Jail to the river the unsani
! tary condition could be meaSurably
! counteracted. A discouraging fea
5 ture of the situation is that the city
: does not own, but rents the build
ing. 1t is not likely that the owner
,, would be willing to make these i'm
!. provements unless the city arranges
; for compensation and the city would
hardly be willing to make these i'm
provements in a building not be
longing to it. Something should be
done however TO remedy conditions
: to forestall the invasion of disease
to make the place reasonably com
Portable for persons necessarily de
tanned there.
: [Since writing the above we have
heard suggestion which seems 10
us wise and practicable-a steel
cage in the fire hall for a place o.
detention.]