The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-07-08
NOVEL SUGGESTION
 REGARDING JAIL
BIRMINGHAM LAWYER WRITES ABOUT THE REMOVAL AGITA- TON AND PROPOSES A soLU- TON OF THE WHOLE MATTER.

To the Editor of The Age-Herald.
 The removal of the county jail seems to be a warm question just now and very serious one, which was proclpitated by the Pastors union of this city, and the newspapers What they have said, written and printed is true, especially when 1t comes to the matter of carbuncles, eye sores and situated on one of the most public thoroughfares of the city.
 The county Jail was located where 1t now stands more than thirty years ago, and which was then a suitable location, when Birmingham was a small village, but now it has outgrown all expectations and imaginations It is now a city and Is going to be, in short, the largest city in the sunny south. To keep the county jail, with It's demoralizlng effects, and within a stones throw of our new passenger sta ton, which is now in construction, and all of us claiming and alleging our city to be modern and up-to-date, lets make our claims and allegations consistent. Our city officials and different clubs have taken up the matter and say something must be done.
 
 | Times objects to the removal of the jail on the grounds the Jail will damage prop erty, wherever 1t Is located, and thereby be an eye sore and carbuncle, or both, and would have good citizens objecting to its removal on or near their property on the same ground. And the Jones Valley i Times intimated 1t might not be an error to put the jail on or near some of our less pretentious peoples property, and that ia h aIf 4a41 located. In other words. 1t Is not as bad to inJure a less pretentious citizen as 1t is well-to-do citizen. With the leglsla- ture taking up the matter there would be vote by the people and the people will then turn down the removal of the jail.
 Now I offer solution of the whole mat ter-tear down the county court house and put in lieu thereof a steel framed building fifteen stories high, and have the county jail on top and the criminal court next to the jail, and take the prisoners up to the Jail in steel elevator and bring them down for trial on the elevator, which will prevent all escapes. No longer than yesterday Dix escaped, who had re- gently been condemned to be hung. Now something must be done. To have the jail on top of the hfteen-story court house will put the prisoners out of sight of all pedestrians and give the poor prisoners all the good air they desire, and at the same time the Jail on top of the court house will not encroach on anyone's prop erty or anywise damage 1t, and thereby make 1t more sanitary and economical. And sell the present site of the jail, or make a nice yard of 1t with shade trees and grass. and thereby make the temple of justice more inviting.
 Our present court house is not large enough, and when the legislature meets it will be expected to remedy our courts. All of our courts are congested justice miscarrying all the time, because we have not sufficient courts, room or judges, and the ffteen-story building would give all the room the court house officials needed to keep all of the records, library and a place for all of the courts to do business at one and the same place. and, if there is any room left the lawyers would glad ly take the balance for offices. One of the best things in the scheme is plenty of natural light can be provided for all, even the jail and at the same time have the prisoners safe and secure. Jefferson county Is the largest county in the state and has all sorts of property and money.
 JOHN w. CHAMBLEE.
 Birmingham, July :. 1906