Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1906-02-03
Prisoners in County
Jail Take Drastic
Action.
PART Of BUILDING FALLS
And Several of Cells Are
Abandoned Except in
Emergency Cases"

portion Of the old structure called
by courtesy, the jail of Santa Fe
County, collapsed last night and only
the fact that the prisoners had no de
sire to escape prevented them from
doing so. Had the structure fallen
during the day some one might have
been injured. The part which collapsed
is separated from the main Jail build
ing, but the whole tottering structure
will undoubtedly fall before long and
great indeed will be the fall thereof
Just across the court yard from the
main building, is series of cells, q
kitchen and store room which ad
joins the kitchen. The roof of the
joins the kitchen The roof of the
store room fell last night, crushing a
chicken coop and other property and
burying it under thousands of pounds
of adobe. The room used as kitchen
which is occupied during the day by
0. w. Piery, prisoner, came close
to colapsing, and the walls and cell
ings now sag dangerously. The whole
decrepit structure like the one horse
shay, of poetic fame, will undoubt-
edly one day, fall in heap of dust and
fortunate will be the county officials,
If no prisoner or officers are buried be
meath the ruins. Jap" Clark, a cow
boy, now confined in the JAIL noticed
that the roof of the store room was
slowly giving way, and yesterday
warned the sheriff of the fact. Had it
not been for him, quantity of stores,
dozen chickens, and other goods OF
more or less value, might have been
destroyed. Persons about the Jail
were told of the unsafe condition of the
store. room and all were forbidden TO
eIIler II. me main Jali DulIGlng, how
ever, is just about as unsafe. In the
Office of Sheriff Ortiz, large patches of
plaster have fallen from the ceiling
during the past few days, the walls are
cracked all over, and the whole affair
sags this way and that, until it looks
more like Chinese puzzle than the
Office of sheriff. The cell rooms
where prisoners sleep nightly, looh
equally as dangerous and threaten to
save more than one from the trial
allowed him by law. What makes the
affair take on severe aspect is the
fact that the jail building like most an.
cient adobe structures is covered with
several feet of dirt, designed to keep
the roof from leaking. This places a
weight of several tons on each foot of
the frail walls and should person be
buried beneath the ruins he would be
crushed to death instantly Sheriff An
tonic j. Ortiz has ordered that four
cells near the store room be abaL
doned except in case of necessity, be-
cause they present such a threatening
aspect. The kitchen, which Is even
more dilapidated than any other part
of the structure, will have to be used
regardless of the fact that 1t may cost
a human life, because there is no other
place in which to cook.
O. w. Piery, who is head of the cul
mary department since his return from
New York, said that he was In daily
fear that the roof would cave in on
him before he could receive the bene.
tits of a trial The county commits.
sioners have already secured plans for
q new jail which is under contempla
|lion, and expect to build the structure
during the present year. 1t is doubt.
full, however, ii father time is going
to wait on them and the chances are
about even that long before the new
building is finished, the present struc-
ture will be only a memory in tho
minds of the oldest inhabitants of San
ia Fe and that several new graves in
the local cemetery will remain as mon
uments of the affair
Deputy Sheriff Jose L. Lopez in
speaking of the present building said
"We haven't any other place to go,
but admit that it's pretty risky stay.
Ing in the present place. would hate
to be a prisoner in that jail just at
present There is not a single brick In
the whole concern that is on align
ment with any other brick. l don't
know the age of the present Jail but /
would hate to make guess If | were
to Judge by the present appearance Of
the cancel" If new building is to be
erected it cannot be done too quickly
as | do not hesitate to say that the
present quarters are unsafe for man.
or beast"
A prisoner in the jail voiced The
deputy's sentiments when he said
II am not here for my health.
might easily escape but don't want
to become a fugitive from justice
Some how or another. have lately
taken fancy for fresh air and spend
most of my time out in the jail yard