The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1907-01-10
Many New Buildings
Needed &t PeG7itenfiAfy

F. F. Elliott, chairman, and A. E.
STUNT secretary of the committee APP
pointed to investigate conditions at the
Walla Walla state penitentiary, have
filed report with Governor Mead in
which recommendation is made for gen.
eral improvements at the institution.
Ii is shown that accommodations at
present are insufficient for the proper
care of the hundreds of inmates and the
building of an administration build
ing, new hospital, new quarters for
female prisoners, an amusement hall,
the enlargement of the dining room and
more cell room are part of the recon-
mendations. The report in full is as
follows:
Your committee, after carefully in
vestigating and studying the condi-
tons and requirements in way of i'm
provements at the penitentiary, beg
to respectfully recommend the neces-
sity of the construction of new ad-
ministration building on the site of
the present building. We find the
present structure is not of sufficient
size to meet the present requirements
The second story and attic of the
building are occupied as officers and
guards apartments. This part of the
building is particularly unsanitary and
unsafe: in fact. an old rookery that
should be abandoned. We would rec
ommend that a building be construct
ed of sufficient size to meet all re-
Quirements for office purposes, and so
construct the upper stories of the
building as to provide sleeping room
and quarters for the officers and
guards at the penitentiary. In this
connection. your committee would fur
Their recommend that there should be
provided an amusement hall where the
guards and employees could cOngregate
and entertain themselves. In addition
to this. we would strongly advise that
an officers dining room and kitchen
be built in connection with this admin
istration building The necessity for
this Improvement is of great import
ance as we will now endeavOr to show.
At the present time. the officers and
guards dining room is in the most
desirable cell room space of the penf-
tertiary.
Female Quarters Scanty.
II will be seen by the remOv-
ing this dining room from the penlten-
tiary proper to the proposed new adj
ministration building. this space could
then be utilized for cell room purposes.
In the second story of this space in
the penitentiary occupied as officers
dining room is the female convlcts
quarters In this connection. we de-
sire to state Yhat the quarters pro-
vided for the female prisoners of the
institution are not what they should
he bv any means They also should
be transferred to quarters elsewhere,
which would then leave the entire
front wing of the penitentiary free TO
he used for cell room purposes. which
is a great need at the present time
The space thus provided would &C.
commodate probably two hundred con-
yicts On further examination, your
committee finds that the present hos
pital at the penitentiary is not OF
sufficient size to meet the require
ments of today, and so constructed
that the management Of the penlten-
tiary feels unsafe in assigning desper-
ate long-sentenced men to the hOspl-
tai for treatment. because of insecur
ity there, owing to the way in which
the building is constructed. We would
recommend that a new, modern. up-to-
date hospital be built of sufficient size
to meet all requirements on site
directly east of the penitentiary build
inc. in the stockade enclosure and d.
reclty south of the present hospital.
This building to be built by the State
Board of Control and under the super
vision and advice of the State Board
of Health Plans and specifications
should specify a ward for the control
of contagious diseases and also bal
cony to be used for the treatment OF
tubercular convicts. The building of
this new hospital would solve the
question of a desirable building and
suitable quarters for the female pris-
oners. The old hospital with very