Los Angeles herald., 1907-08-20
JAILS AND ASYLUMS
ARE UNDER REVIEW
STATE CHARITY BOARD MAKES
ANNUAL REPORT
Los Angeles Prison Found to Be
Among the Best-San Quentin
Has Fifteen Hundred
Inmates

The annual meeting of the state board
of charities and corrections was held
last week in the offices of the board In
the Merchants exchange, San Francisco.
The secretary made a lengthy report upon
the National Conference of Charities and
Corrections held in Minneapolis in June.
The plans for new county Jail in Hum
boldt county were presented to the board.
These plans provide for fireproof jail
of three stories There will be five sep
arate cell rooms for male prisoners, each
with six cells, kitchen, dining room ana
offices for sheriff and jailer.
On the upper floor will be hospital,
departments for insane, for females, for
Juveniles and for detention OF witnesses:
1t provides, therefore, a complete classl-
fication. and cells are arranged for the
separate confinement of, prisoners. Built
upon these plans the Jail will be sanitary,
substantial and modern. not the kind OF
| iail that criminals like but the KIND that
| is good for them and for society. The
plans met with the approval OF the
board.
The board of supervisors of Ventura
county presented plans for one-story
detached building to contain ward for
detention of insane, another for female
prisoners and another for juveniles. This
building is to be built in the rear of both
the county hospital and county Jail and
accessible to both. 1t is a needed addi-
ton to the county buildings and met the
approval of the board.
Suggestions Asked
Communications were received from
Inyo and Lassen counties. requesting sug-
gestive plans for small jails in these
counties. To each of these counties the
secretary sent plans.
The committee appointed to rehabilitate
the offices of the board was pleased
to report that the board was again
settled in permanent offices in room 1923
Merchants exchange, in which the pres
ent meeting was held.
The auditing committee reported that
the total expenses of the board for the
past fiscal year was $55S5.S1Sand that the
unexpended balance of the appropriation
for the year was $41419, which will now
revert to the state treasury.
The officers for the ensuing year were
selected as follows: For president, Oscar
K. Cushing; vice president, DR.. j. K. Nc
Lean.
A committee consisting of DIR. ]. K. Nc
Lean, Rev. Charles A. Ramm. and Secre-
tary Gates was appointed to make such
efforts as seemed best for the observ-
ance in the churches of Prison Sunday,
October 27.
Under inspection of state institutions
DR.. Mclean reported that he visited the
Napa state hospital August 9. He found
the water supply was again short and
that work was being pushed upon the
new dam in order that 1t might be of
some use when the rains came. He Wis
tied the various wards and found them
in good condition, but badly overcrowded,
many sleeping on the floor. Thirty-eight
new cases were received last month
Outdoor Ward Success
President Cushing reported that he in
spected Mendocino state hospital on Au-
gust 8. The wards were filled to their
capacity and one male ward had ninety
patients. The wards were found in good
condition with good air. There Is no
separate hospital ward. The outdoor ward
for men was established in November,
1904. for the treatment of tubercular pa
tients, but has been extended to include
many others. The buildings are good,
lightly built, and have large screened
openings on all sides. Some patients oc-
cupy cots under the trees. where they
have been day and night all summer.
The patients are much more contented out
of doors and become less troublesome
The entire cost of this outdoor plant
will not exceed $4,000, and it accommodates
sixty patients.
The farm supplies chickens, turkeys and
ducks and large quantities of eggs. A
dairy of thirty cows. mostly Holstein. is
kept. No butter is made, the milk and
cream all going to the patients
A new building with two stories and
high basement is being built, which,
when completed will accommodate 125
patients 1t will be equipped for hydro
therapy and other forms of treatment
The building is being built by day labor,
much being done by the ablebodied
chronic patients. The basement walls
are of concrete, the upper stories of
brick.
Teachers Too Few
President Gushing reported that he vis-
tied the Home for Feeble Minded on
August A. The spirit of the superintend-
ent and employees here is very good and
a feeling of friendship seems too pervade
the place. Smiles greeted the superin-
tendent and children followed him as he
went about. The institution is filled to
its capacity. There are now 619 patients
There are but three teachers which
seems obviously not enough. Samples of