Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-10-03
PRESENT COUNTY JAIL Is
INADEQUATE AND UNSANITARy
COURTHOUSE NEEDS NEW VAULTS

That the recent rise in the price OF
coal in Albuquerque is extraordinary
and unwarranted and needs the fullest
Investigation is the opinion of the Ber-
naIillo county grand jury, which was
excused for recess yesterday afternoon
at the courthouse after II had present
ed its report to Judge Abbott. of the
district court. The grand jury also
touched at some length on other mat
ters of public interest, but went int
the coal situation rather more eN-
tensvely than any other subject. The
grand Jury believes that the eXorbi-
tant price asked for coal In Albu-
querque at present constitutes a pub
lie grievance" >nd recommends that
the matter be placed before the in
terstate commerce commission as
soon as possible
In excusng the grand jury. TO meet
again October 2l, the court stated
that certain matters needing attention
would likely be ready To be looked
into after the fair. and that the fair
itself Is often productive of incidents
which need the attention of a grand
jury. He complimented the jury on
its diligence and declared the public
owed the Jurors a vote Of thanks for
their effective and painstaking work.
The Grand Jury Report.
The grand jury's report is as fol-
lows:
In the District Court Of the county of
Pernalillo. in The territory Of New
Mexico. at the september term.
1900. sitting for the trial of causes
arising under the laws of said ter
ritory
To the Honorable Ira A. Abbott,
Judge % said Court;
The grand jurors for said county.
at the said term Of the district court,
respectfully submit this report as to
the business transacted by them.
We have been in session fifteen
days. and have had before Us for ex-
animation 1874 witnesses. We have re-
turned into court forty-two indlct-
ments and six presentments Of no
bills In the examination Of all cases
presented before us, we have endeav-
ored to follnw the instructions Of the
court. and have returned indictments
i'm all cases Ia which. In our Judgment.
the evidence justified US ln SO doing
New County Jail Needed.
We have made an examination Of
the county buildings. and find that
the county Jail is a subject which re-
quires severe criticism, as to its size
and condition. 1t Is entirely mad
uuate In size for the accommodate -
Of the prisoners who are kept the ,
In the room where there are stc
cages. there are so many prisoners T.
times that IL Is safe 10 say that tlis
part of the iail should We doubled ia
cararity. There should he at least
another room equal IN si2p and with
similar steel cages. n Is impractical
Bile for the iailcrs to keen the older
and more hardened criminals sepa-
rated from juvenile offenders or those
who have committed minor offenSes.
Provision oaght to- be made SO that
all classes Of prisoners should not he
herded together. The reasons for this
are so obvious hat 1t Is hardly ncccs-
sary ~ mention. but perhaps he most
important ono is the decentralization
which may arise from the association
Of Young and inexperienced offenders
with those who are advanced in crimc
aud who have devoted large portions
Of their lives TO breaking the laws.
The sanitary condition Of the jail "
not satisfactory. and this Is largely
duo 10 faults Of original construction
and to lack Of proper sewerage. We
are Informed that the sewerage prob
lem has been receiving attention from
the county commissioners and VIII
probably be put in good condition. ana
we mention the subject only To urEe
that the proposed remedies be applied
al the earliest possible day. az the
conditions are 80 bad that a. is an act
of inhumanity to keep prisoners ~
their midst We also recommend
strongly. To- the sheriff. that he take
steps a. see that the Interior or the
fail he thoroughly cieansod and scrub
he'd out eveFz day. We are informed
thai % has been the practice Co give
the lail thorough cleaning once
week. but with tho number ~ rris-
oners in tha faii. who can b. required
10 perform the labor. ~ ought @" De
possible Go have thorough cleah ls
of it, interior every day
We have found the county cnm~t
house IN generally good CONDITION..
and have no fault 90 find with the waS
% il kent and cared for. We have
found. however that the vaults ln tne
offircS nf the probate and uleirlci
clerks are entirely inadequate Tor lne
storage and rresf rvatipu OF tnp nlll-
ciai books and records. and should o.
enlarged a. soon as possible. We are
Informed that In both offices nY
valuable records cannot be- put in -
vaults al all where they ought to nt
kent. and in the office nf the district
clerk. especially We find that books
and records belonging to that Office
are kent fn three 1r four different
places IN the building. and Without
adequate protection lt IS impossl1ie
a. foreSee hozr much damage ana IN
jury might BE-. CEused ny TIE tefs ~
destruction aaf fhfse records ~ pof-
tiors fhereofE frft H
The irnnr fnnnr sboiIfr the Hroufi
house yard qsana hsss1een ist sefei'i'