St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1908-09-16

The last legislature authorized Gale
dopa county to erect a new Jail at ST.
obpsburv at a cost not to exceed
$4,000, and this building is now COM
pIetc and within the appropriation. The
legislature provided that it should be
built BY the assistant judges, Hon. ]. F.
Ruggles of Burke, and Hon. George T..
Eastman Of Walden, and Col. T. c.
Fletcher of St. Johnsbury. On account
ofbis health the latter resigned, and the
building was erected under the super
vision Vt the assistant judges. After
careful examination of penal institutions
in this and other states the judges let
the contract to the Pauly Jail Building
Company OF st. Louis, Mo- This COM
pany have lust completed the new jail in
BlrIngtun and were the builders OF the
aiIs at Montpelier and Newport. They
claim they have built for Caledonia
county the best Jail they ever erected for
similar appropriation, and all who
have visited the building the past week
will bear them out in their claim. In
many instances they did more than the
contract called for, and stand ready to
make any repairs or alterations in the
future that may be deemed necessary.
A. S. Meserve had general charge of
the construction, using the past three
months force of men varying from II
to 2j. The only wood in the building is
in the roof and was furnished by A. l..
Bragg, while the c. H. Goss Company
bad the heating and plumbing contract
The building was erected southeast of
theiHIer house and the Jail proper is
10 feet and inches square. AS Indicated
in The picture there is a one-story ex-
tension IN front 10 feet deep. The build
Ing has a granite foundation, is of brick
with red mortar, and covered with a
slate roYL The interior is of steel con-
Nrucuoa throughout. The building is
absolutely hreproof and jail delivery
would be almost inconceivable. The
floors are vt graniteoid and the interior
walls ave Of buff pressed brick. The
exact .~t Of the building was $19,813.
Lat.ruL tbs building one comes on the
n,0. 3. ,d. spacious office Of the jailor,
W. Ut "Jr,hen while opposite is a
smtlermom which can be used for hear
my, "r the third degree" Entering
t1e W.Hnuer one comes first to lock
Hg device which suggests the block
system MA signal tower. BY working
The two long levers the tier Of FIVE cells
can be- opened or closed together or
1g.y Adjacent to this locking device
tae visiting booth where one can talk
with The prisoner in an adjoining booth,
outcan hardly see him because the two
booths are entirely separated by a
closely woven iron grating.
Anout,ide corridor four feet wide ex-
tends around the first floor, while the
cells npeunto an inner corridor five and
one ha.' feet wide. The two corridors
are separated by an iron grating which
extends from floor to ceiling. The cells
are a}eiget by seven and contain besides
all ir3n bed, set bowl and closet both
supple with running water. An air
N'aIl 10. lch cell ensures perfect ventila-
uoh. A..e some of the cells that will be
occupied by TRUSTEES" have electric
qs'I> u " used in case of any emergency.
Dgtae The tier of five cells on one side
VI tar 'tIlng and the same number on
y't '.r de is an air shaft extending
nom .. easement to the roof and here
.u' -'e water pipes and steam pipes are
lhe agement of. the cells on the
s',''' .prls quite different, as there is
.a.- that can be used as hospl-
,a' ...a- the head of the iron stair
way. 'Ie north east corner are three
ol.> can be occupied by women,
"..D .. of five cells on the south side
o' .lN 0- will be devoted to juveniles
'''.>S "."trWlse occupied In one corner
'.r H1r is one room containing
p'.1y. lathtub while in the opposite
sJ'". room for a shower bath. Our
Of the interior, taken by
Jug ggIcs, shows the second story
"'A DOWN the corridor to the room
,1,.0 The shower bath.
4" asemeut which can be entered
."9 The outside of the building are
s"4 .".-" cages with the same toilet
tG"1,'.. as the cells but without any
'-' HeSe are intended for transient
uses mtOXication or tramps. The
I11g .LT,,e. ocr which was used in the old
'','.. located in the basement to-
2T1''o with capacious coal bunkers.
'"''' IN underground passage from