The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1908-09-25
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The county jail at Graycliff was an
odd affair. BY some its architectural.
conception was considered: a stroke
OF genius. The plan was suggested
by Commissioners Boyd. who was
something of crank. However, his
worst enemies admitted that he had
q good idea now and then. Mr.. Boyd
In his lifetime had seen rock quarried
from the mountains at an immense
expenditure of labor, transported long
distances. shaped into blocks by
much tooling, and then laid up into
masonry walls. Seeing that the town
OF Graycliff jutted up against fine
large ledge of limestone he did not
see the utility Of Quarrying out
mass of stone and shaping it into a
Jail, while the same amount of labor
would quarry Jail into the ledge
Just as well, and the jail would be 80
much stronger that there would be
no comparison whatever with the or
binary Jail.
The ledge had given the town its
name. It was in fact cliff, with it's
perpendicular face fronting the east,
and it's crest towering at least a hun
dred feet above the level ground that
formed the town site of Graycliff.
When Commissioner Boyd unfolded
his scheme before the board, it was
received with but slight favor. The
other members smiled at first then
shook their heads slowly and sagely.
The plan was so novel that the mind
of an ordinary county official was
hardly capable Of absorbing it. But
Mr.. Boyd expatiated 80 brilliantly
upon the many advantages of the plan
that he finally brought his fellow-com-
missioners over to his way of think.
ing. and by some judicious sounding
of public opinion It was found that
the citizens of the county were also
favorable to the plan. The immense
superiority of such a Jail over one
constructed in the usual manner was
at once recognized, and the board,
fortified by the almost universal ap-
prevail of their constituents, submit
ted Mr. Boyd's plan to the county at
torney. That official returned an elab-
crate opinion, to the effect that the
cliff was clearly portion of the pub.
lie domain, but could not very well be
filed upon as agricultural land, as
there was not a foot of arabic soil
upon it. He accordingly suggested,
and was duly authorized by the board,
to file mineral claim upon it, rum
ming to John Smith, the then acting
sheriff of Carbonate county.
The rock which composed Graycliff
was found upon trial to be easily
quarried. At first circular room
about ten feet in diameter was exca-
waited. This was called 1.-THE Rotunda"
and for time it served for the incar-
ceration of such few malefactors as
found themselves ensnared within
the meshes of the law in Carbonate
increased, Corridor No. 1 North"
was started, and as this progressed,
cells were excavated one after an
other as they were needed. The cells
were located between the corridor
and the outer face of the cliff, the
walls on all sides being left at thick
ness of two feet. An opening between
each cell and the face of the cliff,
about two feet square, was cut, in
order to admit light and air. These
were heavily grated with steel bars in
order 10 make them secure. The en-
frances from the corridor were secured
by heavy steel doors. The Jail be-
came all that Mr.. Boyd's fervid
imagination had pictured for it. 1t
was convenient and secure, and no
culprit, once incarcerated within its
adamantine walls, had. ever escaped.
This class of individuals were faceti-
ously called "Cliff-dwellers."
The cost of construction was great
ly reduced by the large amount of
penal labor expended upon it. While
the law did not impose hard labor
upon the involuntary inmates of Gray
cliff Jail, those who expiated their
crimes within its walls were permitted
to shorten their time of service by a
little wholesome muscular exercise,
and as it happened that many miners
and quarrymen were numbered among
them, much skilled labor was secured
without expense to the county. When
ever there occurred an extra demand
for cells, contracts were made with
professional stone workers. and exc
cuted with due diligence.
Among those who had more than
once suffered duress In this substantial
bulwark Of the law was an incorrigible.
named Tim Hooligan, a burly son of
the Emerald Isle, whose besetting sin
was an inordinate love Of whisky.
Tim was miner, and when not in the
clutches Of the law, worked in the
mines In distant part Of the county.
In drunken brawl he had knocked
down a man with beer glass and
was now serving a sentence Of six
months in expiation. Tim was tract
ohio enough uyhen IN iail6 HIT liko tho