The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1908-06-04
Four Cells To Be Placed in Base.
mentof CeatraI House
for City Prisoners
CITY TO SAVE SHERiFF'S FEES
New Patrol Wagon Said to be the Finest
in This Section of the Country
to Be Ready For Use in
Another Month

installation of city prison in the
basement Of the old city hall and it is
planned to have this WORK done just as
soon as the work Of raising the build
ing is completed. The plans that have
been made by the chief of the depart
ment call for the installation of the
four steel cells in the basement OF the
building. Bids for the installation of
the cells will be asked by the common
council in a short time. 1t is thought
that the cost of the installation Of the
cells will be in the neighborhood of
$500 and that the city prison will more
than pay for itself in a couple Of years.
The plan for the opening of the cells
to take care Of city prisoners was made
some time ago, but not carried out on
account of the fact that the officials
desired to wait until after the building
had been raised. When the building
is raised it will be possible to find room
for cells with nine foot ceiling. The
cells will be laid in cement and be fitted
with all necessary plumbing and set up
in such way as to make them easy to
keep clean. It is the plan of the de-
partment to use these cells for the
housing Of all tramps and such city
prisoners as may be confined for short
time only. At the present time these
prisoners are kept at the county jail
and the bill for their keep amounts to
considerable. It is thought that the
city will be able to handle the city
prison with another man on the police
force.
I The big basement is large enough to
furnish rooms for kitchen and reception
rooms should the city decide to make
the prison more extended place and
if the installation of the cells proves
a paying investment to the city it is
probable that in the near future steps
will be taken to make the city prison
prison for the reception of all classes
of prisoners.
! In another month the city Of Keno
sha will have the finest patrol wagon
of any city in Wisconsin. It is now
being built at the Plrsch Wagon shop
and Alderman Peter Pirsch is personal
ly designing and building it. It will be
large enough to carry ten passengers
and is built so that it may be used as
an ambulance as well as a patrol
wagon. The cost of the wagon will
be between six and seven hundred dol
lars, but it is to be paid for by gifts
collected by the chief of the depart
ment. Chief O'Hare has been busy
with this subscription for the past six
months and already four hundred dol
lars has been subscribed for the cost
Of the wagon. Other funds are expect
ed before the completion Of the wagon.
With the installation of the cells in
the basement of the police Office and
the putting into commission Of the new
wagon the Kenosha police force will
be about as well equipped as any force
in this part of the country. The equip
ment Of the police department in the
past two years has cost the city a
great deal of money, but it is claimed
that the increased efficiency in the de-
partment has shown the wisdom of the
expenditures.
| The present wagon, while not a patrol
wagon in any sense of the word, has
been a great aid to the officers and it
has been almost self sustaining. Of
course it will take some time for the
first cost of the team and wagon to be
secured with the meager fee of dollar
a ride
| Chief O'Hare plans to have all the
improvements at the police station
completed by the first of next Deem
Der.