Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-02-13
Made His Own Inquiry.

Made His Own Inquiry.
In presenting the report Monday Mr..
Gallinger made the following statement to
the Senate:
II wish to say that I have personal
knowledge Of the fact that there is a
condition existing, especially in the Jail
civilized community. and I hope in the
near future we may have legislation that
will correct it.
Some of Senator Gallinger's colleagues
have since been chatting him about hav
ing personal knowledge" Of conditions In
a Jail. but every time any senator has
spoken about it to him he has not neg
lected the opportunity to impress the
joker with the need OF new jail here,
and it has not been hard task. either.
Jail Is 0vercrowded.
Mr.. Curriden's report is, in part, as
follows:
"'The jail was found in it's usual over
crowded condition. When first built pro-
vision was made for a population Of 800
inmates. each to be assigned a single
cell seven feet wide, about eight feet long,
with a single bed. The warden is now
compelled to arrange for two prisoners In
each of a large majority Of these single
cells, none Of these having modern closet
and other conveniences. Because Of the
invention Of these facilities and conven-
fences since the present jail was erect
ed, 1t Is impossible to introduce them in
the present structure. unless the whole in
terror be torn out, and this at a cost al
most equal to that OF an entirely new
building.
"Our association has persistently for
many years pleaded with and urged the
governing powers of the District to re-
move this old fashioned and badly de-
signed jail and relocate 1t on new site
close to one of the railroad lines. where
a new and comparatively inexpensive
structure could be erected in a walled
inclosure-into which switch from the
railroad track could be run. Thus To-
Gated, the prisoners could be put to work
cutting stone and other tasks Of benefit
government-thus avoiding the antagonism
Of labor unions, aiding In paying for
their own maintenance. and, above all,
giving to every man an opportunity to
find in congenial labor opportunity to es-
cape recoilections OF a regrettable past,
and to many new skill and power to en-
able them to earn an honest living after
the term of detention has expired. IN
til thus removed and relocated these needs
of our Jail can never be met Our as
ISOLATION must not yield to encouragement
at the apparent fruitlessness OF its twen-
ty years Of labor to this end. Fresh cour-
conversion of Warden Harris to our view
that only by removal can needed modern
conditions as above stated be met. In his
last annual report to the Attorney Gen.
eral he embodied this recommendation. to-
gether with a recommendation that In
addition to new buildings. remote from
the heart Of the city, there be erected a
small building near to or adjoining the
present courthouse on Judiciary Square,
where prisoners pending their trial can be
confined. This will facilitate the work
of the courts and save expense and In
many cases valuable time.
Justice Sta6ord's Views.
I'm this connection your committee calls
attention to the views of Mr.. Justice Stat
trict:
1--WE have Jail. intended for 300.
| where almost twice that number are con-
| fined. two or three crowded in a cell. the
accused and the convicted treated alike;
| no modern plumbing: the calls OF
| nature answered in the cell, and out OF
twenty-four hours Of idleness and sloth
| thirty minutes of exercise. For all
! of those graver offenses which the stat
| utes declare shall be punished in the pen
ltentiary we have no institution in the
District. Sentence is imposed and the
| convict goes where the Department OF
| Justice sends him. to some state peniten-
| tiary with which it may have a contract.
Upon the needless loss to the District
i OI tHlS pIdCliCc Oh COuuu1uS DlSIr1ct pr1S-
| oners in distant prisons your COMMITTEES
| will not dwell. A committee of the Cham
Der of Commerce has figured out that
| large sums could be saved as well as all
desired benefits secured to every prisoner
were the plan of Warden Harris, so lone
advocated by this association. adopted
The Workhouse Buildings.
I'm the matter Of the workhouse build
| ings your committee found little If any
| improvement of conditions there, which,
| IL stated at length. would make glad the
heart Of any citizen Of the National CAPT.
tai. No broad-gauged plan for the re-
| location Of all these buildings on new and
| better sites has ever been studied out by
| any board Of charities or any other or
ganization whose plain duty it was to do
so. For decorative purposes plans in
| volving purchase in the central portion
| of the city of nearly half a hundred
| squares and improvements thereon at a
| cost Of over 200 millions can excite the
oratorical powers Of many. but these DOW
erS seem to become mute whenever the
long-existing blight upon the eastern sec.
ton Of the city Is presented for considera-
| ton. The wise expenditure of less than
81 100000 will more than cover the cost
| of removing to and relocating on better
sites the present workhouse structures
the buildings long used for almshouse
patients. the new crematory and the