The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-10-25
CONDITIONS DEMAND NEW STOCKADE FOR CITY'S PRISONERS Mayor Finds 175 Men Crowded Into Room 45 by 30
 Feet
TEMPORARY PLANS FOR
 IMPROVEMENT OF JAIL
Veterinary Hospital Is Also Planned for the City's Horses and Mules Which Now Number About Three
 Hundred

Birmingham is to have a new stockade, modern In every respect, large crema- tory, the best that can be bought; warehouse for all the feedstuff used by the city of Birmingham, and veterinary hospital for the citys mules and horses, which now number about 300, If the plans of Mayor Exum and the members of the City Council are carried out
 The committee on the jail proposition, composed of Mayor Exum, Aldermen Will Hams and John R. Copeland. City En- gineer Murray Nicholson and Street Com missioner Frank Gafford, met yesterday morning at the Mayors office and made an inspection of the Southside stockade and the citys stables.
 It was definitely decided that mod ern stockade must be built at once to relieve the congested conditions, and the committee will later go into the plans for the structure. which will probaoly be built either on the city's plot of 4o acres in East Birmingham or adjacent to the city's stables.
 Will Make Temporary Improvements
 In the meantime the committee de- cided to make temporary improvements in the southside jail to render it inhabit-
  addition will be built In the little jail yard on the north side of the stockade for baths and toilets that they may be removed from the main jail, another stove will be added, and Commissioner Gafford believes he can get through the winter.
 The committee entered through the It, tie shack office of Warden J. L. Stag gers, passing into the famous bastile on Avenue D and Eighteenth street, whlcn more resembles the black hole of Cal cutta than a real Jail. Directly in front of the door, on a post, hung piece of pasteboard with these words scrawied in a prisoners handwriting:
 ."The way of transgressor Is hard
 And when the committee had inspected the place they heartily, with one accord, agreed with the sentiment. In single room 45 by 50 feet and 20 feet high are housed 175 negroes who come In every day after a hard days work to bathe' eat and sleep In the narrow quarters The baths and toilets are all in the same room. There are a dozen so-called show CTS in one corner. which are simply open pipes, with no sprays, falling Into wooden trough.
 Considered a Disgrace
 The housing of 175 negroes in such a small room was considered disgrace oy the members of the committee. The pro portion of air space to each prisoner IS practically mil" The prisoners sleep In '.berths" built around the walls in three- story tiers,
 tirely inadeouate. and there Is no store room. Jls .l.
 However. the committee congratulated Commissioner Gafford and Warden Stag gers on the cleanly condition of the jail Every possible sanitary method IS used to counteract the effect of crowdfng men like cattle into so small hoie Mayo, Exum munched piece of cornbread ana sniffed the odor of pork and potatoes which were prepared for the night meal and pronounced them all 70. K"
 Commissioner Gafford has just put in mattresses for the prisoners, and for the first time in the history of the Jail the negroes are not sleeping on nara poaros New blankets for the winter have been purchased. During the winter months the place is far more habitable than in sum mer, when 1t is fearfuliy hot, and the odors from the working convicts make Il almost impossible to breathe.
 The committee also inspected the city stables where 217 mules are housed. II was noted that the quarters of the com missioner's mules were of a much higher order than those for his convicts. The East Birmingham property will be visited by the committee in few days with a view to locating the new jail out there Mayor Exum states that he thinks 1t very important that the jail be To- cated on large plot. where the women may be employed at gardening, instead oi lying Idle in the city jaf as at present. A warehouse for feed stuffs and veteri, nary hospital for all the city's horses and mules will also be erected at the same time.