The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1910-07-29
'BRIDG.E0FS|GHS'.
AF:.T|'E.IR.T|H..0.UGH1
At JAIL
ENCLOSED WALK WAY OF REIN
FORCED CONCRETE WILL
LEAD FROM PRISON TO
COURTHOUSE.
THE PRISONERS CAN'T Be SEEN
JAIL WILL BE "A MODEL FOR
CLEANLINESS AND SAFETY
VERY BEST MATERIAL IN
CONSTRUCTION USED.

p e
One serious objection exists to the
mammoth Fairmont jail, now under
construction by c. P. Howell, con-
tractor, of Clarksburg-it will be such
an excellent place In which to live
that 1t will be difficult to keep prison.
ers out Once in, however, there will
be no possible chance for them to get
out. except through the due processes
of the law. A prisoner, owing to the
construction of the cells, can get no
nearer than eight or nine feet to the
outside walls; besides, the cells are
of tool.proof steel and the bars which
bind the outside windows are also
tool.proof.
The Jail and sherifr's residence,
which are being erected adjoining,
will cost $4,000, the contract award
ed Mr.. Howell calling for that amount.
Tho jail and the sheriff's residence
were designed by Edward ]. Wood,
architect, of Clarksburg. Ground was
broken last October and both struc.
lures willsbc completed, 1t is believed,
and be ready for use, by January, 1911.
Foreman S. G. Hedrlck is in charge
OF the active work on the buildings.
The sherifrs residence, which will
cost something like $4,000, will be
built of finest Cleveland sandstone
(rubbed), will be- two stories high and
contain an attic. Its dimensions will
be 37x3S feet 1t will contain ten rooms,
while the basement will contain four
rooms, making fourteen in all, togeth-
er with pantries, vestibules, etc, The
floors will be tiled and the stairway
will be of metal.
The Jail will be 47x5S feet in size,
and will consist of three stories above
the basement, with four cells in the
basement. In the basement the dun
geon cells for the incorrigibles will
be lined with enamel, cream-colored
brick and will have Spanish tiling.
Both sherlff's residence and Jail are
strictly flre-proof in every sense of
the word. as only small amount of
wood Is being used in the construc.
tion.
Tho jail will be well ventilated, as n
fan-room to remove the foul air will
be located at a convenient point of
the building, and a utility corridor will
be constructed through the jail. to.
gether with a ventilating flue. This
arrangement will prevent the accumu-
lation of stagnant air. and all noisome
odors, in which many jalls abound,
will be swept to the outer air.
The jail will contain the janitor's
residence, three bathrooms and hos
pital ward. The capacity for the pris.
on will be 100 prisoners, considerably
greater than that of most jails.
Prisoners who have been before the
bar of justice will not be exposed to
the gaze of the morbid and curious
on their way to prison. A bridge OF
sIghs," constructed of reinforced con,
crete, will be built from the court.
house, above ground, to the jail. AS
soon as prisoners will have been tried
they will be sent to jail over this
bridge of sighs. and, owing to It's dis
tance from the ground, 1t will be i'm
possible for the curious to gaze on
them.
The contract for the erection of the
bridge of slghs" was awarded sepa'
rately from the residence and Jail and
will call for nm outlay Of a handsome
sum in addition TO the amount that
will go into the erection Of the jail
and residence.