Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-03-20
SAYS REAL UNSANlTARY CoNDl
TON OF COUNTY JAIL ANNEX
WAS OVERLOOKED.
HAD TO HAVE A CAT TO
RID sroRERooM OF RATS
Declares Beds. Clothing and Sleeping
Apartments For Women At the Jail
Are So Filthy That They Should
Have Been Seen and Repoted-city
Federation Of Women's Clubs to See.

DIR. Rosa Liebig resents the criticism
of the recent grand jury. which COM
planned about her feeding cat in the
store room in which We're kept supplies
for the county poor, and has arranged
for an inspection of the county jail
premises by y committee Of officers OF
The City Federation of Womens Clubs.
which Will make a report of an inSpec-
ton which is an inspection.
DR.. Liebg explains that the cat was
needed to eXterminate the rats which
infested the storeroom. and she coun-
tiers on the grand jury with a charge
that the beds, clothing, and sleeping
apartments of the Jail annex We're so
filthy that the condition ought TO have
been seen and reported. Incidentally
this department. is outside her jurisdic-
ton, so she has appealed to the women
to make an inspection which will have
fully as much weight with the public
as the report of the men composing the
grand jury.
She replies to the grand jury as fol-
lows, and the women's report will APP
pear in a day or so:
Editor Times Republican: The arti-
Gle appearing in your issue of the 1.th
in reference to the criticimS OF the
grand jury. saws The jurl's criticism
of the county jail annex. which is the
headquarters of DIR. Rosa Liebig. and of
which she has charge. etc, etc, is sub
ject to correction. l have nothing 10 do
with any part of the annex excepting
my office the storeroom and one room
above. whore my second hand clothing
is kept. All the other rooms are under
the care of the deputy sheriff. The
criticism OF the grand jury is both I'M
just. and unkind. ! can not understand
why l was singled out for criticism up
on such a matter. when really unsani
tary conditions outside of my jurisdic
ton existed, which they We're supposed
to see. but to which they evidently
closed their eyes
Knowing my kindly feelings toward
animals il would be inferred from the
report that al, the stray dogs and cats
in the alleys theredbout had been gath
cred IN. housed. and fed, among the
supplies kept for the use of the poor.
The facts are these: During the vim
! ter the place became SO infested with
rats and mice that 1 could no longer
keep -four. corn meal crackers. ETC. in
the store room. as had been our custom
and I was obliged 10 make arrange
ments with Mr.. Benedict to deliver the
-four a sack at time. as ordered.
! Traps We're of no account, so | got a
cat. which was kept in the cellar. and
soon disposed of the rats and mice. We
have had little stray dog in the office
for a short time. but he was not kept
/ in the store room, only While he ate.
/ The grand jury visited the place when
/ l was away attending u funeral. 1t
was shortly after noon. and clean
newspaper had been spread upon the
floor Of the store room. upon which was
a clean china dish containing water. a
china saucer with milk for the cat. and
a china plate upon which Mr.. Lebig
had just given the dog his dinner
which he had just brought from the
table Of the restaurant where he ate
his dinner There was nothing unsani-
I tary about the food. nor the manner %.
serving.
"On account Of The high buildings
surrounding the place it is almost i'm
possible 10 secure better light or ven-
.ilation in the store room than ii has al
present The state dairy and pure fooC
commissioner always visits me wher
he comes 70 the city, and has free aC-
cess 20 the store room. and ne has never
yet made adverse criticism Of its SAM
tation
The store room is visited nearl,
every day by some one of the good peo
pie Of the city. an! some of the bes
physicians in the city go in and out.
could procurt. aftdavits from these per
sons. if it We're necessary. but prefe