The Oskaloosa herald., 1912-02-15
GRAND JURY REPORTS
Some Things Are Critical While
Others Are Commended.

We, the grand jury of Mahaska
county, Iowa, desire to make the fol-
lowing report with reference to the
county property, including the coun.
lty Jail and county home, as follows:
We have visited the county Jail and
Investigated the condition of the same
as to it's sanitary conditions and sur.
roundings,. and we would recommend
that the said Jail have a thorough
cleaning from top to bottom, and we
would also recommend that the walls
be painted or tinted lighter shade.
We further state that we do not
believe that the present closets in
said jail are sanitary, and would re,
commend that the said Jail be fur
nished with more up-to-date and san.
itary closets.
We believe that the bedding fur,
nished should be kept in more
clearly and sanitary condition.
We also visited the poor farm and
investigated its condition, and we find
the building of the said county home
in first class condition, everything be.
ing clean and sanitary, so far as we
were able to discover.
The inmates of the said home
seem to be kept clean and neat and
they seem to be well fed and very
we'll satisfied with their surround
ings.
The barns and outbuildings are kept
in good condition. The horses, cat
tie and hogs seem to be we'll taken
care of and Wen provided with shell
ter and apparently there is enough OF
feed to carry them through the win
ter.
We highly commend the board OF
supervisors in making the improve
ment and erecting the new water tank
and putting in new water system at
the county farm, which will be a great
protection in case of fire and great
convenience for furnishing water fol
| the cattle and the inmates, and we
believe that it will be amply sufficient
for any needs of said home for many
years to come, and We believe that
the said improvement was necessary
and that it is credit to Mahaska
county.
We highly commend the action OF
the Board of Supervisors in causing
the partitions in the sleeping apart
ments of the mems room to be remov
ed, as 1t makes the room large and
airy and more sanitary and more
healthful to the inmates who occupy
the same and easier kept clean ant
sanitary.
And we recommend to the County
Board of Supervisors that the court
house be cleaned on the inside ant
thoroughly renovated and that the
windows be cleaned and that the, var
ious rooms where the water has seep
ed through the ceiling and destroyed
the tinting be refinished.
We have also investigated the man
ner in which the records are kept in
the various offices, such as the Treas
urer's office, the Recorders office
the Auditors Office and the Clerks
ger of fire and the danger that the
records are subjected to in their pres
ent condition, and we believe that
the Board of Supervisors of said
county should take some action in
providing means of safety for such
records from fire, and We believe tina
the records should either be kept in
steel cases or vaults should be fur
nished for the safety of said records
and that if vault are furnished that
each office should be provided with
steel carriage to convey the books
to and from the vault and to contain
them during the time that they are in
use.
Respectfully submitted this 9th day
of February, 1912
w. w. WILLIAMS, Foreman.