The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1912-02-17

the floor space Inside the steel Ell
closure, and exposed to the entir
room, is an open water closet for tn
use of all the men confined here.
the northeast corner of the room
a stove for heating the room, and al
so used by the prisoners for cookin
and washing. A ladder is fastened t
the side of the steel cage enclosur
by which the prisoners get access t.
the top of the cage, and use this TO
sleeping and sitting space, and TO
fresh air
While the jail is kept in as good con
dition as possible by those in charge
the committee considers the conditions
existing as inexcusable, a disgrace tt
any civilized community, and that the
only excuse THAI can be offered on be-
half of the people of Latah county
is that they are in ignorance of the
conditions existing. Opening off the
south side of the sheriff's office are
two rooms of small dimensions, one
used by the night jailer as bed room
and the other as water closet and tot
let room. This latter room is the
only place afforded by the county for
the confinement of female prisoners
one having been compelled to sleep on
cot placed there some time ago
while in charge of the sheriff.
We also found that the stove pipe
from the stove in the Jail was a gal
vanized iron pipe put in after the
court house was built, and running
through the court room above, and
out through the roof.
The only other office on the lower
floor is that of the auditor, occupying
This room is 17x20 feet in size. The
condition in this office seemed some
what crowded The vault adjoining,
the only one in the court house, is
about 10x20 feet in size. The walls
are lined with steel racks, and the
standing table in the center has racks
cath, all of which are full of
rec ords. There are some valuable
records in the main room which can
not be placed in the vault on account
of lack of room. The committee could
not make an extensive examination OF
the vault but regarding it Mr.. Estes
testified that when much water was
used in scrubbing on the floor about it
leaked down into the vault He also
said that when the records and shelly
n@ were removed from the south side
If the vault daylight could be seen in |
places. He stated that he did not con-
;ider the vault as fire proof at all, |
md that in case of fire he would look |
or all the records to be destroyed |
1r. Rooney stated that he did not con-
ider the vault fire proof. That the
inside wall seemed to be only of ordi-
larry thickness, and if so it would not
tand the necessary amount of heat,
or the crushing weight, to make it
re proof Mr.. Lee testified that
re in building of this nature would
reate sufficient heat to melt cast iron,
nd that unless the walls were strong
ould not withstand the heat nor the
rushing weight of the outside walls
alling on it, as they probably would.
There is only one stairway to the
scond story of the building, this go
lg up near the center of the south
de, the landing midway being on top .
the auditors vault. At the top of
lese stairs is a small landing from
hich a door on the west side leads to !.
le recording room of the auditors Of, :
,e, a double door on the north leads
the court room, and door to the :
om occupied by the clerk of court, a !.
putty of the auditors office, and an
her door to the private room of the
strict judge. From the south side
lother door leads to the county
room. This room can also
entered through the office of the
unity superintendent.
From this arrangement it will be
adily seen that fire in any part of
, lower floor, should it reach the
llway, would prevent escape from
y part of the upper floor except by
nping from the second story win
VS.. There is no fire escape pro-
ed.
n the auditors recording room, be-
es the tables, record typewriter
other furniture, there are from SO
100 books of record of different
DIS piled up on the floor along one
the walls, all of which would be
troyed in case of fire. Your COM
tee did not examine into the i'm