Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-05-20
M'LANE DEFENDS
new JAIL PLANS
Architect Replies q Letter 81 Crit
elsa % A. l. Bowen % Chart
ties Board
mas EMPLOYED MODERN IDEAS
Claims II fnpraetieahIe O. Follow
srsEestion That Zach Cell Have
An Outside window.

land county laii. submits The faliowin,
siatsrasai "a reply % the letter o
criticism which A l. Bowen. sscrsiarJ
% ths state charities commission. re.
errtiy wrote 90 Supervisor =. r
wright. concerning the structure:
owirE 60 the confastion which has
arisen throush ths publication o. Ger.
tain tais!rsdinE statementa FeEnrdlus
re plans 81 the proposed iau for
Aoef lsiaat c1arfF. ard fesiriuE the
people ~ ere c1arty f1 b. fully ar-
qualified with che conditions and facts
aGectias its Work. che fau building
Committee has requested me. as archi-
trcf % pFFsTnf through fte press a
brief review o. che development %
fse plans for enc new fail. a. approved
~ ths board % supervisors. on che
Feeoeza1snfatlQa 40 the fal building
COMMITTEES.
HeiuE c1uffeut that. without excep-
zion. che men upon whom rests the
r~sporsihififv % baitdiaE this iaii ar
ars-irshiT ard earnestly striving 90
provide ths very best facilities POS
sitir foT eariaE f1T -thr poor wTsfch~s
rhor1 r1isfortgas auf eircur1stane~
esss irfu our FALLS Bowen. e must
b. evident ta aii that thr lack % hnr-
@9sy suEE~sted by these statements
must b. due % a Misunderstanding %
ere facts. or q uise1Herpti6n % thciF
relative Importance.
Modern thought has been seeking %
better ttr conditions Oh prisons a.
they have existed for hundreds o.
years. and certain private charitable
examinations have developed With
thfs particular object Oh view. The
Committee. hy correspondence and
personal Interviews With officials %
such orEauiEafi1us. sought and OBJ
faiued Information bearing upon ere
requirements % q fail 90 meet the
modern ffeas On the treatment %
pFis1ners-
There is fr existence also. an or
rautrat5ou constituted hy the state.
termed che STATE charities commission.
consisting % a board % nv. citizens
selected from diGeTcut portions % the
state. and an executive secretary with
an once az Springfield. This board g.
commissioned % Inspect and investi-
safe county i1iis. city prisons. houses
% correction. worEhnuacs. and all
places IN which persons convicted or
suspected % crime are confined. 90 coll
tect important statistics concerning
the inmates. and 90 ascertain how the
insane arc treated and 90 which
plans and specifications for any new
fails are 90 b. submitted Tor SIS
criticism and suggestion for the im-
provcmeut % she same
Tho state evidently created this .
board % Investigate county tails I
among other such Institutions. In or
der that % might b. qualified 90 criti- .
cire plans submitted and suggest ways /
ami means for their Improvement
sought Ala Early.
That ve early sought help from /
.his soucr. together With our success. !
.s evidenced BY the quotations from
with A. L. Bowen. the .
executive secretary % the board.
November g. 1915 Have you any I
suiiesiua OF reports that would BE-
helpful 90 us fu gathering Information
1u this subject tmodoru iaii cousiruc-
.i0uI or can you suggest any place 20
which E~ may apply for such iufoF-
nati1nF-
December 4. 1910 4 rcsrct 20 say
Va have no bliiriiua or reports that
Ea4td b. helpful 90 you in Designing
- constructing a modern iaii- In
De words OF one man (W. C. thinner
nan. for eight years state architect
There are NO modern iaiis Ia the
nitrd States
December 1914; Can you furnish
~ frosl your Office OF tell ua where
~ can secure copies % the Iliinuis
sate building laws bearing on the
.ubiect % prison architecture. and
.fvinE thr regulations under which
ach bgiidinEa must BE- crcctsde-
December ~. 1914 4 know % no
rEuiati0ns IN this state pertaining 20
be buiisiuE % prisons However. "
we're y0u. : would consult some
aWysr friend. <hn possibly could re-
CT you 90 the statutes. but ! am quite
uFo there 10 nothing In this state on
hs subject
he committee a. various times dur
~ the development % the plans. by
oFrespoucs and Interviews with Mr.
ioWcu. became acquainted with the
crSFai conditions and requirements
. formulated bJ the state charities
u-nnissfoa. Mr. Bowen. IN hts letter
2 May y 20 supervisor > x Nrtsht
ays Il have already. in tho columns
{ the newspapers % your county. cx-
ressed whai believe 90 Be- the mod
IN idess IN tAii planning Since this
.ftcr. which appeared In your col
ms March :. contains oil the sug-
ss;ions made a. various times. the
SLOWING summary IL taken from this
-,ter. rather than from our other cor
I. Cell block In the ecnter-bad.
2 Bar cells. that is. cells In which
- walls are constructed OF Erafings
bal
z Cell should b. aEains; an outside
all. with n window IN each cell
arEc enough 20 permit sun and light
penetrate
.. Cell walls solid and smooth
8. Running water IN each cell
Z Water closet IN each cell