The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-04-27
New Jail Is To Be of the Most
Modern Type.
Bond Proposition Is Expected
To Be Approved by Voters.
THROW 'EM into BATH TUB
This Slogan VIII Be Substitute
ed for the Bull PEN"
Shower Baths Big Feature of
the New Structure.

Tentative plans for the proposed
new city Jail. which is to take the
place of the present much-abused
structure, if the bonds should be vot-
ed at the coming election, have been
drawn and provide for modern, san
itary, steam-heated, fully equipped
building, with separate apartments
for different grades of prisoners. bath
ing facilities for prisoners, modern
laVatory equipment and everything
needed in a modern Jail building.
These plans were made upon the sug-
gestion and recommendations of May
or House and Judge Robert Yates of
the municipal court. The new Jail is
to cost S22.
There will be two separate sections,
one for men and one for women pris-
oners. Each will be equipped with
shower bath and lavatory facilities,
neither of which exist at the present
Jail.
Instead of throwing human beings
into the bull pen. we will throw them
into a bath tub" said Judge Yates,
epigrammatically.
The second story of the new build
ing will have accommodations for the
police matron, the municipal court and
accOmmo dationS for the court Off
Gals, a witness room, etc. At present
all these are crowded into one small
room on the first floor.
There will also be an entrance to
the building on the north side, with a
concrete driveway leading to it from
the street, so that prisoners may be
taken from the patrol wagon imme
diately into the prison department
without attracting the attention and
curious interest of every passer-by.
At present prisoners are driven up to
the front door of the building and
dumped out onto the pavement in pub
lie view, frequently creating disorder
ly scenes when some particularly
tough character has been taken.
Housing the Buns
An important phase of police work
in winter is housing the buns" the
down and cutters who constitute the
flotsam and jetsam of society. 1t is a
problem every city faces. These I'M
fortunates must be taken care of when
they invade the city. Some of them,
perhaps most of them, live here. They
must be taken care of. Humanity de-
mands it. They must be taken off the
streets in the cold nights of winter
No matter what their lives may have
been, they must be helped. Without
regard to cleanliness or their physi-
cal condition, into the bull pen they
are thrown. So that this dirty hole
though disinfected one day, may be-
come re-infected the next.
In the proposed new Jail there will
be separate rooms for housing these
floaters. Bath facilities will be pro-
vided in the basement, and every
bum" who applies for a nights lodg-
ing or who gets into the Jail for any
reason will be made to take a bath
The new Jail will be wider than the
present one, with more frontage on
Jackson street No additional ground,
however, will be purchased, as the city
owns ample space at the present loca-
ton to accommodate the new build
ing and the irnDrOvemenfs cOptepn
plated.
Public sentiment seems to be strong
ly in favor of the new building and
opinion is general that the voters will
endorse the bonds for the new Jail by
a good majority if an election is called
Talks by Judge Yates before various
city organizations and a number of
articles in the newspapers have con-
tributed a good deal toward arousing
the peODle on this subject.