The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-08-24
COUNTY JAIL
IS UNFIT AS
LIVING PLACE
psrorts OF City Inspectors Say
structure is In a Deplorable
Condition.

DeplOIdDle PiuihoAh6 anu Sdui-
,.rv conditions exist in the Rock Is
lard county Jail to such an extent
that it is unfit for habitation, ac-
cording to reports submitted by F.
7. Yerbury, city plumbing inspec-
,or and L. X. Eihl, city health in
snector, following Investigations
made at request of the jail COM
mittee of the board Of supervisors.
The question of doing something
toward repairing the old structure
Tor winter came up at the last
naeting of the board. 1t is proba-
bla that action will be taken when
tba board convenes again in Sep
Inspector Yerbury's report is as
follows:
Upon request 1 made an exam
nation Of the condition of the pip
ing and radiation of the heating
system at the Rock Island county
nil located at Fourteenth street
and Third avenue, this city; also
the plumbing and sanitary condi-
tons of the same
in regard to the heating system,
will say that the piping and radia-
iion is in a very poor condition, in
fact, it i entirely patched up
throughout. and the radiation is
known as the coil system, and has
been done away with many years,
as the amount of radiation required
in each coil make it very near i'm
possible to heat same or force
steam through, and is not distrib-
uted equally. In fact, to shorten
m explanation, it should be re-
newed entirely throughout to give
any results both from a practical
and financial standpoint.
1.-THE plumbing system and SAM
tary conditions are in a very de-
plorable condition. In fact with
my experience of some 80 years in
the plumbing trade, can not re-
call a condition which was like
this 1t should be condemned
throughout the entire building.
The water closets are simply a dis
grace and shame to have in any
kind of a place, let alone a public
building where there is such call
for the very best of sanitary condi-
tons, and even to ask people to
use same is a crime. There is abb
solutely no ventilation at all for
the toilets and everyone knows that
without same, tits the greatest dis
ease breeder and carrier to the
body We know of. The sanitary reg
ulatiOns throughout are entirely
against the code of the state of IL
linoiS.
Il might sum up the conditions
in few words as follows: 1t would
be far better and more humane to
let all the prisoners at large than
TO have them remain in such condi-
tons as these; and they, not know
ing, can not help themselves, and
We public officials, knowing posi-
lively that it is entirely wrong and
dangerous to their health and at
their liberty to the community in
which they live.
According TO statistics, rs per
cent are put in confinement in
good, healthy condition, and why
should we have them ruired in
health after their release from the
unsanitary conditions which we
know exist? AS long as the world
is, there will be prisoners, and
there must be iails to confine them,
so | ask you gentlemen TO look after
this most important question be-
fore YOU"
EihPs Report.
L. X. Eihl, inspector in the health
departm ent of Rock Island, re-
turned the following report:
Upon request I have made san
itary investigation of your county
Jail and will say that it is one of
the most unsanitary places that 1
have ever visited. From the inves-
tigation l made condemn this
place as unfit for human habita-
ton.
The basement being wet, damp,
full of ratholes. and the heating
and plumbing being in a very bad
condition, the toilets in the male
cells being the worst l have ever
seen, there being no ventilation,
and In dilapidated condition. The
female cell has one toilet and is in
q very bad condition, there being
no ventilation. 1t is very unsani-
tary. These conditions being a
grave violation of the state laws
as well as the city laws, therefore,
from my standpoint, condemn this
pldcR Aan health AMI