The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-03-30
new STRUCTURES
URGED IN REPORT
OF GRAND jury
Hospital, Court House
And Jail Needed, Is Said.
City Probe Is Asked

City Probe Is Asked
CONSTRUCTION of q new county hos
pital. court house and jail, enactment
Of more effective laws for the punish
ment of liquor dealers, and continue
ton of the investigation Of city affairs
BY the incoming grand jury, were rec
commended in the final report of the
jefferson county grand jury, submitted
to Judge H. p. Helm upon its adj
journmenf Saturday morning. The re-
mort in full was as follows:
| To the Honorable III. p. Helm, Judge
Of the Circuit Court of Tenth Judi
cial Circuit, Criminal Division
The grand jury that was organized
|, by your honor for service during the
March, 1924, has completed its labors
and stands adjourned subject to- your
approval.
The grand jury has been in session
i 10 days, during which time we have ex-
amined $40 witnesses and filed In
court 300 indictments on the true bills
which have been found, and the grand
jury found 70 no bills. There are AZ
unfinished cases on the docket.
investigations Made
In addition to examining witnesses
and finding the above bills, we have
made the following investigations
County Jail: The, county Jail is in
adequate in every respect. The light
ing system, ventilation and sanitation
is very poorl but the jail is kept as
clean as is possible, in so far as the
| facilities at hand win permit.
At the time Of our visit there were
| 225 prisoners in the Jail; white men
for state and government, 70; while fe-
males, state and government, A negro
| men, state and government, 128, and
negro women, state and government, IA.
Hillman Hospital: We recommend
that the board of revenue submit to the
public a bond issue for building a new
hospital large enough to take care Of
the present and future needs of the
county, and under no condition enter
tain the making of any contracts OF
agreements with any hospital or hos
pitfalls to take care of the overflow from
the .county's hospital.
| We further recommend that the
board of revenue carry out the recon-
mendations made by the former grand
jury, and especially those in regard To
| the heating, refrigeration and the hot
water system, and that these recon-
mendatiOns be taken care Of immedi-
ately.
Court House: The court house could
be kept in a much better condition than
| it is. The corridors and toilest are
very insanitary. The basement is filled
with trash and unsightly material
which blocks the passageway and
should be removed Immediately. This
passageway is also badly in need Of
extra lights, especially since one divi-
sion of the court of domestic relations
has been moved to the basement Of the
court house, as persons passing
through and also witnesses waiting on
the outside can hardly see their way in
| this hallway. We also recommend that
| the entrance to this passageway on
Twenty-first street side should be thor
oughly cleaned and disinfected, as there
is an awful odor in this entrance, and
if sufficient soap and water were used
this entrance could be made sanitary.
Court House Needed
As to the various offices visited by
the committee appointed by, the grand
| jury, we cannot speak too highly Of the
| officers in charge of these offices. We
examined all books and bonds and
found same to be in first-class condi-
ton.
New Court House: We heartily con-
cur with all concerned that a new
court house and county Jail are badly
needed and should be built ut the
earliest date possible, both for the con-
venience Of the public and employees,
as the present court house as it now
stands is overcrowded and insanitary.
The matter of building a new court
house should be submitted to the people
to decide in what manner it should be
built, on what site, and by bond or
otherwise.
Juvenile Court We found the condi.
tons at this place to be good, and we
concur in the recommendations of the
| former grand jury.
Rosedale Convict Camp: This camp
as whole is in good condition. How-
ever, we would recommend better bed
ding and that the convicts be made to
take care of same.
Trussville Convict Camp; The con-
dition at this camp is unusually good.
We found everything in first class con-
dition. The meals served were ade-
quate in every detail.
County Aims House The condi-
lions at this institution are good, and
we concur in the recommendations of
the former grand jury as to. the needed
repairs, some of which have been. made.
County Farm: Conditions through
out this camp are in fine shape, and we
are glad to commend those in charge
of this farm.
County Highway: Nothing could be
added to the report of the last grand
| jury relative to First avenue. The
county highways throughout the county
and those maintained by the county
in the city limits should be carefully
looked after and the necessary repairs
made that win protect the deterioration
of the road.
Liquor Condemned
Law Enforcement We desire to go
on record in no uncertain terms con-
demning liquor traffic and those enc
gagged in same, and we take this oc-
casion to call on. all law abiding ,citi-
zens to assist at every opportunity af-
fOrded to stamp it out.
We would call attention to the speed
ers both in the city and county, and
recommend that the proper authorities
use all forces possible at their COM
mand to put a stop to this practice
which is a menace to the entire p0pu-
lation Of both city and county.
We recommend that the commissioner
of public safety use every means at his
command to eliminate al houses Of