The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1925-11-12
Local NesCS on Five
Pages of This Issue
A DISGRACE TO
LAMBERTVILLE
City Jail Like An Ancient
Dungeon-Filthy And
Unheated

Lambertville-The New Jersey De.
partment of Institutions and Agen,
cies recently condemned the County
all at Pennington, and as result
I he Freeholders are forced to builC
G new jail at great expense to the
county. Numerous complaints have
: cen made to the RECORD against
ne Lambertville Jail, and it is point
ID out that if something isn't done
10 relieve the conditions the City i,
likely to be forced to build new
me.
In this connection Commissioner
Iayhurst reported to the BoarC
Ionday night as follows:
81 have been trying to find stove
uitable and safe for the city jail
md / hope | am now on track OF
finding such stove.
But ON recent visit to the jail
found:
The outside door unlocked with
paddock hanging loose on the staple
All of the padlocks on cells had beer
tampered with, two of them mis-
sing. Not cell in the building thai
could be locked.
| had some junk and lumber stor.
ed in the building, all of which hac
disappeared.
| have frequently called your at.
tention to the condition and care Of
the jail and unless the Mayor car
make some arrangements with his
officers having custody of the keys
so that building can be properly
cared for, shall have nothing more
to do with it."
Fortunately the Lambertville Jai
is seldom used. When it is used, il
is only for a short time. But thai
is no excuse for maintaining nui
sance in these days of civilized en-
lightenment There has been stow
in the jail that looks like it cam,
from Joe Finkle's junk yard, but /
is absolutely worthless. Recently thu
City Commissioners authorized thu
purchase of a new stove, but evi
IDENTIFY this hasn't been installed yet
Mayor Moonan was spoken Il
about the matter, and he agreed
that it is a shame to lock a MAJ
up in the building in it's unclean con
dition and without heat. A mai
would die from exposure there il
severely cold weather. But at tn
same time the Mayor argued tina
it is useless expense to spen'
money on the building when it onl!
gives temporary relief, and its iso
lated location makes it hard to keel
clean unless regular janitor il
hired for such purpose. And o.
course this would be an unjustifieC
expense considering the use made OF
the Jail
ADVOCATES A CITY HALL WITH
JAIL IN CELLAR
Mayor Moonan went on to say
that the only real relief would be
to build modern city building or
the York street property in which
the Library could be Accommodated
together with the Commissioners Of
fees and court room, and have the
Jail in the cellar. He said that sever.
al years ago when a soldiers mem
orial was being considered he hac
advocated such building as a prac-
teal memorial to local boys who
went into service.
He points out that the city prop
erety on York street is admirably
situated for such a building, being
about 100 by $50 in size. The struc-
ture could be made an architectural
improvement to the community, set
ting back from the street so that
the spacious lawn in front could
still be retained. And as the voters
have Just approved municipal man
agement of the Library, this could
be housed in the same building with
ample quarters to make it credit
to the city.
Perhaps it would be a blessing
in disguise if State Authorities con
demned the present Jail building ard
then perhaps it might prccipitat-
the erection of a complete building
to house all the city's affairs. No
other city in the State Of New
Jersey with like population is With
out its municipal building, and it is
time local residents consider this
shortening.