Evening star., 1926-03-09
NEW WING TO JAIL
TO 0H0USE zoo MEN
IS URGED BY PEAK
Two-Story Addition Would
Give Permanent Relief,
He Tells City Heads.

Erection of two-story brick addi-
ton to the present District jail build
ing was recommended to the District
Commissioners today by Maj. w. L.
Peak. superintendent. as a means OF
remedying the congested conditions
exposed in The Star Sunday by Pete
Martin
Mai. Peak said the addition should
he designed as a dormitory to accom-
modste at least 200 prisoners. With
these additional facilities, he explain
relieved indefi nitely.
The increase in the Jail population
in the last five years was stressed by
Maj. Peak. In 1921. he said. there was
daily average of 243 prisoners. while
the average now is 424. The rapid
growth OF the city and the enactment
of new laws. he told the Commission
ers. has convinced him that there will
not be any decrease in the jail popu-
lation in the future, making increased
facilities absolutely essential.
Will Consider Plan.
Commissioner Cuno H. Rudolph,
chairman of the Board of Commission
ers. who has jurisdiction over the Dis
trict Jail, indicated that he was i'm.
pressed deeply with Maj. Peaks rec
concentrations and said he would refer
them to the other two Commissioners
for consideration when the next semi.
weekly board meeting Is held Friday.
II Is likely that Congress will he urged
to provide funds for the addition In a
special emergency appropriation. pro-
vided the cost of the building does
not conflict with President Coolidge's S
financial program.
Based on the recommendations Of
Maj. Peak to the District Commits
sioners and on an authoritative esti-
mate of cost. Representative Mcleod.
Republican. of Michigan today intro
duced in the House bill authorizing
erection of new wing to take care
of transient cases. mostly drunks. in
the District JaIl. relieving overcrowd-
ed and insanitary conditions, as ex-
posed by Pete Martin
An effort will he made by Mr. Nc
Leod to get action on this bill by the
House District committee at it's regu-
lar meeting tomorrow.
Zihlman Seeks Estimate.
In the meantime. Chairman Zihl-
man has written to the District Com
missioners asking them to transmit.
first. an official copy of the recon-
mendations made by Maj. Peak and.
second. an estimate of cost of an ad-
dition to the jail sufficiently large to
remedy the overcrowded and insani.
tary condition.
Steps should he taken without de-
lay to improve conditions under
which it is necessary to quarter pris-
oners at the District Jail, in the opin-
ion of Senator Capper. chairman of
the District committee. Senator Cap
per said it appeared from reading of
the situation that the remedy is a
matter of appropriation to provide
more space.
1T is apparent" Senator Capper
| said. that the present Jail was not
designed to handle the number of
prisoners now being received there
The city has outgrown the present
institution"
Senator Capper said he was greatly
interested in the presentation Of the
existing situation at the Jail, and that
he felt it should be corrected. The
committee of which Senator Capper
is chairman deals with legislation for
the District. and any appropriation
that would he necessary would have
to be handled through the District
subcommittee of the appropriations
committee.
Senator King of Utah declared to-
day he would ask the Senate District
committee at its next meeting to in
ouire into the situation at the jail.
Senator King also made known his
intention of paying a personal visit
to the Jail AS soon as he has an oppor-
tunity.
Il was somewhat shocked by the
account of conditions at the institu-
tion," the Senator said, "and | shall
ask the committee to make inquiry
into them. I also propose to inspect
the Jail myself"
Would Improve Sanitation.
The Senator indicated he was es-
pecially interested in improving sani-
tary conditions under which prisoners
are quartered.
Mai. Peak accompanied his recon-
mendations with a separate report Of
the visit of The Stars bum" investi-
gator at the Jail. The report follows:
Feeling that should make a
statement in defense of this institution