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Taylor County, Iowa History 1881 by Lyman
Evans
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(transcribed by Linda Kestner:
lfkestner3@msn.com)
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COUNTY JAIL
(Page 433)
The criminal list of this county has been fairly large, and for
many years prior to the building of the old jail it was customary to
take the prisoners and incarcerate them in the jails of other counties.
It is a fact that Taylor county has, of all its neighbors, been the
last to move in matters of this nature, and then only when absolutely
imperative, and delay was criminal.
The first movement seems to have been, according to the records,
in the June session of the board of supervisors for 1874. It was
then
Resolved, That D. B. Hoover, together with the auditor, be empowered
to ascertain the cost of erecting a building on the southeast corner
of the public square, 20 x 24 feet, and two stories high, the lower
part to have two cells, 10 x 12 feet, to be cased with iron, to be used
as a jail, and if the probable cost, completed including ironing and
foundation, will not exceed $1,200, that they proceed to let the contract
for the erection of said building.
This resolution was adopted, and the jail built. Further
information than this is not attainable.
Subsequently it was deemed necessary to build another jail and
measures were accordingly taken in 1880. The report of the committee
in the jail matter bears the date of January, 1881, having been made
to the board (page 434) of supervisors during the session of that month.
Following is the report:
On the 17th of September the committee contracted with P. J. Pauly
& Bro., through their agents, Blackmar, Dorr & Co., for two
steel-clad cells; also an iron outside door and window guards, the cost
of same to be $3,815.
December 18th the committee met, and after a careful examination
of the jail cells, they were accepted, and the contract price - $3,815
- was paid to Blackmar, Dorr & Co., agents of said P. J. Pauly &
Bro. In addition to the foregoing there has been $14 freight paid
for window guards and outside door, making a total cost of the iron
work on jail and cells of $3,829.
On October 9th the committee met and contracted with Harley Greenlee
to build a jail building for the sum of $750, all of which is respectfully
submitted.
W. P. Sherwood, Chairman Building Committee.
And so was completed the present building. It is suited
to the needs of the county, and the iron cells will endure for many
years.
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