About jails having domestic refuse patterns:  Let's not forget that often,
county jails were also the home to the jailors and  their families.  If
anyone is interested, I'm included below two descriptions of county jails in
Dallas County Alabama (1823 & 1858) taken from old newspaper accounts.  The
later clearly indicates that the jailors family lived on the first floor of
the jail.  Also, a cousin of mine (aged about 55 yrs) herself grew up in the
in the Bibb County Alabama jail because her father was the jailor.

SEE BELOW FOR NEWSPAPER ACCOUNTS OF JAILS - I was particularly fascinated by
the archaeological implications of walls and ceilings being "well spiked"
and "filled with large nails."


Linda Derry, Director
Old Cahawba - AHC
719 Tremont St.
Selma, AL 36701 - 5446
phone: 334/875-2529
Fax: 334/877-4253
email: [log in to unmask]



CAHAWBA PRESS   APRIL 12, 1823
NOTICE
Sealed proposals will be received at the clerk's office of the county court
of Dallas until the 1st day of May next, for building a Jail in the town of
Cahawba of  the following materials and dimensions, to wit: forty feet long,
twenty feet wide, two stories high; the first story nine feet in the clear,
the second eight feet, to be made of well burnt bricks, the walls at least
two feet thick ; two partition walls below  and two above of brick of the
same thickness, and one partition wall of oak above, between the criminals
rooms, one foot thick - the lower floors to be laid with one and a half inch
pine plank on strong sleepers the rooms below to be ceiled entire with pine
plank, the second floor to be laid with oak timbers at least ten inches
thick, tried up close together and crossed layed with one and a half inch
oak plank, well spiked,; the third floor on which the roof rest to be made
of oak timbers least ten inches thick and tried up as the second floor; the
rooms of the second story to be ceiled entire with two inch oak plank, the
debtors room to be well spiked; the ceiling of the criminals room to be also
well spiked, then filled with large nails two inches apart and lined with
sheet iron put on with spikes.  the windows in the debtors room to be single
grated, and those of the criminals double grated; the door to debtors and
criminals rooms to be made of oak plank, one half inch thick, double and
crossed to be filled thickly with large nails and covered on the inside with
sheet iron spiked on, and to be well supplied with locks, bars, hinges and
bolts.  Three strong batten doors in the lower story, and one pannel door in
front; six windows in the lower story, fifteen lights each glazed complete;
one chimney with two fire places; a shingled roof of best materials; the
whole of the work to be made of the best materials and in a workman like
manner, and completed by the 25th day of Dec. next.  Bond with approved
security will be required of the undertaker for a faithful performance of
the work, and it is expected of those who make proposals to name their
securities.   As soon as a contract is entered into and bond given, an order
will be drawn in favor of the undertaker on the County Treasurer for five
hundred dollars; a second order will be drawn in their favor when the first
set of sleepers are put on;  a third order when the second floor joints are
put on;  a fourth when the building is inclosed, and so on to su[   ]
conveniencey of the undertaker if he should be progressing agreeable to
contract.  A plan of the building is deposited in the clerk's office to
which persons disposed to undertake are referred.  The Commissioners wish it
distinctly understood that in making the contract for building the Jail they
are not to be considered individually responsible for any part of the money.
THE COMMISSIONERS  Cahawba, April 12

===================

DALLAS GAZETTE          JUNE 26, 1857
Attempt to Break Jail

        The Slave Peas who is confined to our jail charged with arson and burglary
attempted to break jail last Saturday night.  He sawed through two bars of
iron, half an inch thick and 2 or 3 inches wide, besides sawing through
several bolts, taps or screws.  All this was done with an old case knife
hacked into a sort of saw.  This is the second attempt he had made to
escape.
        Mr. Comalander, the Jailer returned home from Montgomery last Saturday
night, about 12 o'clock.  Immediately after his arrival, his wife informed
him that there was something wrong going on among the prisoners upstairs as
she had heard a sound like sawing or filing. Our friend Jesse listened and
heard the same sound.  He took his double barrel gun and watched on the
outside of the jail until next morning when he made an examination and found
that Pleas had made the noise heard by his wife and himself.  Pleas says the
tool he used was given to him by a prisoner who was bailed out a few weeks
since.  He is now ironed.