The Daily Alaska Empire

Worth Repealing
(Anchorage News)
If it were not so apparent and so necessary, the
annual grand jury call for a new jail could become
tiresome, but this is a case that bears repeating as
often as an excuse can be found to repeat it.
The grand jurors have termed it among other
things "a disgrace to the community." To verify this
assertion one but has to stroll by the decrepit old
building on Third Avenue and F Street. It was among
the first Federal structures built in Anchorage. It is
all frame, tinder dry—a fine fire trap. It is dark and
dim and musty, and official reports are that the con-
ditions within the jail rooms themselves are far below
the standard for Federal penitentiaries.
No less than three escapes have been made during
the past four years, simply by pulling boards off the
floor or chiseling through the wall. The jail would
burn with lively gusto if some revenge-seeking prisoner
should decide to do away with himself and all his
fellow cellmates some night.
A wry paradox seems to exist in the case of the
Anchorage jail. Wherein the Federal government,
according to its own records, is in the midst of the
greatest spending spree in history but steadfastly re-
fused to even consider appropriating a few hundred
thousand dollars for so vital a project as the Anchorage
jail.
The grand jury has also commendably enough
advocated additional personnel, automotive equipment
and salary increases for U. S. Marshals in Alaska. The
Third Division staff is hopelessly undermanned and
overworked. It needs above all else, official trans-
portation. It is safe to say it is the only governmental
agency in Alaska which is not supplied with automo-
bile transportation. It is ridiculous and where the
fault lies we do not know. Every possible effort has been
exerted from this end, the U. S. Marshal himself hav-
ing taken the matter up with the highest authorities
on a recent trip to Washington.
It may seem fruitless repetition for the same re-
port to come each year from the grand jury, but it ap-
pears that no other method than constant ham-
mering is going to bring results. Like the constant
dripping against the dike, something—or someone—
bound to give in to the plight of the Anchorage Fed-
eral jail and Marshal's office if it is repeated
enough times.