Tompkins County Jail (1854-1933)

"In the Tompkins county jail, at Ithaca, there are eighteen cells, in which were confined eight males. There were no women at the time of my visit. The walls between the cells are of wood, while the outside walls are of stone-a singular circumstance. In the ceiling of each cell is an opening about an inch in diameter, placed there for ventilation; it is evident that if a good motive power of the air existed, these apertures would not suffice, but the absence of any such power renders all ventilation impracticable. The building is well located and well constructed, with the exception above noticed. No religious service is held even on the Sabbath."

Annual Report of the Executive Committee of the Prison Association of New York, 1864, 431, HathiTrust Digital Library, http://www.hathitrust.org

"TOMPKINS COUNTY JAIL AT ITHACA, N. Y.
On November 24, 1896, the county jail of Tompkins county at Ithaca, N. Y., was inspected. 
The jail is comparatively new, the whole inner portion consisting of steel and iron cells and cage having recently been put in, although the older outer walls of stone were still continued. 
The main part of the jail is a large iron-latticed cage on the ground floor inside a narrow alley or corridor running entirely around it next to the outer stone walls of the prison. The inner area of this cage is about 30 feet by 16, and upon each side of it is a row of cells-four cells on each side making eight cells. Five of these cells are double cells, that is, have two bunks in each, and, the other three are single ones, making room for 13 prisoners. The cells are large and well arranged, the double cells being 8 feet wide by 9 feet long, and the single cells 5 feet by 9, and there are a flush closet and wash basin permanently attached in each cell supplied with cold water from the city.
There is a bathroom with hot and cold water adjoining the jailer's corridor on this floor. The lighting is from windows in an upper story through an iron lattice work over the top of the cage. Gas is also used for lighting, and the heating is by steam. The ventilation is also very good, and the floor, which is of steel, is in good condition. There are iron cots or bunks in each cell supplied with blankets for bedding.
In this cage were 11 prisoners, 1 awaiting trial for a felony, 1 committed for non-support of his family, 1 under sentence for vagrancy, and 7 under sentence of from 15 to 30 days for intoxication, and 1 sentenced for 6 months.
On the second floor are two corridors. The west corridor or room contains two double steel cells like those below, with the same conveniences, provision for ventilation and heating.
The east corridor or room is like the prison for women, and is a duplicate of the west corridor or room, except that the cells are single. There is a bathroom here with hot and cold water, and cold running water with fixed basins in the corridors. There were no female prisoners and no debtors or detained witnesses.
The whole number of inmates on the day of inspection was 18. The average number is 15, and highest number is 24.
The board of supervisors contracts for the care of convicts sentenced for over 59 days in the Rochester Penitentiary. No work is at present provided for those retained in the jail."

Annual report of the State Commission of Prisons, New York, 1896, 112-113, HathiTrust Digital Library, http://www.hathitrust.org