Sabinal #1
This building is located on private property in downtown Sabinal. According to Rose del Bosque at the Sabinal Chamber of Commerce, this is the first documented jail in town. The construction methods consisted of erecting a wooden shell on a cement foundation and covering it with milled boards approximately one foot wide and one-half inch thick. They were attached using wire nails. The walls and roof were covered with tin. The single door is made from strap iron that was cold riveted (see image below). The door is 31″ by 78″ in size. At one time there may have been a second door that protected the inside from the elements but it is no longer present.
This jail was measured with a tape and found to be 14′ wide on the sides and 20′ long across the front and back (280 square feet). Other than the door, the only source of light and ventilation are the two windows, one on each side. They are 2′ wide and 3′ tall. Each window was covered with a wooden door that could be shut to keep out rain and cold air. It is in poor condition and at the time of my visit, it was being used for storage. According to ______. there were two freestanding metal cells inside. That statement describes this calaboose as conforming to Floor Plan 2i (see Floor Plans). This structure has not been recorded at TARL as a historic site.
Sabinal #2
This calaboose is located behind City Hall in Sabinal at 501 North Center Street. It is a one-story building made from concrete blocks resting on a poured in place concrete foundation. Concrete was also poured over a wooden form to create the roof. The interior consists of small open area facing two cells made from strap iron. In Uvalde, these cells were in the basement of city hall. When that building was demolished, the cells were brought to Sabinal in ____. The concrete building was constructed in Sabinal to house the metal cells that were manufactured by The Stewart Iron Works Company of Cincinnati, Ohio.
Entry is through a metal door with bars (34″ x 80′) with a small window (14″ x 19″) protected by seven round metal bars placed vertically and there is heavy wire mesh behind the bars. There is a round metal pipe attached to the door that covers the lock. This could have been put there to make it impossible for prisoners to reach through the windows and unlock the door. There is one window for each cell and they are located on the sides. The windows were measured at _________”. The calaboose is 18′ x 18′ in size (324 square feet) and 8′ high. Each Each cell has a bed, toilet, and sink. The toilet and sink were added after the move. This structure conforms to Floor Plan 2c (See Floor Plans).
The two cells consist of a metal cages that were probably shipped from the manufacturer in pieces and assembled at its arrival point. These cells were placed on a foundation and the walls and ceiling were built around them. There is a narrow area in front of the cells that was used by the local Constable and his wooden desk is still in place. There is a narrow area to the left of the cells that is 31″ wide. There is also a very narrow space behind the cells but the width was not measured. A fuse box and metal conduit for wire is attached to the front. Electricity was also added after it arrived in Sabinal. The front door and strap iron cells were manufactured in 1898 by Stewart Iron Works of Cincinnati, Ohio. According to Rose del Bosque at the Sabinal Chamber of Commerce, this structure was used as a jail until sometime in the 1970s or 1980s. The Chief of Police in Sabinal in the 1950s was Red Houston. At the time of my visit, it was being used for storage. This structure has been recorded at TARL as historic site 41UV504.
