La Plata

According to a sign on the cage, it was built in 1890 and placed in the county’s first jail in La-Plata, the first county seat of Deaf Smith County.  When Hereford became the county seat in 1898, this cage was moved there and placed in the new town jail.  This structure is made of steel plates and the square holes that provide light and ventilation were punched out by a specialized machine.  Other cages of similar construction are in Asherton, Athens, Dessau, Leakey, Lockhart, and Teague.  The side and back walls are solid metal.  A large metal box on one corner contained levers that operated the doors.  This box is similar to one on a tiny jail in Beeville.  That box was manufactured by the J. Pauly Company in St. Louis.