East Cell Block

East Cell Block. . The East Cell Block is 6 tiers high and constructed completely of steel. It is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's largest free-standing steel cell block, meaning that it is not connected to any outside wall. There are 50 cells to a range, 2 ranges per tier. The cells measure 7'x9' and holds two men to a cell for a combined total of 1,200 men. , The cell at the end of each range was a guard's room and housed the door closing mechanism. Each cell had a metal ticket on the rack. Pulling the lever would release all of the tickets and cell doors at one time. The doors opened or closed by turning the crank, which drove chains the length of the range. The system although antique now, was state-of-the-art in the 1950's. , Some of the inmates liked to play a game of chicken with the closing of the doors. Once an inmate lost the game by getting his head caught and crushed. , At the center of each tier is a door that opens to the alley. The alley contains all of the utilities for the cells. Sometimes prisoners misbehaved and flooded their cells. Guards could go back in the alley and shut off the water. At times the guards would go in the alley to listen to prisoners' conversations through the vents in the cells to see if they were up to something. Once each shift, a guard was required to walk the length of the alleys down narrow catwalks. , It is said that the vent at the back of the cell was like a local telephone exchange. If you stood on the toilet and cupped your hands over the vent, you could talk with someone several cells away. However it was a party line, and there was a lot of interference. , On your walk around this cell block, try to imagine yourself, one other person, a desk, a stool, two foot lockers, and two bunks in each cell. , Better yet, step inside.