The apartment at the western end of the City Building is constituted the City Jail. Every person sentenced to imprisonment for the violation of any ordinance of the City shall be confined to the jail, during the time for which such person is sentenced, except that when hard labor is part of the sentence, he shall be so confined when not engaged at hard labor, under the regulations therefor. The jail shall also be used as a station house or place in which to confine persons who are under arrest or detained for trial by the police. The jail may be used for any other proper and legal purpose.
(1949 Code § 56.2.)