Room 109 initially had toilets and showers for male detainees. In 1912, a large restroom facility was built behind the barracks, making the indoor lavatories obsolete. Officials transformed this room into an additional dormitory for Chinese men. The Self-Governing Association, a mutual aid group run by Chinese immigrants, was known to hold its meetings in this room.

Before 1912, Rooms 109 and 111 were connected as one large lavatory. A partition wall was added during renovations, making room 111 a hallway between dormitories. During World War II, the room was repurposed as a high-security detention cell for prisoners of war.

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