The New York herald., 1845-02-28

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Another Grand Scheme OF "Native' job
bling and Expenditure.
Many of the good people Of this city have in
nocenlly imagined that the saints in the Ccrpo-
ration have had so brief period for obtaining
perience in corruption and Jobbing, as to be una.
bic TO compete with their predecessors in the mag.
nlticence and boldness of their operations the
public. But we must say that they have of late
been furnishing US with pretty satisfactory illus
tratlons OF their capabilities in this way. The
increase of the taxes to the tune of $3.50, ,OO0the
famous coil contract"-and the handsome lar.
gesses to the auctioneers-o We think, to open
the eyes of the community to the merits of this
worthy, reforming, pious, pure, and economical
Corporation. We have been observing their move
ments of late with some attention, and we are now
enabled present the full details of the grandest
project which they have yet attempted, by which
the city would be saddled with debt of probably
nearly half million of dollars, and the en;erpri-
sing Spectators rewarded in still more munfcent
manner than the Wall street auctoneers
This party in the Common Council, has, it ap-
pears, determined to erect upon Randall's Island,
at enormous expense, a stupendous Almshouse,
seven hundred feet long, exclusive of wings, and
from three to four stories high, together with a
building for pauper children called nurseries. p
This island, it is worthy OF remark, in the first
place, illustrative of the judgment of these re-
formers is not, by any means, SO eligible as Black
wells Island, for the purpose, either in point OF
health or economy, important requisites in pau
per establishment, it being indented by large
swamps, which, 1t is said, have always made 1t un-
healthy, while its situation is such to render il
unapproachable during the greater part Of the win
ter, from the barriers of ice in the surrounding
channels. From this cause, and from it's remote
ness from Blackwell's Island, the location of the
other establishment under the supervision OF the
Almshouse Commissioners, the greater portion Of
the time Of the Commissioners and other principal
officers would be consumed in passing from one
island to the other, as it Is now, between the pre-
sent establishments, to the manifest injury OF all
discipline and improvement, unless, indeed, two
gets of officers intended, an alternative equally
to be avoided. The grand object to be gained by
the removal OF the present Amshouse should b.
the concentration of all Of the pauper establish
ments upon one island. Blackweli's Island pos
sesses all the requisite accommodations for this
purpose, it being mile and three quarters long,
by from four hundred feet to eight hundred feet
broad, and containing hundred and twenty
acres of land, margned by two rapid streams III
the direction of its length, affording facility OF
division among the several departments, and at all
points free circulation of air. The Almshouse
Commissioners in the spring of 1S43, recommend.
ed the island to be divided into three parts for the
accommodation of the several institutions. The
norhery portion to be appropriated to the Lunatic
Asylurn-the southerly portion to the Pententiary,
and the middle and much the larger portion, to the
Almshouse proper. The grounds of each to be
separated by substantial wall, extending across
the entire width of the island, which would
prove as effective as If river intervened.-
The adaptation OF such plan would not only les
sen the annual expense and the labors of the COM
missioners and Others In supervising the establish
ments but also the cost OF erecting the necessary
buildings. The expense Of transportation of stone
to Randas Island, would be avoided, and the pri
son labor rendered productive IN the erection OF
the buildings, whereby the larger proportion of the
contemplated expenditure upon Randall's Island
would be saved.
But the present Common Council, the majority
of which "came into office pledged to reform, y
wards OF $780, 600 in the erection of the said build
ings bylconracts, to the exclusion of prison labor
and even of the Blackwell's Island stone, if we
may Judge from one of their specifications. To OBJ
tain the means of carrying on the work, they have
directed application to be made to the Legislature
TO fund $780, 900 payable several years hence the
balance be raised in part by tax, and in part by
the sale OF the present nurseries and the Long Is
land farms, which they say has not been appropria-
ted to the sinking fund. In the meantime, com
mtee has been authorised to proceed to carry into
effect the several resolutions passed by the Common
Council to erect these buildings, without any esli.
mate of their supposed cost, or plans of the build
ings being submitted. A contract for the "nur-
series" exceeding $4,000 in amount has been
made without any appropriation or provision being
made TO defray the expense-and proposals for the
building of the Alms-house have been invited I'LL
the 4th of March, when it is said the contract will
be made
Neither the committee nor the Common Council
have any authority to make these contracts, with
out provision for their payment being first made,
nor can they legally borrow money the credit of
the city, for the purpose, without the authority OF
the Legislature such contracts or loans will prove
invalid, if their successors should think proper,
they undoubtedly will, to repudiate them. The
19.h section of the amended charter is conclusive
on these points.
The Corporation has not yet received authority
to levy tax for the revenue OF 1S45 Suppose the
application to fund $4,000 for the purpose OF COM
pletlog these contracts should be opposed by our
citizens, as II no doubt will be- and rejected by the
Legislature as wanton extravaganza, who is TO
stand in the gap for the contracts thus illegally
made, but the members Of the committee, in the r
individual capacity; they having proceeded with
out authority, and in direct violation of the charter
which they have sworn to support The conrac
tors, as well as those loaniDg the money for the Sc
objects, must, OF course, look to the several me m
beTs Of the joint committee, and to them only, for
Ladreaa Wha1 ahicnt tho