The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-10-14
Visit to Blackwel1's Island.
NTrR KsTIN0 SKETCH OF WHAT WAS SEEN.


island huggng the shore to avoid the force OF the food
The old East river quietly rolling between its beautiful
banks and washing every few yards distance, some
substantial evidence Of urban life looked like one
the poetic rivers Of Europe than Of the sea in
this land OF gigantic proportions and mammoth growhs
One could have heard it called the Saone Loire without
much surprise.
few minutes pull and we land the island. Every
body-or at least everybody who has got drunk in the
streets been to Boston, stolen Observation-Disclosures
that there five public institutions the island I'M
der one head-the Ten Governors Of the Almshouse.
The first of these-taking them in geographical ORDER
beginning at the southwest ends the Penitenary Hos
pial. Further westward the point Of the island,
stands handsome halfanished edifce-constructed Of
stone quarred by prsoners-which is to be smallpox
hospita but there patients in it, nor windows
nor DOORS it need not detain Beyond the Peniten-
tiay Hospital the Pententiary stretches many rooa
and beyond this again the Ashouses pale md TO-
male. Then the workhouse, and lastly, at the
northeastern end Of the island stand the Lunatc Ay-
lum aid the grimy barred Hadhouse In these five es-
Establishments dwell, fair average, 500 OF Gods
creatures to wt:-rogues fools, crppies and prosti-
tutes.
In the Penitentiary Hospital, the first building
visited there 800 patients Of these, usual 233
females. We presume that the public is aware that
this hospital Ia the only where street
walker obtain medical treatment gratutously 1t Is
the refuge the natural home Of the Cypran II is here
she loses the last relic OF vlrtue IN ne yOutn ~ oIttn
here she dies in her premature old age Like the st.
Iazare of Paris and the Old Compiler OF London the
island Is bourn which these fail daughters OF Eve
first dread then hope for and lastly regard with some
thing Of the affection inspired BY quiet home. Poor
creatures Even into this awful place admission can
ed By the nsme e hospital is and the young
grl resOlutey makes her mind for the rst time to
seek refuge there she discovers that the law Of this
Christian land closes the door upon her unless she be
criminal az well unfortunate She must be thief as
well prostitute to obtain admission. She may be on
the verge OF death; fendless homeless and-or such
a thing may be- as the hospital wards prove-stan-
she cannot enter that hospital unless she break some
other law than the which prohibits dsorderly living.
Hence 1t happens that as in London, where poor crea-
in the like break window in order to OBJ
tain the necessary relief Of OF medical treatment
the class here 60 before magistrate and confess
themselves guilty of imaginary offence in order to
be committed These are known, in the dialect OF the
hospital, as the 'self-committed cases."
According to the report Of last year. only IL cent
of the total number Of patients court prisoners
The rest il is fair TO infer were with few exceptions
son in the hope OF obtaining medical treatment. Is it
not burning shame that these women, who-for the
matter of honestymay have been as honest the judge
on the bench or the parson in the pulpit should be COM
PEELED by law to obtain condemnation to peniten
tary before they enter hospital and herd with the
pckpocket and the thief in order under the eye
Of doctorp pretty thing for vaingorious writer's to
boast about that in this country the law provides relief
for the fon but none for the honest cares wisely for
the pains of the wretch who has lived by stealing but
has compassion for the poor creature whose only fault
has been weakness olly glorious reflection to think
rupinr the mind and that the price paid by diseased
child for medical attendance in public institution is the
total ruin of her morals by association with the most de-
PRAYED OF her sex
Some day, perhaps, these things will be reformed and
diseasenot will be the only condition required
pta Reform is already at work Two years ago there
ventilation In the hospital and the consequence
that in bad weather. when the windows could not be
opened the atmosphere Of the wards alone sufficient
to couneract any medical treatment. Now, thanks to
the energy and ability Of Messrs Temann and Draper,
committee of the Board Of Ten Governors complete and
scientific system Of ventilation has been introduced
throughout the building. In the upper story of each
wing reproof has been constructed, terminal
ing above the roof Of the building in lofty perforated
shaft; within this chamber burns furnace day and
night From 1t network Of pipes communicates to every
corner of the hospital The heat of the furnace draws
the foul air from the tubes and its specific gravity
carries IL of.
Two years ago. the drainage imperfect that the
or If they were carried down. were punctualy brought
back by the tide Now, Large and properly built
small Niagara can be forced through them from The tanks
the top OF the building. The effect of these two inn
that in the most crowded ward the air is
as pure as in any Office in this city In new and de-
tached building, q very large steam boiler has been
placed and adjoining two steam pumps of the most
approved construction and Of almost fabulous power
tanks in the main hospital for the purpose of completely
flooding the and closets at stated intervals and
baths scattered through the wards and for
flooding the hospital in Of fire. The cooking and
washing arrangements all new and very well cOntrlved
in the same building the boiler and machinery.
Another laudabe novelty in the Penitentiary hospital
is the system Of recording the business Of the ins
VIM W. Sanger The statistics collected in this depart
ment-which show the age, calling nativity habits,
diiion and even the size Of patient
connected with the subject Of vagrancy Not the least
Of the services they have rendered already is the proving
mails received on the iand are foreigners and seventy
per cent Of these Irish.
Altogether the hospital looks very different from the
establishment used to The grounds cleaned
up, and kept In ORDER The garden is neat Everything
looks clean and the patients have nothing repusve
about them. Those who recolec the old Penitentary
hospital could not visit 1t without paying high t
butte to the resident physician Dr. Sanger and to the
committee of the Ten Governors who it in charge
In passing from the Hospital to the other buildings
noticed with some surprise that though the prisoners
seemed to about the island in perfect freedom and
swimmer need be afraid Of trying to there
guards TO be We inquired from cicr0ne how
they dispensed with so necessary class of officials The
question seemed TO strike companion entirely
one. He puzzled, and remained silent for few
moments then he observed mildly:
" There two guards-one each side the island
armed with muskets.v
We Observed as gently as we could, that wouldnt
mind for consideration letting man have shot at
from half the distance between the spot where the
men were at work and the guards post. And we in
quired whether the shooting pretty brisk and the
friend replied that he never heard Of their shootn
any one nor indeed was he quite certain their muke'
were loaded He supposed It the moral effect of their
which restrained the prisoners from escaping
This was indeed triumph Of moral force, and we pro
missed ourselves to visit the guards to
selves whether there anything unusually imposing in
their aspect or their costume.
Passing along TO the place where the prison
ers were busy digging out reservoir under the eyes of
the warden and several keepers turkeys They
in fine condition and looked healthy 1t dill strike
that their movements slow and that they did moi
ostle each other any risk Of damaging the pen
teniiary clothing by indecent haste exertion.
We inquired of our companion how long they worked.
He said they began at In the morning and wrought
till twelve; went to work again at one and wrought till
hafpast five-a together nine hours and . half ODD,
thought that the starving mechanics and paupers Of
Great Britain and parts Of the United States should have
rsked their lives in endeavorng to the passage
OF law which should limit their daily toll TO ten hours
while these stout burly fellows only required TO labor
nine and half
We went on, and entered the building. Each man has
his own cell-an airy cool place in summer, and com
lorably warmed in winter The bed such doctor
would prescribe for his patentthe clothing clean and
suitable Opposite the cells stood the dinner table. We
inquired whis the usual fare of the prisonersY
''Ohl'' said guide 'they have salt meat one
day and fresh the next-poor fellowsl'
We pitied them from the bottom OF hearts Warmly
lodged clesny clad, gently worked, compelled TO lead
a.,.tn. I'd