New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-03-03
BLACKFVELES ISLAND.
easement.

w. T.
SIR: Ten wears since number OF public-spfited
gentlemen convened for the purpose of framing law
for the better government of the AlmshOuse Depart
ment.
The Convention succeeded in framing law, and
presented it to the Legislature for their adoption The
principles of the law were as follows: That five MEM
bers of each of The then existing parties should COM
pose Board of Ten Governors, for the better admin
istraon Of the Alnshouss Department, and that one
member from each party should retire every year, and
new members be elected by the people,
One great and salutsry feature in the law was,
that the Wardens of the Amshouse Penitent ary and
Workhouse, should have the power to appoint and
discharge their subordinate officers with the exception
of the Clerk Of each Institution. But 70 far this rre
now reversed that they dare not remove or appoint an
officer, however incompetent without bringing down
the vengeance Of come Of the Governors. Officers are
now removed from petitions they have held as War
dens to subordinate positions, and for no assignsbe
reason being complete bargain and sale by the mem
bers of the Board, the equilibrium OF the Board being
entirely destroyed The fact is thai the "afdens are
mere automatons in the hands Of the Governors and
Instruments Of the will.
The law says that no Governor shall be engaged in
the furnishing Of articles of any kind to the several
departments. lnere Is 2OOu retsOn 10 DeHefS Illfe
this provision is virtually set aside. The law never
contemplated that any Of the Governors should appro
prate carriages for any other than legitimate purposes
never intended that the Institutions on the Islands
thould be turned into hotels and restaurants, bae
chanslan fsasts THERE'S good ground for a belief
that these intentions wholly disregarded.
Rsndals Island should be separated from Black
Wells Island One Warden SHOULD be appointed for
-
dens to the Aims House, Work. Heuse snd Peniten-
tary. The number Of Commissioners should be re-
aused to three or five, with uAicen. salary, and
they should be appointed by the Board of Supervisors
and not elected
The number of officers may be materially decreased
in all the departments by judieiOus management.
Now they increased, removed and shifted from
post TO pillar in order to suit the whim Of any Gov
ernor or any outside fiends-appointed to fill places
they are entirely unfit for, and when appointed, bid
the Warden defiance, entirely subyersive Of al order
or discipline.
There should be more attention paid to the appoint
Inent Of officers. Under the present system, men are
appointed for their political aeryices-sOme of them but
grade above the inmates they placed over, and
some Of them not equal to Of the inmates under
their charge. 1t is VIGOROUSLY known that one Of the
Waidens has been caught in criminal connection with
ono or more prostitutes under his charge. 1t is also
well known that the Governors have compromised
cares OF bastardy in the of subordinate officers
who have had children sworn to them by prostitutes
under their charge, and they still retained in office
They now keep rum shop at every institution on
the islands, and at their Office in the Rotunda, where
the best of liquor is dspensed to their friends at the
public expense, also CIGARS and in the Summer and
Fsinnumerable dinner parties numbering from five to
forty persons.
The boats, with their crews &C imposed Of inmates Of
Workhouse and Penitentiary have been taken at
night and parties taken to the Hi Oh Bridge and kept
out until and o'clock in the morning, and then re-
turning, stopping at the Island and making night hide
out-watng up the inmates ard disturbing the peace
of the whole institution; and the boys have been
taken from the nursery at night with their drum and
fife to perambulae the Twelfth Ward for the beneth
Of political candidates
Governors are now paying 800 per month extra for
bread when there is existing necessity, beng dany
supplied with good bread from the bake house on
Blaekwells Island.
They are paving A. 900 yearly for milk for the nur
series alone on Randas Island whereas, by aJudcious
M NAG ment OF cows to be kept the leland, avery
large amount of money might be saved
There il general apathy on the part OF the Govern
or in regard TO the management of the var ous msti-
stutions--vistng them bat seldom and when they do,
nav no attention 10 what is essential and necessary
The Institutions are now in fact taking care OF them
selves.
The time has arrived when the present system should
he amended. and honorable and high-minded mea
should be put in those pa,es-those who will pay
more attention to their legitimate business and less TO
drinking and caIouiiDg.
All the institutions Of Importance are no ia the