The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-01-03
as win protect life and prcYBH'

u prohaeIe that some ainendme of the police &C, -
this regard viii be required ~ we. as M respect 70 tue
power OF compelling the Of tbs expenses oi Pnr
4 ng tenement houses, and also IA other matters 81
details. The report of the Comm issoners, when
II be duly submitted 10 you, contains much hoitll.
formation as well rs many valuable suggestions aud
commentators affecting the pubic welfare, aad com
mend II your most serious and careful attention.
The BOARD OF Commissioners Of Pilots have continued
during the past year TO discharge the duties imposed on
them although the Legislature OF last wintsr m.ae no
provision Tor the expenses incident thereto. The neoss
ty OF oecng the wharves and piers Of New York from
encunbrsnce, and the waters OF the hsrbor
from cncroachmeut is too obvious To require argument
The vigilance Of the Commissioners has prevented, TO
great extent the practice OF throwing forbidden articles
into the waters, the improper discharge of
Goes and encunbering Of the wharyes and piers.
They have caused the removal OF several suiken ves
ses which have endangered navigation But among the
meet important of the Board has been the removal
Of portion OF pier number afty North river, which
extended twenty nne and half feet beyond the pier
line fixed by law and constructed after the line
established Great credit ia due to the Commits
sioners for the prompt efficient ed fearless manner in
which they have discharged the responsible duties de-
yolvng upon them in procuring from the courts per
petual injunction rcst aiming the completion Of the unin
ished pier south OF pier number North river An
appropriation should be made for the proper charges Of
the Commissioners.
Chapter $40 of the Of 1860 the city of
New York the Depar ment OF Public Charities and Cor
recton and abolished the almsbouse department. The
Commissioners four in number appointed by the Comp
troler 81 that city, have reogauzed me establishments
under their charge. They recommend several amend
ments TO the laws enable them ehectuSy 70 ae
compish the objects OF their appointment II II claimed
ration Of those laws which except tho county OF New
York from q dstribuve share of the commute
ton moneys paid by ship owners, masters or con.
sgnees, although that county is obliged, like all the
others support its share of the foreign poor and that
exemptng the Commissioners of Emigration from sup.
porting those persons passengers who have been alb
sent from the state than year, the county OF
New York, for obvious reasons, becomes unsty bur-
dened Under the present system of commitments by
the police courts 10 the institutions Backwells ISL
and ntoxcaton the Fame party may be, and ofton
is, committed hiy and in some instances seveatynve
hrtnI pt
offender from Two TO ten days, period just long
enough to enable him TO rest In his revoia-
tons, recover his sobriety, partake or the
bosptalities OF the prison. aud then so iorth certain
only 10 gravate again 70 his friendly quarters. Although
fully OF the vagrant character OF many OF the
peraons frequently seteneed by them the police roa
gistrates have power TO commit for vagrancy an Of
fence not proven indeed even alleged, against those
SO regularly brought before their courts conviction
this charge would procure for these persons much
longer sentences and would In great measure to
cure the evil complained Of; and it is submitted whether
il ebould not be made the duty Of officer to attend
the police courts in the character OF public complainant
against this class Of offenders
think some amendments necessary TO chapter
ventytwo OF the laws Of $780, relating to tho harbor
masters Of the port Of New York The defect OF the law
rs founto DO In prohibiting harbor masters from
ploying assistants to perform their duties and from ab
senting themselves from their posts; and 1t is believed
that these suhordnatcs to some extent exact and receive
illegal fees for berthng vessels. Stringent provisions
against the employment OF assistants under any pretext
whatever, and against demanding receiving Offering or
paying gratutes, should be adopted.
The Commissioners OF the Central Park Of the city OF
New York report the amount already expended by them
in tho Of land and improvements " pe ss7as'
eS A. and that the amount yet unsxpenied Of tins ANS
authorized 10 be raised for the completion of the Park
million and eight hundred Thousand dollars Although
now held in much favor by all classes yet the great i'm
In public esteem and will be and more priced from
generation to generation For the sake of efficiency 1t a
suggested that the number Of commissioners be reduced
The Commissioners appointed by the act Of April 8,
Asa 70 ASCERTAIN and mark he boundary line between
with the survey of ISL have been unable TO agree with
so. made having been declined and the joint commits
sons failing TO upon basic the Commissioners for
this State proceeded 70 and have run and Marked
line which represented as being satisfactory to the
pie both sides OF the boundary, and have placed
ments at the proper points Their report presenting the
details of their proceedings will be transmitted 10 you,
together with communication from the Executive Of
Connecticut
While the state should be exactly just, and while
should be unwilling to counsel withdrawal Of its patron
age from the several charitable institutions which have
hitherto enjoyed would suggest the adoption Of arore
rigid system Of accounting and economy. The doctrine
ct strict accountability should apply well to chart
ties to other interest am sure that no valid OBJ
jectons can be urged against this by those into whose
hands the interests Of these important establishments
are committed, since u VIII afford TO tho people
satisfactory guarantee that the moneys appro-
priated 20 those objects have . proper direction.
would recommend that all applications for aid to State
institutions beyond that for usual and necessary support
should be carefully scrutnzed, for IL cannot be denied
that while their ordinary rs have been managed with
care, large expenditures have sometimes been made for
mere enumeration We keep constantly in mind tho
fact that the taxpayer charged with the aud sup
port Of the poor of his locality and in addition viii
lngy pays all that Is required u him for these general
purpoecs applications for aid will be carefully
sdered and BY limiting the amount only to actual wants
may bo l.se iborai but just
The New York Institution for the Deaf and Dumb Is
successfully accomplishing the important work assigned
H. As respects educational efficiency, extent OF accommo
daons and the number Of pupils il is nowhere surpassed
The building Is imposing structure, built mt large
pcnsc, Washington Heights. The present number OF
pupils is three hundred and three OF whom two hundred
aud fifty benecaries Of this state, and thirteen
Of New Jersey and thirteen are ing pupils from other
States. The buildings designed for Tour hundred and
hft inmates me annual cost 70 the state Tor educating
each OF It's pupils one hundred and fray dollars. The
proportion Of mutes TO the population Of the state is
estimated to be TO two thousand and, estimating
the number Of Inhabitants Of New York at four Millions
would appear that about one-sevenh Of the OF
the State enjoying The advantages OF tho Institution
The New York Institution for the Blind had la charge
on the Sd Of December last two hundred and ten punis
A charity which extends the hand OF instruction 10
class so helpless as the blind ~ entitled to tho sympathy
Of ALL II II gratifying 10 know that large proportion
OF the graduates OF this nsttron capable of
Ing, and that many Of them do earn, their support
IN after fe Tho OF education consists OF instruc-
ton in the ordinary English branches and In suit-
Die industrial pursuit.
TIE Asylum fr IDIOTS located at Syracuse 10 ey iicny
accomplishing all It's orginators predicted. During the
past year methods Of Instruction. improvements In
the system OF mans Of the pupils and the conduct
Of the household have been introduced snd greater
tcption has been given To Industrial education. The
farming operations accomplished principally by the labor
Of the larger boys, have been quite productive, and
branch mechanical labor has been successfully tried
There connected with the Institution during the
past year one hundred and forty pupls OF class of
children known 70 be peculiarly subject 10 bodily all
ments yet no death, nor hardly Of sickness,
CURED.
Inc inebrhte Asylum ~ approaching compassion Al
ready three fourths of the work IL finished
substantial manner The building 70 BIO constructed
rs to accommodate four hundred patients. Four thou
sand two hundred and eghtyone applications have boon
mnde for Admission To the institution when completed
and is an interesting fact that these are confined 70 no
locality, but have come from every State in tho Union
and from almost every town IN own State. Every
reasonable encouragement should be given TO test tho
efficacy a the experiment proposed BY the friends of this
institution
Tho managers Of the House Of Refuge ct Raniaus
Island, in the city OF New York, received about ono
thousand children during the year $780, and there
In the houso about five hundred and fifty, Of whom
hundred and FIVE girls The building for girls Is
completed, and has been occupied since February last
The delinqucnts Of both sexes classified; tho
younger and less vicious children under tho present
plan, kept from all communication with the cor.
rupt. Each class bias It's own workshop, schoolroom
playground and dormitorles The discipline Of the nst
tuition " thus easily maintained snd the improving