New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-07-15

OUR PAUPERS AND CRIMINALS.
a Crazy Stronghold with Crazy Com
mandant.
INTERESTING LUNATiCS.
THE ISLAND.

BlackWslis Island has become ldentlhed WIN
the crime and misery Of this Metropolis of the Western
Hemisphere. Upon that long, narrow, brinegrt Isle
are the Penitentiary the Aims House. the Public HOS
pital the Lunatc Asylum. and kindred institutions.
Crime Pauperisn, Wretchedncss and the unthroned
Reason are there respective represented am jnst
from the Island" is the defiant exclamation OF the en-
bryo thief who desires to ngratate himself with DIS
room associates. IL will send you to the Island
for three months II the selsatished decision OF the
police magistrate upon the confirmed drunkard, the
prostitute who stole her last lovers pocketbook or the
Bowery.boy who resisted the policeman. and got
broken head In Il word, the Island" has become an
institution fairly but vaguely recognized by the peace
fr and honest thousands and well understood by those
who have inyoluntary become its residents.
Its history is brief but few acquainted with it,
At m early date in our colonial history. the Island
was conveyed TO Gov Van Twier by the Indian chiefs
Of Misunderstanding. From the wildness OF their
name this tribe probably of considerable dstne'
ton. However their forefathers were respectable,
and they called the island Mnnahanock, which was
then estimated to contain about 40 acres.
The early history Of the leland is somewhat obscure
With tradition. however is blended romance Here
according to the sagas OF the red man. dwet Tara
peta the White Swan OF the Sea the Woodland Lily OF
he, race-in other words the pretiest savage maiden
of her time She was the princess Of the island, and
held Manhattan az tributary province. (Ihink OF
New.York having been province and to BACK
wells Island , She was universally courted. Ihe
Massasoits brought her beayerskns ana wampum belts
from the North; the Onedas and Adirondaeks poured
forth pinecones dead rabbits, spread eagles and the
naked claws of grzsy bears from the west the SOUTH
ern redskins were prodiga Of blue fish, pumpkin SEEDS
and petroleum very crude) from the South and the
coast tribes poured into her lap pretty Shells seaWeed
gold fish bright pebbles and birch canes from the
broad bosom of the boundless deep Bat she loved
" poor Young man" Of rival tribe. The "p. y. a
must have been good-looking fellow Nevertheless
Tarrapetas parents, uneles aud kidsmen didht Ike
him. On the other hand, Tarrapeta did But the pa
RENTS unces and kinsmon one day guiltily and PM
osophically got rid of the poor young man by putting
Linn 10 death in the forest Tarrapeta pined ana TOOK
on SIZE was too proud for Illumination too hdy'hke
for revenge She seated herself in lone canoe WIN
ont paddle and. swan.like, driited down WIN 'ne
in coming tide to end her existence in the swelling
waters Of Hell Gate. The age OF the TRADITION VIII
preclude the Justice of any accusation OF plagiarism oil
the Lady of Shalot Tarrapeta met her death IN the
raging eddes and three prominent rocks at Hen "a'e
have thus acquired the names of 1.-The Three SWANS
Her father died Of grief. Her uneeS and kinsmen
fought among themselves till they shared the fate OF
the Kilkenny cats. Tarrapeta rejoned her lover was
urited 20 him in the Great Wigwam, and has since
enoged the blissul life OF the Immortal Hunting
Grounds.
From Governor Twiler, and through many other
hands the Islandspassed into the hands of an English
family by the name OF Blackwell. They conformity held
of for hundred years until the year ls
when il was occupied q farm by James Blackwell
Tho old house inhabited by him, was most primitive
d ancient structure and was standing until within
e. ~ wears aco but there was means of Judging OF
ito nrecise antiquity. From Mr. Blackwell the prop
orr, nossed into the hands of James L. Bell for the con
derotion of $50 600 but the latter being unable TO
meet his engagements the mortgage was foreeosed
and the pronerty again passed into the hands of Mr.
blackwell who in the year 1898 sold it TO the Corpora-
ton for So, 600 The Corporation, however were
trimmed up on the title. In l543 the widow Of Mr. Bel
commenced suit for the recovery of her dover interest
which seems never to have been dyested' and they
were compelled to pay 100000 to satisfy her claim
Since then the Island has been mainly devoted to the
public institutions, which now occupy it. 1t is almost
entirely supplied with Croton water by pipes laid along
the bottom Of the river and connecting with the Man
haitian reservoirs There no gas however in use on
the Island a, yet the principal uminator used being
Kerosene
THE HOSPITALS.
Leaving the foot of Sixty-hrstst., we proceed oy
row boat TO the lower end OF the Island. The boat IL
self is propelled by six oarsmen, with plot IN 'ne
stern These men are all Aims House and "orAhouse
men. They pull hard, respectful. some OF them
gcntenany in their department. and all ineito tue oo
server with the strange interpretive question: why
do these robust hearty fellows play poatmeh Tor tne
public at nothing year. When II they ea'e "nisA'
alone, they can decent living ABOUT the new
York docks clothes without the depra'ngsu'pes
and ~, man instead of brutesp Leaving the abrupt