The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-02-19

Curious ana Shocking Facts and F1gurcs-
How the Inmates are Treated aud How
They Live-rerrible Facts Relative 70 Their
C0nditisn-A Reform NesGed.
That there Is great deal worthy OF Or aise and
admiration In the way the public institutions ara
conducted by the Commissioners OF Charities ana
Correction no person who has ever had occasion to
pay voluntary visit 10 Blackwes Island viii for
moment deny, but that there Is also much
which deserves the severest censure and
condemnation Is equally undeniable. As general
thing the aDors imposed upon the Commissioners OF
Charities are OF kind which cannot exactly be
called pleasant though they may be SAID to be full
OF recompense, and II they attend faithfully to the
duties OF their Office which, according to popular
BELIEF they really do, their task Is certainly an
onerous one. There are at least two OF the Com
missoners VINO understand this fact very well ana
conscientiously act accordingly; but tho good
results that i0w from their rigid adherence
to duty are oftentmes marred by the stu
pidty Of their sub0rdinates. The latter, as In
almost every other department Of life where the
great contest Is for bread buttered both Sides
expected to take all the responsibility for every
thing that is not strictly right in their several dis
tricts," and OF course as much compen sati0n az
they can get hold OF. They are given, In conse-
quence, power which is far more than discretion
AIRY. IL Ii quite true-and no one understands the
fact better than those who have from time to time
been compelled to reside on the island for speci-
fed period-that the Commissioners cannot always
provide the inmates OF the institutions under their
charge with all the accommodations and comforts
which reasonable regard for poor humanity would
at all times suggest; for they in their turn, are
themselves subordinate to a. "higher power" which
creates and uncreates Official life at pleasure. 1t
must not be inferred from this however, that
it Is but right that persons who, for offences
committed against society, are made to spend
portion OF their lives In the atmOs-
phere OF prison cells should be accorded COM
forts instead Of punishments; but In regard to the
inmates OF one OF the institutions the inference can
probably the most Important IN certain respects or
the whole number on the island, namely,
THE LUNATIC ASYLUM.
This establishment consists OF three distinct build
for the feelings OF the friends Of the inmates the
"Lodge, instead Of the "Madhousen The asylum
proper Is composed Of the main building which Is.
according to Official figures, capable OF acc0mm0-
sLodgen which is used exclusively for the care o.
the more violent patients OF both sexes, properly
commodities slxty-sx patients, and the third build
ing, called the "Retreat," IN which females
one hundred patients A few figures, culled from
Official sources, will probably shed more light on the
packing system practlsed at the sL0dge'' than any
mere newspaper statement. For instance, the fol-
lowing table will show the proper capacity for pa
tients and attendants In the various buildings az
contrasted with the actual number that are now In
the asylum:--
Actual No.
Proper in the
Capacity. buildings.
NAL hut nv