The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-02-04
mETk6foIfrAy POLICE.


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Annual Report Of the Board to tho LegisIn-
ture-Interesting Facts aud Figures Re-
lating 10 the Expenditures, Force and
Duties Of the Department.
The annual report OF the Board OF Metropolitan
Police or the year ending November ], 1868, has
just been transmitted to the Governor and the Legs-
lature and the following statistics compiled from
the budget win be OF interest 10 the public gene
rally
DIR. jones, President OF the Board OF Surgeons In
calling attention to the subject OF station houses
expresses qualification at the improvements made
therein as, compared with their former condition,
but regrets that the ventilation Is not more perfect.
lie also expresses the conviction that 1t is highly
improper to allow station houses to be used lodg
ing places for Migrants.
During the year. from January to November ].
1885, 63 arrests for drunkenness and disorder were
made; 5,74s children were reported to the police as
"iostn In this city and 1898 IN Brooklyn. The num-
Der Of ioundlings In New York was l62.
THE HOUSE OF DETENTION
for witnesses is the subject OF many valuable sug-
gestions by the Commissioners, IN the course OF
which they say:-lt can scarcely be realized by the
people that in this aud country where accused
persons and convicted criminals are so humanely
dealt WITH there Is Institution established by law
land well fled for the imprisonment OF persons
not even charged with any crime or onence::
BY reference 10 the annexed report OF
the sergeant in charge OF the House
OF Detention OF Witnesses 1t VIII be seen that during
the year ending October 81, 1863 there were confined
prisoners III fact and law, in tins institution 234
persons--1y3 males and II ienalcs264. The aggre-
gate number OF days these persons were detained IL
$780, equal to ten years, six months and eighteen
days Of one person. labie NO. exhibits The opera
lions OF this system OF imprisontng Innocent persons
for the six years last past 1t appears that within
that period, In New YORK and Brooklyn, l,76 persons
have been imprisoned in this institution an aggregate
OF 54l days-equal TO seventy years, nine months
ana twenty-one days. time OF one person. The viii
nesses are generally poor, without friends In the
them for the necessares of life. They are all inno
cent and have natural right to their liberty and
the earnings OF such employment or business as they
may choose toolow; yet in derogation ri these natu
raj rights they are arbitrarily imprisoned upon the
claim that the public good demands Their presence
the innocent witness Ii imprisoned While the
criminal IS a. large on n bail ana finally
the criminal Is convicted the witness suffers
longer Imprisonment than the criminal In not
few instances The person against whom the offence
was committed has been imprisoned, while the
guilty party has been allowed to go at large and
escape punishment. This SYSTEM instead OF aiding,
probably tends to embarrasS the successful punish
ment OF CRIME. During the year 1868 there were
thirteen persons detained more than seventy days
each. Seven OF them over ninety days each. Five
more than 100 days each. One has been imprisoned
OF this institution for the year, paid by this depart
ment has been 1894 81. The property occupied
and would bring an annual rent OF $1,000, making
total annual cost Of SIS 194 81.
In speaking OF
LODGING HOUSES
and the class who would patronize them IL estab-
lshed, the Board says:-Those who apply for this
accommodation are the most wretched OF our popu-
ation. They cannot be committed to prison. IL
would not be creditable to our government to allow
them to freeze to death in the streets. The accom-
mediation now afforded is insufficient and cannot be
enlarged In station houses 1t would be charity
well bestowed to provide independent of the station
houses lodging houses under the charge OF the police
to be located IN different portions OF the city where
the population is dense, OF sufficient dimensions TO
aottf ts.cn ypofnh al y "
establishments, built and adapted to their use cond
be maintained at very moderate current expense.
In eight years. from 1861 10 1865 inclusive the num-
Der OF these dodgers has been 744,570, which Il an
average OF 93,07i per year.
| HEALTH OF THE POLICE FORCE.
The total time lost by sickness in the whole
| force during the year was 26,66l days, OF which
Is, 49s days were paid for and IL 1868 days unpaid.
There were thirty deaths In force OF 2,66s
| men, showing q death ratio OF about one and one
fifth per cent Of the Whole force. There were 2s7
cases OF accidents among the members OF the force
Two thousand. nine hundred and sxty-our cases OF
medical and surgical disease occurred among the
every eighty-seven cases of sickness. Notwithstand
ing the number Killed by violence the death ratio
Is much below the average OF men IN police and mill
tary service In other parts OF the world.
THE POLICE FORCE
consists OF 2519 men, OF the following rank Gap
tans 81; sergcants 1872; roundsnen 20: patromen,
1875 special duty In precincs 240; do out OF pre-
cinct, 30; doormen 49,
j. w. Bruck property CLERK reports that the value
OF property restored through his Office To owners, at
their own VALUATION, 10 10000, StNeTdl
lots OF unclaimed goods disposed of ut auction.
From the different precinct staLlon houses the value
OF property restored amounted to s. s40,S27. Grand
total or property restored, S5,20S, 25S IS.
STEAM BOILERS.
Captain Lord, OF The Sanitary Bureau reports that
during the year there was no explosion OF any sta
tionary boiler in the precincts OF the Metropolitan
police. Three thousand three hundred ana four
steam boilers were examined, or which 642 were
found detective. There were $40 applicants for
certificates to take charge Of steam boLers.
which were examined. Five hundred and sixty
four were found qualified and granted certificates,
and 246 refused Number Of steam boilers tested
ENTHUSIASTICALLY, 2,s77; number OF steam boilers con-
! demned, 20 number OF steam boilers found defect
We, 100: number Of gauges found defective, 142;
number OF safety valves found defective, %; num-
Der of gauge cocks found defective, sos. Total num-
DER OF defects, Gl2. Number OF steam boilers
| moved by order OF department, 20; repaired by
order OF department. loo: gauges repaired by order
II department. 49, SAFETY valves repaired by order
OF department 92 gauge cocks repaired by order OF
| department., JOS.
| THE FERRIES
are reported to have carried the following number
| OF passengers during tue year,
Union ferry. .syO0oVUo
Buliis ferry and Fort Ice Terry 10000