The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-07-16

Of the Sick the relief Of the poor and in the caro-
ana nurture OF orphan and destitute children. The
puDuc charities become yearly more conspicuous
classified by the various forms OF disease, and IN
charge OF distinguished physicians and surgeons,
school FOR instruction in medical SCI
During the year 1871 there were 2l,532 patients
sreated At the public hospitals III at the Bureau
., IT'S infants and small children were received at
the asyums and nurseries, and l,73s boys had the
penelt OF aally instruction at the Nautical and In
dustria Schools and 1l5 of both sexes In the Idiot
School. The number received at the several Chart
the Labor Bureau employment was obtained for
4305S persons. To the City Prison there were com
ferred to the WorkhOuse and 2,ses to the Penten.
tary. The aggregate number OF persons received
in the several institutions, including patients
treated at their homes by the physicians Of the de-
partment, and of the destitutes relieved by the
superintendent OF Outdoor Poor, was 1915, 1874.
The dispensatiOn OF public charity Is the most,
delicate function OF municipal government, and Isl
fraught with good or evil as It may be wisely or in
judiciously administered. II the relief granted be-
ism and of crime Is inevitable. Ire Commissioners
OF the Public Charities appear to have observed the
mean between under or lavish expenditure ana
parsimony, for no complaint Is heard OF great dis
tress in our midst, nor Is the number relieved ex-
cessive; but, on the contrary, 1t Is less than IN
BY the table in the report of the Commissioners
the number OF inmates OF the AlmshOuse on Janu-
airy l, 1850, was 1873 in 40 of the population;
January !, 1850. was f613, or in l32 OF the popua
january or III SOS OF the p0pua-
ton; January /, 1871 l190, or in $40 of the popu
lation; and the table makes still more favorable
exhibit ,n Tor outdoor poor relief s, 80
In 1865 there were relieved by superintendent or
Outdoor Poor 30 034 persons.
In 1871 there were relieved by superintendent Of
Outdoor Poor 49, l57 persons.
For the seventh time the Mayor calls attention to
the building called IN law the City Prison, but most
appropriately known as the TOnos. 1t is a cause
OF disgrace, not only to the city and the American
nation but TO the Christian world, that there was
not built ten years ago new and larger prison
built upon piles over swamp. 1t cramps those
whom the law preslmes TO be innocent with con-
out to convicted criminals. '9s
The young girl, imprisoned for the theft Of urgent
temptation, is compelled 10 hear the blasphemies Of
the criminal crone. Oliver Twists and Fagins meet
within conversational distance Foul air, fouer
association and absolute lack OF exercise unite to
make the Tombs the High School Of Crime, as the
State Prison Is its University. Except for the sys
TEN and watchfulness of the department in charge
OF the City Prison its moral horrors would be still
blacker.
The Mayor appeals to the press to bear it's engi-
merry upon the taxpayers in order to force from them
consent to a liberal expenditure OF money in con-
structing new prison and overthrOwng the
physical and moral fortunes of the present one.
The Mayor does this at the risk 0fbeng Charged with
encouraging Job lfpublic Jobs can ever be guarded
in country like this, then arrange so as TO have
the Legislature provide an uneXcaptiOnable Com
mission OF Construction. The Mayor appeals to the
Common Council to aid in the regulation OF this
subject by furnishing Municipal memorial to the
Legislature.
The Annual Report OF the Superintcn-
dent of the Department Of Buildings
will be found full Of important and interesting
statistics. Being at the terminus OF decade it
very properly embodies brief synopsis OF the
operations OF the department since 1862. We are
naturally rather proud OF the admiration with
of our city inspires strangers and, we have no less
reason to congratulate our citizens upon the in
creasing SAFETY OF the city from the calamtles OF
fire. The full credit to the JudciOus Building laws
which; since 1862, have been improved and
amended from time to time, is not popularity
n
countered py the departments In eXecut-
reeites 1 many stetistcs upon these Soints New
York. as the metropolis OF the country, should set
the example to all minor cities OF complete model
building law as perfect i'll all its requirements as
architectural skill is able to compile upon own
and tue experience OF the bnd ng cities OF the Old
World The report exhibits tile EFFORTS made by the
department 10 this end. The SLOW advancement OF
the law during the ten years and the details OF the
opposition encountered are not little curious and
interesting. The prejudices to be overcome, the
slow, tedious process OF educating the popular
mind up TO the point where it is clearly perceived
that the object and aim OF the Building laws are the
safety OF the people and the increased archltec-
tural beauty OF the city, while the duties OF the
department. are merely to watch over these inter-
ests and see that the laws are executed properly.
1t is worthy OF note, however, tnat the chief oppo
sition to the enforcement OF the regulations has
been confined to those who desire to erect cheap
buildings without regard TO the object OF the law.
The adoption OF some efficient method OF escape
in case OF ire, iron shutters, metallic cornlces,
proper stairways, and especially safe party
walls each in turn ne erst opposed Sy tnls
come into general use by good builders, not only
in New York but in other cities where laws to en-
force their adoption do not exist. The statistics
concerning the use Of iron in buildings are quite
important From its durability, beauty and econ
Omy iron has been generally adopted for building
purposes, but to render its employment quite sale
requires to be tested. The provision in the law
making this necessary met with some opposition
until abundant experience, endorsed by the best
authorities on building have confirmed the wis
do 81 tine s saw n Oh 90
and material prosperity OF the city, During the
year ending April s, 1872, plans and specifications
were submitted to the department fOr eXamina-
ton and approval, embracing 25lS buildings Of all
classes and 1873 old buildings for alterations and
repairs. The estimated cost OF the new buildings
was $37 Ol6 and OF the alterations and repairs
s4S5l 1851, making total OF $4l,931, 1897 to be ex-
pended on buildings in one year. During the same
period 2,O36 buildings were completed and
2S33 new ones commenced, 1909 altera-
Ss nsns dna @
accordance with law and approved; $40 required
amendment and lo4 were rejected; $50 unsafe
buildings were reported 81 Of these were taken
down and the remainder made safe; 1902 violations
OF law were reported nearly all promptly removed
Courts.
The growth OF the city and consequent increase
OF the duties OF the department are very aptly
Illustrated in the summary OF statistics for the
several years. For example, in 1862 but $50 new
buildings were erected, while in 1871 there were
2036. In 1862 la buildings were altered, and in
1871 1209. During the ten years 15 l13 new build
ings were erected and 1859 altered. The whole
number of unsafe buildings reported during the
year and rendered safe or removed was 3,34S aud
the number OF violations reported was 19,0s7. The
unusual number OF violations $3.50 reported In
1870 and 1871 was In consequence of an extensive
and critical survey inaugurated In those years by
the department, whereby large number OF latent
abuses were exposed and removed. Had the
ends OF this survey been attained, besides the
discovery of innumeraDle violations OF law, the
department would have been able to add to our
municipal archives complete statistics OF the lOca-
ton, dimensions, value and character OF every
building in the city; but want OF sufficient appro-
priation compelled the reduction OF the working
material OF the department, and the labor was
necessarily abandoned.
In 1862 there were but $4,000 tenement houses OF
all classes and, in the language OF the report, lin
every possible condition OF danger and dilapida-
ton" Fire escapes were unknown, and a fire 0c-
curing in one OF those old buildings became dis
aster to the entire neghborhood. There arc now
over twenty thousand tenement houses OF far