The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-03-28
A NEW CITY PRISON.


A NEW CITY PRISON.
Demolition Of the Tombs and Removal OF
ihe City Prison 10 the East Side of the
~City-|Thc Site TO be ina Close Proximity
? TO the Wnser-UDttcd Action Of the
Bonra2 of Aldermen nd the Legislature
ms to the New Prison Movemcnt-The
Report Of Alderman Morris Submitted
TO the Board Of Aldermen Yesterday.
Alderman MORRIS submitted the following re-
BORT, which was read by the Clerk. and afterwards
unanimously adopted
THE REPORT.
The Committee Public Works, To whom referred
preabo reciting that lit had been publicly stated and
he Tonbs or City Prison is in many essential respects
aiiesed "nSsa III and
with rats and other yermin with resolution request
tpation in the premises aud report FULLY thereon to
well that they also report whether the Board can
lawfully take measures to remedy the evil and y not, on
81 Paoydng for rs remedy Is placed by the laws ana
report without unnecessary delay" respectfully re-
That III compliance with request and in obedience
- The resolution OF honorable body adopted March
charge Z" he au thus assigned them twice po ersSnay
e s on on 6e s
committee confined their examination exclusively the
sior and superficial the safe keepng
if a S S s hy an % s s
ing appointments the ceany condition;
walks in The different hibed uplnistaka
Spon them and was apparent that SO far as it wss pos
sbls TO promote the health and comfort Of the inmates
lion and care in exercising the sanitary duties nenbent
Ocer The cleanliness, order and system apparent in
svc,y deparm1eni Of the prison certainly reflected
rommitlce were fully convinced that If the alleged de-
s o om h
a he d
Srht have Pssn an,iepa's,a By The prison otsia and
that unusual measures OF cleanliness haa been adopted
which was made about week Subsequent TO the FIRST
convinced that the opinion previously formed
when The prison ociaS we're embarrassed by an UNI
sual Influx OF visitors occasoned by the then approach
rigid discipline scrupulous cleanliness existed
rs 10 examine the food furnished the prisoners ard were
agreeaby surprised to ma it. comparatively of very
rar DRAINAGE AND SEWERAGE
s on
the detective character of the drainage and sewerage Of
Chief and Assistant Engineers OF the Bureau of in
requested 70 thorongh, examine and inform your
.se system 6aan e oand
which J, is built, The examination disclosed many
expenditure Of money not warranted at the present time
PR,JUDicrs AGAINST THr PRISON
Your committee entered upon The inyestigaton as d.
zion TO make their examination thorough, complete and
%ara sghty BIASED II not preudicea against the prison
from OF Its unhealthy condition contained
claimed % be familiar with the construction and uses OF
predsposed upon these Impressions thus produced
They satisfied however from the minute xanin
alton they have made that there are many buildings in
other localities in this city that are tar more I'M
snG % o e m @
some q whom had occupied for more than year ad
lnen did not experience any EVIL effects Of residence
nn,a.y restraint placed upon them they were as wen
cared Tor as healthy ana as shfsru as 4 Was possible
exception to the rule found, and that in The
had per
her fr a. The IN ai HSal Of your commit
fse was prosecuted they clearly OF the opinion that
Of or Il S % Pye io 70 Prison s p"r
@ p Sn any S SseT 5s IN @ sa s1 a
adjustments IN other part OF the country occupied
1hcrein when the building constructed. The cells
on the ground door may, however, be an exception
'"' GROWTH or CRIMINAL BUSINESS.
The criminal business OF the city has
ihe facilities for i,s transaction and as !he only reeep.
s Ga 'nf 81 the Eas pr a
a1 dsn. in and se MAINTAIN ,G.
among criminals so indispensable in order 10 prevent
siou from becoming a very nursery Tor crime Whom
The building was FIRST occupied; in the year ISIS
sand inhabitants, and the accommodations then
IN % p No pob sennue
such purposes until the present, II not for
tme did the growth OF the city in business in
population and every other characteristic OF great
city progress with the rapidly usual, aud from
perence and precedent only 70 be expected from the
IN other cities but IL has, it's growth, set all
Former and precedents aside and stands
progress in wealth. business enterprise and population
siuring the pastiorty years.
The population Of the city has nearly quadruped in
that time and, unfortunately IL must be admitted that
Ihe increase IN the dangerous classes has than pre-
served It's due proportion. The present prison
structod originally with cell accommodation for about
TWO hundred persons. allowing inmate to each cell,
and wellconducted prison particularly IL intended 10
h 81 reionatory character never under any cireuD
stance should coutai Now the number
81 prlooper exceeds five hundred, and the number ~
constantly the increase. The condition things
~ imagined when II Is understood that invariably
neaueny three, and occasionally four prisoners are,
RON necessity, compelled be confined in one cell,
cons'uced and intended TO be occupied only by single
person Apart from sanitary Consde ratons, and in a
snoIA aspect only THIS TACT alone should be sufficient 10
1bnncS IN. auortes 10 make provision at the earliest
possible Time Tor prison must he obvious 10
the most superficial observer that
lDercourse mus gwen by which novice in crime
brought INTO CONTACT with and subjected baneu
influences OF the confirmed criminal Inevitably
sut in increased crime and nmorality IL Is caus, Tor
grave reproach that this great ev has been permtted
80 long.
is undeniable that ~ the present prison building was
located in Of the most salubrious situations we'll
built thoroughly ventilated and supplied with ,yefv
appliance heating, lighting draining Nc vet
occupied by than three tunes the number " inmates
II was butt 10 accommodate, as is now and Tor some
years mast has be- case, IL would be Impossible 10
render II NJ for prison purposes occupy H. with
out the and deplorahle effects morally
khysisaIIy upon its inmates what Then, must he
The rruit. u view ~ the characUr Of the
bnildiDy and ts ocatiunY Erected nearly forty
ns.fl. Mn al Iylt.