Daily Republican., 1880-03-01
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Aims HOUSE REMOVAL.

Position I'm the Matter.
The article published in the REPUB
LIcAN OF yesterday, advocating the re
moval of the New Castle County Aim
House, and opposing the building 0
the proposed addition to the insane de
partment, has caused widespread dis
cussion on the matter, and deep feel
irg is found to exist in favor of tn
plan proposed in this paper. A sligh
movement was on foot before yesterday
but it has gained wonderful strength il
. day.
A reporter called upon a number O.
leading business men this forenoon
and was somewhat surprised TO finG
the earnestness and unanimity with
which they all favored the removal. II
was also shown that the 0ppsition tc
the proposed enlargement Of the insane
department had taken form more ef.
fective than mere talk, and that a re.
monstrance against the project was in
active preparation. When this remon,
STRANGE is put in circulation for signers
there is no doubt but what 1t will soon
receive the names of hundreds of our
best citizens. A general movement
against the proposed building will at
once be made.
One of those more actively engaged
in the matter is Mr.. James Bradford,
who for some days has been collecting
facts in favor of removal. Mr.. Brad
ford thought that it would be an incal-
culably valuable to the city to have. the
aims house removed ,and expressed fear
that if the trustees Of the poor were
allowed to build the proposed
addition they would 60 into a much
greater extravaganza than is now
thought Of. He was also very sure
that if the addition was built the aims
house would not be removed until an
other generation or two.
Mayor Allmend said to the REPUBLIC
CAN that the benefit derived from the
removal would be great. The property
of the Aims House was very valuable,
and would sell fer more than enough
to purchase farm and build suitable
quarters on modern and more ample
plan. "If the Aims House was remoy.
ed" said the Mayor, "the property
would undoubtedly bring between So0,-
900 and 500, 900.
Mr.. Joshua I. Heald owns no prop.
erty in the neighborhood of the aims
house, and his opinion came from an
unbiased stand point. He says: at
appears to me to be piece of folly for
Trustees of the Poor to hold the prop
erty and to keep the aims house where
it is now. To talk ofexpending large
sum of money on the insane depart
ment would be worse than folly
There is, | think, not one honest.
thoughtful man in the city who has the
interests of the city at heart, but who
is in favor of removing the thing into
the country. The chief arguments in
favor Of the removal are that the build
ing is behind the age, it is in what
will soon be a populous part of the city,
and, ia case of a contagious disease, i.
will be dangerous for the citizens, and
1t causes all the real estate around it to
depreciate.
| have not closely examined the
property, but | am almost sure it
would sell for $4,000, if the aims
house was removed, and by the reno
val, the surrounding property would be
benefited nearly as much as that.
Every dollar spent in improving the
place is clear loss, and if improve
ments are made, they will tend to
fasten the nuisance on us for much
longer period than otherwise"
This is from Mr.. Philip Plunkett:
"The aims house on its present site
is the only thing that stops the march
of improvement along Broome street.
Front street and Broome street are
destined to be the finest in the city,
and would be in few years if the aims
house was moved. 1t will be an out
rage on the citizens if the trustees of the
poor expend $8, 900 or 10000 on the
old property, which is now almost use
less. The land would sell for at least
$75, 900 if the purchasers were assured
that the institution would be removed. |
The REPUBLICAN deserves great praise
for agitating the matter, an1 hope it
viii 80 on in the same course"
And this from one of are most enter
prising and progressive lawyers:
81 have no hesitation in saying that
the Aims House should be removed.
My reasons for saying so are strong
enough to convince any one, think
1t is detrimental TO the interest of the
property holders in that part of the
city, the building is a perfect eye-sore
and renders Broome street unpleasant
by unpleasant noises and smell. If a
deadly pestilence were TO break out
here it would be used as a hospital to
the great peril of the citizens.
No ore can help but have fear that
if the insane department is enlarged it
means that the removal will not take
place for fifty years Or more yet. lam
confident that a proper piece of ground
could be purchased some miles out in
the country on an easy credit, and suit.
able buildings erected, all of which
could be paid for at the expiration of
the term of credit by selling a part of
the land now held by the Trus ees.
Mr.. Henry G. Banning is in favor of
the removal of the Aims House, and
much opposed to the enlargement of the
insane department; he declined to have
to say to the reporter this
but will have when he is bet
ter prepared. lie said the REPUBLICAN
was doing a good work opposing the
action of the Trustees.
A great many other of our leading
citizens are opposed to the building of
an addition to the Aims House. They
all favor the removal of the institution.
Among them are Messrs. James Scott,
VIM. Bush, George W. Bush, Clark
Mason, and so on almost "ad inf