New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-02-18
TO REFORM WOMEN.
THE STATES REFUGE AT HUDSON.
A PLACE TO WHICH ERRING WOMEN MAY BE
SENT FROM ALL PARTS OF THE STATE

fhe a
Ings GROWING small hill 70 inc sou" s 49,, ,o,n,
s,rs,r, eows into the Hudson River at that polnt
a.d,n .he hscb ridge that bounds the va1ey 10 'he
....,-.-d and bay is formed. Looking across tais
10, ana III, fats beyond, the eye brst sees mo SUPP
"a a.. .,,, an which the buildings have been placed
,h b,l itself and the structures upon IT, ana tneh
The northwapd the dwellings Of Hudson
n Is only within the last two years thar ra,l"Sy
s.nr.rs could notice the buildings upon the hill, as
thew have Just been placed there ana pr0'aOp
n,-nose for which they are used is not geheran'
80 Trev helonr 10 the House OF Refuge Tor
vouen II is an Institution supported whony Dy tho
s,.,o and II has for its aim the reformation poss'
~ vromer, of vicious Hves--whether women OF lhoi
character thieves, drunkards or vagaOohos' 40 -
object is to reform women VINO
entered upou life of ifame, and large proporeon
of its inmates are of chat Class 40 a. tha
,marta said General J. W. Hoysradt, OIL huason' 'i'
nrs.,dent az the Board of Managers few days Ss''
. aDd = IA moi know Of like one anywhere III ing
,,a hut xpo are hopeful that 1t Is one whlch wiz
sucneed Certainly, thieves who Aavo peen oo'"
m,ttsd TO tho Elmira Reformatory OF 70 the NSioue
houses OF refuge in tho State have been eIoriou IN
character and do not SEQ why women OF sl'nu n'e'
,ho,,d not also be reformed We ought at least 10
make the effort 10 reform them, and may say haS
IN aupearauces at least we have had better success
than I anticipated. OF course, the INSTITUTION u
Young yet its first inmate was only received IN May
1897 and 10 would not be well to be too'cohnoens
but think there Is ground for believing tha' "o arc
succeedne in our efforts TO reform these women"
The institution receives women from all inc ooun"
t,es In the State with the exception OF the counties
Of New-york and Kings AS is well Known Recorder
smvth and the Commissioners Of Charities and Cor
reotion of New~York have been urging the authorities
al thst city to establish special institution tor tne
reformation of erring women of that CITY, 1t was
with view of observing the methods OF reformation
practised in the Hudson institution, and impartins the
information gained to residents Of New-YorR, tnat
tribune correspondent visited the House Of Refuge
AZ Hudson the last week. The buildings Of the IN
stituton are nine In number, and with one exception
all are on a level plateau at the summt OF nhe MIL
which can be seen from the railroad trains Ahey
consist of an administration building four oouageS
prson. a hospital stable and boiler-house where
steam Is generated for the heating OF the ouolngs
An the buildings with the exception Of the hospital
are of brick and their architecture is OF mshy
pleasing character Even the prison has Deen ropoeu
of some of the doleulness which the iron osrs az us
windows give It, Tho land and buildings were Cd
tanned by the State probably the least cost TO OF
all of the institutions it has ever created me
original appropriation was only $4,000. IT'S sum,
IN the opinion of most trustees Of the state would
have been merely starter" One architect drew
mn mans for an administrative building which wouid
have consumed all Of the appropriation, ana one ee
teman proposed to spend 81, 100000 IN the eonsuu
ton of the buildings alone. But Senerai hoS Srs"'
and his fellow trustees, Sarah L s. Guernsey Charles
rracev. Harper W. Rogers and Samuel r. Rainey, by
usne the States money If 1t was their own were
.hs IN purchsse thirty-ssven and half acres OF
ground and to put up all the buildings but the engine
house. 70 wit the prisons, the cottages, sne Shii"s
ton building the hospital and the stables. - neeo-
lass 10 saw that great economy was useds pue inc
so. 200 dta a all and started the institution. Since
than IN view of tho evident growth OF the nsutuuon.
efv more acres Of land have boon secured Tor III ana
I boiIer-heuse has been constructed; ana ppns hAS
besr laid 10 all the other buildings, by wmoa tneJ
sre supplied with steam.
TIE administration building is ~arse0ry S.NA
xa,s,ctz,re with tower. From its wes'ern "lnuoNs
superb Wow is obtained of the entire ran 80 y. go
I'm Mountains and a great breadth OK TIE Vauey VI
shs hudson In the second story there Is nanusom'
chanel IN which religious services are heia on
roerutne and AFTERNOON, conducted by cerssmen VI
siGerent denominations IN turn Or IN tneR aosonoe'
by Sarah Y. Coon, tho supertnoenaen1 a n"n 80
,s.n rSt,,ai is used by the superintendent ana inc
Avr,nx suna are those common 10 all DENOMINATIONS
rivera A confessional for tho use Of the Catnono
.~,.st Thu inmates Of the refuge are permitted,
hsn occasion or emergency requires to see priest
az clergyman Of their own denomination.
I, sae day fnat The Trdbune's correspondent Vis1u
Obs institution The superintendent happened 10 have
~s.rohlea the inmates Of the prison and the cottages
IN The chapel for some practice In music There Is
.o.b,nes organ In the chapel On this The supern-
tsndent played, wAile the women Of the msutunon
sanr. Great interest was shown by al IN Tao sing
ms. and was we'll done. the older inmates OF me
institution especially singing xen and showing tas
eject Of training 10 music
Sarah Y. Coon, the superintendent saaoR Inese
women nte 10 sing and we take pains 70 interest,"
them On TO- In every way ve Try 70 broaden .ner
,nteI,ectrsi No. Most Of them when thsy come nero
saythsy can read and write, but as matter OK 1aos'
fsw can They ara profoundly ignorant; and me say
ing THAI ignorance the parent OF vice rs cer'Iany
.rq,a in their case We have recently opened scnooi
a. ,his main building. All Of the 132 women In the
RrSuee receive instruction evoTy Weekday In this
sehaol several yonen who had forgotten how 70 roaa
and write are recovering their mowedge OF these
arts They arc especially glad to learn no" 70 wnte
An order that they may vite to their home fnenas'
father, mother, or brother, or sister, ana receive
letters from them The letters they receive ron
homo show that their friends haze most aheceonate
interest in them, and are keenly anxious for their
reformation. we are also teaching all these women
how to do household work. how to bake, how 70 wait
upon the table, how 10 make BEDS how 70 eaAo care
OF rooms with view Of preparing such Of them as
caro- 10 earn livelihood that way to get employ
ment as servants. There are also classes OF tnstrc
tton In drcssmaking and In knitting. The women OF
the institution make all thsir own clothing and stock-
fnes All that they wear, except their shoes, are
made by them Moreover, they DO all tho COOKING IN
this house. in the cottages and In the prison fney
keep all the buildings clean Washing al eio u'V,e
They OF course DO all the laundry work OF me ins1
tuton. We mako weekly changes in the kitchen force
Of all the buildings IN order that they may all learn
how TO cook These women have considerable time At
their disposal which they consume in reading and In
making fancy articles Of needlework NO moro
charitable act could done by any one than to furnish
them with e small library They badly neea DOCKS
wish also somo charitable person would furnish us
with plano. Upon holidays we permit tho inmates
Of the Refuge TO have plays and tableaus."
The main building with the Others Of the House
sk Refuge form quadrangle. At the east end OF
this quadrangle is the prison, in which arc placed
on their first coming all women consigned 70 the
msHhtion They are kept I'm this prison for at
least TWO months after their arrival, when, If their
conduct Is exemplary, they are promoted to the
rotSaoes where they have greater liberty trust and
sduca fonai advantages. Justices OF the peace, DO
lice justices and other MAGISTRATES are authorized