New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-02-28
AFFAIRS IN BROOKLYN.
HOW TEE RING HAS ROBBED THE CITY.
THE GRAND JURY STRONGLY pENouNCEs TIE
SUPERVISORS FOR WASTING MONEY
AT ST. JOHNLAND.

r,rr cp.ND JuRy STRONGLY pENOUNCEs THE
surEHv1soRs FOR WASTING MONEY
AT ST. JOHNLAND.
,r,o Grand Jprv for February discharged by
1raae Moore in the Court of sessions, Yesterday after
netting an elaborate presentment regarding the con
a.on OF affairs at the II. Johnland County far'h.
Much time and attention has been given by Inc "lau
Jurv of which Wilbur F. Herbert was ioiema' 10 uo
arefpl investigation OF the management OF inc county
nropertv at ST. Johnland suffolk County when was
rchas.d about five years ago and embraces s2s acres
and cost $4,000 -
rAa nr,sent1nent sets forth that the property was
socurd for the purpose OF providing upon an extensive
system for the Of the insane upon the cottage ~
fem The location was unsuiied IN some important
narticuars 10 the requirements OF such an INSTITUTION"
lis distance Of forty-twO miles from 0ok|h iehuco'
nroper supervision by Commissioners resident III "le
civ mpos sible and examination OF the WORK oihou'
I'D ,mnr,c,icable Loss OF time and great cost we're
incurred in the transportation of patients ana t"s
also prevented the friends OF many rom Vs''s '"'
rrhe main difference in the new system oil carlhs ioi
patients from the old was 10 put from Twelve 10 'S
n,,ients I'm each cottage instead of budding them III
large buildings ,.,-
The original estimate for providing accommodations
for 100 patents was about 81 ,125,Oo0 At present
there are about 700 patients ana Tile DuiluI"e' '
trsc,ed for will hold 600 more, ana TO cure ioi nv
800 the sum of s. 100000 Will have oeeh eApolu0D'
and 10 care for 600 will bring the 'oeV UP "
so 5000 After eighteen cottages had Dech oio.V
,ha co,,ara system was abandoned for new sys"'h
,n,,o,vtnp extravayant expenditures. instead Vi o
amehoratlon and benefit to the uhior'u""'o A.
promised by the original plans. the e"'oiP'''O " ~
generated into a stupendOus scheme 10 ara" HC' NV
uublc treasury enormous sums OF money lor "o va
scale unnecessarily great for such an INSTITUTION, Inv
,,,s, ~ ON cxnensve boulevard at a cost Of S'4'Ooo
,s d.nonnced as a fraud upon the people ana waste
Of the public money . .,o sis,ri,,u,
The changes in the plan Of constructors tie u9''O"
ing reservoir from that intended by the hIsU cheoo
have been the cause of large and wasteiul
which have defrauded the people and wasted 'he puD
money while an additional sum must YET NC eAp01N
a., .medv deeciencles in construction Unwarrdh'eu en-
pcnditure was involved in the change III Tic s'e'' 600
ing system as the original system was 10 oo9' s'
snd upon the present system S1i4'ooo mas Nv" -
nended The 100000 spent for prlch Conu"'' w"
,tocetb.r wasted Nearly 100000 hau occil ga
sos a. oxtra navments for the foundations Of two
80 hrick bindings erected over TdVnc lOrN Vc'
49, Tho selection of such sites was suhclchI "
,rarrart the immediate removal OF oupeiNis"S N''"'''
Eastman and Engineer Carey. Inc OIielH'i S0"O'
svstem was to cost So 900 and the one bu' hds 'o
s,o563s The storage reservoir, costing SllO'ooo' -
oerounced AS useless and altogether unnecessary az
ncndace TO this vast system OF cXtraVasah'e ANU
instead of costing Si2 $40, originally eSumaco c
vo,er simply system would cost Wien compie'eu
S373,671. A.. .,..,or,
,rho Grand Jnrv further found that by the system
now prevailing there appears TO be constant PPSO
10 hide the amount of ultimate cost lhN"\eu' anu '
work seems to have been systemaucalN aridhseu 10
oous cnnseauent lue of expenditures, cdch III
i,s turn making necessary further outlay Inc Ur'"'
Jury cannot too strongly condemn Inc ~ s'e" "a 'o'
missions by which the supervising aich'tec' anu :"
riueer receive compensation Tor services 's Pl"''e
premium upon deception and Offering lnu , -, 49,, U
advice which will Iesd to endless eApeaui ai,1I
funds county and thus increase inc "iiio'i''
"a The suns paid TO the architect Mr.. Eastman ana u
The engineer MIR. Carey, for wOIk COmpetea anu uT'
exclusive Of extras yet uhRioMI, my efny -, oui'
condemns these vast expenditures a. Del"r 81 , Uu'
members Of the board of supervisors who nav aueu
and abetted in the frauds and VINO are m"Ill'H ~
sp0nsibe for the as deserving te "a
and contempt of the citizens whom they Were clcvttu
TO serve" IN reviewing the inqultous ualsdCuon ,
Farm the Grand JuIs regret that the limited uiiie
allowed precludes the possibility OF uhcoVerle az NV
frauds apparent in the work ano prevents Xlng inc
individual responsibility therefor, but the lolo"ms
Recommendations are made , ,o.. 90 -
competent architect at stated salary, VINO snalI 90
responsible to the Ecard OF 9upefr..oT ou v worn
thus putting al end TO the commission business re
ievng that he Division Of iePonS and Se% Se o5
OF supervisors is the of much OF the present
fraud The Grand Jury advises such legislation would
place the entire responsibility for constructing al worn,
at the County Farm solely and entirely with the iodd
of supervisors. The few honorable men IN the Board
who have opposed the ncarious transactions at -.
be elected to sustain tlem the only defence and pro
lection against similar frauds In the future, ana me
hope is expressed that the voters OF the county VIII
elect a sufficient number of such good and true men
as will constitute majority OF the Board and that tho
supervsOra, Large may by the proper Of the veto
power protect Tie county from the assaults Of men
who are rapidly carrying it forward 10 bankruptcy
supervise: al Large Krctz>chnar expressed strong
approval of the recommendations Of the Grand Jury ion
payment to he supervising architect OF salary Of
about $1,000 and placing The cn;:c responsibility ior