The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-11-29

The ACCOMPANYING cuts show how the books
and papers are scattered around in these two
rooms. In the large room the records are in
good order but incomplete. AS they are bound to
be with no place, to put the incoming ones.
wood. and every time IT rains the water leaks
through and saturates the floors. The old
records in the small rooms show evidences Of
The rest OF the building is in the same
crowded condition: II anything. It is even
worse on the first and second floors than at the
top. Tho LAWYER who Is obliged in the present
condition of things to spend several hours in
dences OF the huildinGs's former use have been
obliterated, there Is still the old mustv prison
, incl on o every Ss Si inGax The wsta rooms r. an are an Sasry
one; there are no modern appliances In the
place; to get at certain volumes the searcher
get what he wants. Then lie must put
Il back again. which is not SO easy as
shrinks apprcciabiy during the time he spends in
looking ~ the book. There IL practically no
ventilation in the building In me summer
almost freezes. The binding room. like the
small rooms on tho top floor. Is a mass of dirt
and rubbish mixed with records Of great value:
Altogether. a worse condition for a place Of
snch importance could not be imagined.
Az present Register sohmer is doing what all
have had TO do. take the most elaborate prccau-
tiohs to prevent aecihcG IT,, no sm"f'ng Is a.,
who lights a match Is in danger of being elected
with great suddenness. This rule applies to all
Dol bUS-lhWyfTb, % tbluto
and employees.
The destruction OF the present Regis
ter's office ought. not to cause many pangs
in any American heart. Long before the sky
scrapers which now surround IL were OF,
when Broadway was still hut IA country road.
II was the greatest and most substantial
building OF the town. earning then the evil
reputation which cllngs to It 10 this day. The
building was erected in 1857 and became the
abode OF debtors and criminals. and was the
second jail built in this city. 1t was. called the
New Jail. and even under the Colonial Govern
ment was a disgrace to the nge. Frequent
notices In the provincial newspapers told OF the
sunerings of the inmates. .GdtneS Gazette and
Mercury Of July ~, l172. la" this paragraph
regarding IT.:
The debtors confined In the Jail, i'm
pressed with u grateful sense of the obliga-
tions they are under to the resnectable public
for the generous contributions that haze been
made for them. beg leave TO return their sincere
and hearty thanks for the same. particularly
the worshipfnl, the Corporation OF the city or
New York. to the reverend. the clergy OF the
English. Dutch. and Presbyterian churches, and
their respective congregations, by whose gener-
GUS donations they have been comfortably sup
ported during the last winter and preserved
and cold. !"
In the old maps of New York the New Jail oc-
cupies a prominent place. The land around It
was known first as the Fields. then as the Com
mon. and later as the Park.
alexander McDougal, who wrote the hand
meeting in the Park. at which Gen. Lamb
denounced the Mutiny act, vas, locked
up IN the New Jail, and there hosts OF
people went every day TO offer hin their SYM
pathy and support. The prOceedings against
mepougal were printed on the fcrty-nfth page