New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-07-19
ptTpERS TO BE SELF.SUPPORTING
INMATES OF THE ALMSHOCSE IN A
NEW ROLE.
CHANGES MADE At BIckWflLS ISLAND
WHICH WILL. MAKE LIFE MORE VARIED
.xn rIt-tp THE INSTITUTION.

CHANGES MADE At BLACkWELLS ISLAND
WHICH WILL. MAKE LIFE MORE VARIED
AND HELP THE INSTITUTION.
John w Terry. the superintendent of the Aims
bouse on Rlackwclrs Island, is an energetic young
man and enthusiastic in the cause OF pet'erlhs ''c
condition OF the unfortunates under MS charse an"
improving their surroundings. Although ne mas
leen superintendcnt OF the Almshouse only snort
fine he has. with the aid of the Board of Chart
ties brought about many changes ana NhSu'u'eu
many reforms. He has not been hasty' however III
making experiments, and he has always maze d
success OF one undertaking before trying aho'ne''
OF late Mr. Terry has been exceedingly pussy III
putting into operation Ions 'chersheu pa" ~
make one of the most radical changes ever co'-
templated in like institution HIS pan Il oe9'
described in his own language rs follows; pro-
noso ~ make the Almshouse a self-supporting IN
s,i,ut,on" Continuing Mr. Terry said that he
thought that the Almshouse should he Ha"e "
house Of industry. lie expects TO 90 thls oS pro-
vdIng suitable employment FOR every inmate uiuo'
his care That this is no visionary scheme mas al
,eadv been shown and from work accomplished II
has been proved pretty conclusively accorunhs ~
Mr. Terry that the idea Is entirely pracucao'e' -
tailor shop and a dressmaking shop have been re-
Gently started up and have been SUCCESSFUL. MI
Terry was seen by Tribune reporter yesterday a'
his Office on Blackwells Island ana ne gave '"e
renorter the following figures showing what was
ncc "NN'N
thev had been opened Twenty OF the inmates OF
49,, ts,,,,,ior were at work In the tailor shop,
.,oh 90 20, has few convenicnccs. and only three
sc,yinp machines one Of which Is out or ORDER ana
could not be used and they turned out the ioHo"-
ing amount OF work: l33 Jackets. " pairs OF tro"-
sers beside repairing 296 jackets fO pairs oil trou-
sors and 81 caps They also pressed for the phy-
s,c,ons of the institution ten suits or clothes ana
do one new suit handling altogether ll-O
,jeces In the sewing ROOM seventy women were
employed and they made lw mShS Sn''S' ITO
neces of women's underwear, - sheets, ID pi'o"-
cases l2o aprons 81 hoods. II nighicaps' lVo petit
coats 3C0 roller towels $50 checked aprons oil biue
dresses q nghtgowrs. 10 hand towers ana o.
shroud caps: In all 1917 pieces They also repaired
, ,cc neces This was considered good for the first
unek hut much more was 10 be done last week.
The EXPENSE OF the institution Is extremely shght'
Two skilled operatives are employed In each SHOP
and they are paid about $50 week each' Inc
saving will be great. as MIR Terry sa'd 'ha' 'his
work was always done outside before and poorly
done at that
I, is now proposed start shoe factory Mr
Terry has submitted plan of how this can De
done In his opinion. to the Board oil 'harl'es' ana
II has approved the plan. II" said that IL han peeI
cloorly shown that the inmates could make all
chair own footgear much better and cheaper than
,ha" can be obtained outside The shoes now
worn nv the male inmates OF the institution cost ~
"'n,s n nnir and those by the female inmates
~ csnts They are OF poor quality and horribly
made so much 90 that many ot mem are Amos,
worthless Hundreds Of pairs have to be mutiiated
before they can be worn at all. According 10 Mr..
TRY these shoes can be made much better IN the
almShouse by the inmates and AT much less cA-
nense Then again a larger number OF varieties
can he made. easy cloth shoes Tor the patients IN
,be bosnitaI for instance. The shoe FACTORY VIII lie
stared as soon possible. There are also many
OF her branches of Industry III "h''h III" minutes
can be prohtaby employ'di . ,d NJ ,rr,- So,
You would be surprised SAID MI Terry, az az
the number trades and proicSs4ns rsrresrned
in the AImshouso by ia inmates. We couli 90 al
most everything that man can 90 we couiu nave
nrinted :, paper here last winter, as we had ABOUT