The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-09-24
state R~BFORMATORY.
Work on the New Penal Insti-
tuition at Railway Progress
ing But Slowly-False
Economy to Blame.
Ispecial to ..The .

TRENTON, Sept. "a, 1S97.-The work on
the New Jersey State Reformatory, now
being constructed at Railway, along the
line of the Union and Middlesex Electric
Railway, is progressing slowly, mainly on
account of the smallness of the appro-
priation made by the last Legislature.
The ground are located about one mile
from the Railway station, on what is
known as the old Thomas Edgar home
stead, now belonging to the State. h
land is level and the soil Ga clayey loam
dry. The property extends 500 feet on
Hazlewod avenue and it's depth ION Rah-
way avenue is $500 feet, the whole con-
tanning 1914 acres. The greater part of
the property is situated in Middlesex
county.
About three years ago the project of
building this intermediate prison, or re-
formdtory, was agitated by Ex-Governor
Werts and other State officials, as well as
by various organizations whose object it
was to improve the morals of juvenile Of
tenders, with a view to their instruction
rather than punishment merely. The bill
authorizing it's construction was passed
March .2S, 1894, with y preliminary APP
preparation Of 800, 600. and in the fol-
lowing April the Governor appointed six
commissioners to take charge of the con-
struction. The estimated cost of the re-
formatory is $500, 900, although Secretary
Thomas M. Gopsill says that 100000 will
be needed, exclusive of convict labor.
During the year 1895, after work had
begun with the 800, 900 preliminary APP
preparation, it was decided that all non
axrc mot mead hy the communication 11n fO No
vember of that year la lapsed into the
treasury, ard as only 1000 of the sum
had been expended by the Reformatory
Commission, they reluctantly had to hand
over the other half to the treasury and
wait the pleasure of the next Legislature.
When the Legislature met in 1896 SIS, 900
was appropriated in addition to the $780,
900 hat had lapsed, and, with $4,000
more in 1897, a grand total of $135, 900 has
thus far been appropriated.
The new reformatory, when completed,
will cover five acres of ground and fur
nish accommodations for 1000 prisoners.
From the front it will look like two long
wings converging towards a central
building with a high dome, the wings, and
the main building forming the centre of a
long, high brick wall. Directly in front
of the main building will be the quarters
OF the r~eformatory officials. AT the head
of this building will be a circular drive
way from which two arms will extend to
the right and left of the Reformatory
grounds, and on either side of the circular
driveway will be a house for the wardens.
Four long, wide arms will extend from
the main building, and in these the cells
will 10 1oAa+AI ,1,aI a1a@.I;a- + - 49,
specification, will be graded and will be
made of different sizes. Back of the cen
trail building will be a drill yard for the
inmates, surrounded by a wall one-story
high and completely shut off from the
| other buildings. On the left hand side,
beyond the wall, will be shops for practi-
cal instruction in manual labor, and a
foundry; in the rear, q physical culture
hall n a dining room and a building for
the officers: or the right hand side a
hospital, chapel and school rooms A
little further out on the left hand side
of the one-story wall will be located a
trade school and a building for the Soli-
tary confinement of refractory prisoners.
An interesting feature of the Reforma-
tory is that it will have one of the largest
domes in the country. 1t will be 120 feet
in diameter, carried by solid brick walls
four feet thick. S%pringing from the top
of these walls, 70 feet above the ground,
the dome rises to a further height OF gu
feet, making 100 feet at the centre. 1t is
supported by steel framework, consist
ing of 48 ribs, covered with terra-cotta
and copper, and extends 60 feet from wall
to wall. About 80 men are employed at
| present, but it is expected that work will
be resumed more extensively in the spring
of 1928, after the Legislature meets, and a
larger amount of money is appropriated.
The new Reformatory will provide
everything necessary to improve the con-
dition of its inmates. 1t is designed sole
~ for first offenders, who will be given
every opportunity for reformation. The
instruction in the schools will be conduct
ed in the most approved manner and by
| competent teachers. The estimated cost
of the institution will be lessened by the
employment of prisoners to help do the
balance of the work after the two wings
and main building are completed. 1t is
intended then to bring prisoners from
| other parts of the State n lodge them
in the finished portions of the Reforma-
tory and employ them on the unfinished
| parts.