New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-28
WORK ON RIKER'S ISLAND
WHAT COMMISSIONER OF CORRECTION
WRIGHT Is PLANNING TO DO.
BARRACKS 10 BE BUILT TO RELIEVE THE
PRESSURE IN THE woRKHoUsE-THE
CITY MIGHT DO THE JOB cHEAPLY.
BUT THE LAW SAYS NO.

BUT THE LAW SAYS NO.
One needs 20 have been familiar with the manage
nent OF the Department Of Charities and CORRECTION
IN this CITY in the years when Tamnany was In the
ASCENDANT TO appreciate 10 tho full the Improvements
made under the reform administration INTRODUCED
as soon as possible after Mayor strong receiVeo
mower to appoint heads OF departments All
important step in the right direction was taken
when the Department mentioned was divided. ana
the work OF caring for the city's charitable warus
separated from the custody Of minor onenoers
against the law.
Tho law providing for this was passed by the
legislature Of 1896 and became operative at the De-
ginning Of last year. At that time fooer' D.
wright who had been serving acceptably rs
Commissioner of Charities and Correction, giving
special attention to those functions OF the Depart
ment connoted by the second word, became Ooih-
missioner Of Correction.
The york begun by Mr. Wright while member
Of the old Commission has been continued since he
took sole charge Of the Department OF Ooiio0'io''
There are few Woodworking officials IN tho CITY,
The Commissioner OF Correction has no deputy
and he is almost constantly on duty In MS ONCE
in East Twentieth-st. Every official paper OF the
Department has 10 be signed by him, ana IL ne
spends day outside tho Office for any reason nc
has 10 mako up the lost time Instead OF taxing
"day OFF, on the two recent holidays. Commis-
s,oner Wright devoted his timo 10 visiting RiKers
Island where he s planning 20 erect buildings tha1
will relieve OF the pressure on the overorowd
ed institutions Blackweiis Island
As soon as he became a member OF the city gov
eminent Mr. Wright conceived the possibility OF
turn,ne this island 20 some account in connection
with tho c!ty's institutions. His acquaintance with
II began long before. In the time OF the war
Rikers Island was a Government recruiting sta-
tion and Mr. Wright was one OF the recruits etn-
toned thero FOR several weeks That gave him
knowledge OF it such es few New-Yorkers have and
foSer ha 10
A CHAT WITH THE COMMISSIONER
The Offices Of the Department Of Correction are
in what was once dwelling house hard by Gram
ercy Park and tho Commissioners special apart
ment IS the large front room on tho second moor
II is homelike place, with palms and rubber
plants growing tho windows an aquarium
with goldfish on one side. and numerous engrav-
ings and etchinss the walls But for the Dig
desk Of the Commissioner. 1t might be taken for a
family living-room. and the suggestion is not les
eened by the fact that on tho round table IN the
centre Of the room lies large Biole
Sitting In q comfortable chair in front OF his desk
Mr. Wright cbatted pleasantly with the writer one
day last week regarding the work OF his Depart
ment and especially the contemplated Improvement
at Riker's Island, which is now commanding MS
special attention provisional site for the pulio-
.ngs to be put I'D there has been selected py inc
Commissioner on the south side OF the islanc' ana
Mayor Strong has promised TO go up to the island
BOARD If Estimate TO look the ground.
The buildings to be put UP Will be OF a temporary
Observation-Disclosures" Commissioner Wright termed
thcm-as It lie the expectation that at some uihs
permanent and substantial structure VIII be erect
ed For that Mr.. Wright thinks the higher ground
toward tho northerly side Of the Island should De
reserved This is one for choosing the south
side for the barracks. Another reason Is that IN
this site the wooden structures will be protector
from tho north winds which sweep ever the lsaIo
IN cold weather At the same time on account OF
the prevailing southerly breezes in the summer IL
Is believed that the southern sioe VIII DO ooo'
enough in tho warm season.
II he could follow his own desires, the Comnls-
gioner would have all the work needed on inc ISL
and done by able bodied men for whose keep the
city is now paying. When he proposed this. now
aver no was told that 1t would be impossible under
the law; that there must be a regular contract;
awarded to the lowest bidder after the preseripeo
amount of advertising his Lss snougdt tor .s o5
n the work were done by inmates OF the work
house The making Of q contract put another face
Innate. The application to the Boa1S wnSn notH :
but for some reason the amount allowed is s''o0'
AN ABSURD ARRANGEMENT.
Gus. look at the ebsurdity OF the thing" said
Mr. Wright "If there is anything Riker's Island
abounds IN 10 stones. and proposed TO have the
stones got out and broken ur by inmates OF the
yorkhouse. but was told that that would not GO
at all. So instead Of using the stone on the island.
the contractor will carry stone there for the foun-
dalton walls For my part, cannot see why the
CITY should not do lob Of this kind on its own
account and save several thousand dollars. but
they tell me that the law won't allow IT, After that
have nothing more TO say. but that would not be
my way Of doing business
"However. am going TO set of the msn at
work I'd there mex. week. The island is full OF
niger heads by which I mean rocks sticking UP
through the soil ! going 20 put l0 or 200
men at o T 0o 20 be- landed The ss ones
shall have 10 blast The plan is to send the men W
work during the day bringing them back to Black
wells Island at night We VII senG up i009 lot
t tses f for them 1 to eat H. The viii
The tents viii have Ms % t sed rocks tas viii
be used in building sea wall On the noIth slae OF
the island. which will be permanent improve
When asked for particulars concerntns the build
ings to be provided on the island commissioner
The plan il to put uD four double paviIitons
Necessary 10 double up. by placing ore cot over an
other. there would be room for Just twice as 1 h
men The buildings will be only one story hgtl
The plans for them have been drawn and arc nov
the buildings wa lIe o 10 % 90 b
way promptly so as 10 let the contract as soon q:
Not more than three months finish the work in
and should not be surprised II 1t was done IN iess
I'm addition to the main buildings, there will b
workshop. where brooms' shoes etc, VIII a,,l D.
a storehouse for provisions, and chapel. All these
things necessary. After me removal OF w
rocks have spoken Of. there will be q good zeal OF
land that can be cultivated TO advantage; at iees
] presume 30, although 90 not know much aoou
the soil yet. There are about eighty or nlneu
acres on the island, but there has been cribWorr
Constructed with the idea Of doing lot or hllina
In with ashes and the like. and If that IS cone th'
island may be enlarged 70 perhaps three hundred
acres"
The Commissioner also had something interesting
10 tell about the farming which he carried on OF
Backwelis Island last year. He put sixteen acres
under cultivation and. while he spent 1850 fo
fertilizers. he raised vegetables worth at the mar
ket prices g. 100 The things raised were beans
tomatoes peas, lceks. cabbages. radishes and 81
forth. and there were enough TO supply all the IN
situations In the Department, including the Tombs
TWENTY-FIVE THOUSAND PIANOS.
q Ia wan