New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-09-13
THE NEW BRANCH WORkHOI Sc.
FRAME "BARRACKs' on RIKER's ISLAND
APPROACHING COMPLETION.


People passing up and down the East River for
the las, two or three months nave had their atten-
'ion attracted hy the changes that have been TAX
Ing place on Rikcr's Island. That hitherto unn-
habitcI spot has been considerably transformed 10y
the erection Of dozen n'at-looking frame build
inVs These buildings arc 20 consttut" the branch
Workhous" which Robert J. Wright the Commits
s.onor ~ Correction * providing In order to re-
Hove III. pressure the R.ackwcIs Island institu-
ton. Accommodations viii D." furnished on Riker s.
Island for about nine hundred persons. in case Of
necessity. but It t. not expected that 50 large a
number Will have to Dee provided FOR soon.
The now buildings are now almost completed. and
are expected to be ready FOR occupancy Within a
few days They are frame structures. and most Of
them ar. not more than one story hlgh. Tn" OH
,lals Of the Department OF Correction refer TO
them commonly ns "Osrracks" They have been
built without cellars. and are regarded n tempo
rary affairs although II Is obvious that they Will
serve their purpose Tor number Of years. In
time +, Is expected that more substantial instiu-
ton viii be- erected this island. which by that
iinc may be enlarged 20 two or three times its
present area.
fl now contains about eighty or ninety acres but
"a biz cribwork has been built with the idea OF
dumping ashes and street dirt there. and thus
adding largely 10 m" landed property OF IN" city
Certainly II will be- far more prohiah" 70 ~" tha'
material In this way tn1n 10 dump 1t INTO IN"
ocean. as has been don" 30 ~" past 10 me d'tr
incut OF the channels leading INTO ~" htrb0f, ana
with tho careful separation OF garbage ana ashes
now enforced 10y Commissioner Wariur. II Is easy
10 make" land I'm this way without using any
ming iu the least Objectionable.
seen from "A distance. the new Workhouse build
ing looks Ike one connected structure" rambling
:, oug tho south side Of ia" island. Really. there
are "A dozen or more different buildings. although
TIC payons to be- used a. sleeping quarters are
htlit I'm pairs and Joined together. Thor" four
Of these each hundred feet in length. The
dining pavilion s structur" OF similar character.
but ono hundred and ten feet long. Still longer Is
ihc workshop. the largest of tn" buildings. with n
length OF one hundred and my feet. The remain
ing buildings consist Of provision and Ice house a
h0spith'. doctors and Keepers quarters tn" head
kcctlrrs house "a boathouso. stable. tire" watch
towers and little building containing dark cells.
with the exception Of the Keepers house. the
boat house and the stable. All are only on" story
high Exceptions must also be made OF the watch
towers. which are run up 70 som" height. so that
the guards on duty may overlook the shore Of the
island for u considerable distance.
The entire cost Of the new branch WorkhOuse
viii be about $500. The buildings have been 50
placed that they Will he protected from the singing
north winds OF winter while at the time an
excellent site has been left for the erection Of
moro permanent structure than these barracks"
when the city gets ready for such an improvement.