New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-09-27
SPLIT OVER HOSPITAL SITE.
CHOICE MADE BY TRUSTEES CAUSES
MUCH UNFAvORABLE COMMENT

Albany. Sept &c CspeciaD.-The decision of the
trustees OF the proposed State Hospital for the
Treatment of Incipient Pulmonary tuberculosis, in
favor of buying land at Big Clear Lake. In Frank
lin County. the site of the hospital, has been
heard with disappointment by Cornelius v Collins
the State Superintendent of Prisons who thought
that II a site Clinton Prison was selected he
could have employed many convicts in digging
the foundations and putting up the walls for the
State. thus giving needed employment TO the con-
victs and In Mr.. Collinss opinion saving the State
money.
Superintendent Collins had Just returned from
Cleveland, where he had been attending the annual
convention of the superintendent of State prisons
when he heard this news; but he not quite as
much annoyed as he would have been If he had not
known that the Forest Preserve Board and the
State Board of Health must confirm this action of
the trustees of the tuberculosis Hospital
1t may be stated here properly that Lieutenant
Governor Woodruff State Engineer Bond and
Charles II. Babcock the members Of the Forest
Preserve Board, and DR.. Daniel Lewis OF New
York, and owen Cassidy. of Havana. members of
the State Board of Health. and DR. Baxter r
Smelzer secretary of the State Board of Health
have accepted an invitation to visit Big Clear Lake
on Sunday next in company with the members of
the Board of Trustees OF the tuberculosis Hos
pital and examine the suggested site for the hos
pital
WANTS A SITE NEAR THE PRISON.
"If the hospital for those threatened with CON
SUMPTION were placed near Clinton Prison. said
Superintendent Collins to-day. Il could give
ployment to large body of convicts and 1 am
positive from past experience this would save the
State some money. It is difficult task keep the
convlcts employed for good many Of the State
institutions now manufacture articles themselves
that the State prison conyicts formerly made for
them. Take the Manhattan State Hospital for in
stance, which formerly had the State prisons sup
ply it with six thousand seven thousand suits of
clothing year Now all that work Is done bv the
Manhattan lass
objection is made by people engaged in various oc-
equations in this State If you keep the convcts
work constructing buildings for the State. We are
building Dannemora with the Ia Dor OF con-
vcts of the finest hospital buildings in the
State for the of the State Hospital for Insane
Convicts.
I'VE could easily supply the convict labo needed
for the construction of this suggested tuberculosis
hospital The land would cost nothing and there is
plenty of rock available for foundations. Added to
this, doubt if there is a healthier place in the
State than Dannemora. ! send all sickly or con-
sumptive convcts there. and yet the death rate Of
that prison Is less than that of the others In 1899
there were thirteen deaths at Sing Sing, nine at
Auburn and only six at Dannemora."
What about the drainage and water SUPPLY
Both excellent, and think these matters should
have the first consideration At Napanoch Ulster
County, for instance they have put the Eastern
Reformatory in a hollow where we shall have to
pump out all the sewage At Dannemora there IS A
beautiful slope 10 the sOutheastward for miles and
there is abundant supply Of water from the neigh
boring mountain. 1t had been suggested to put this
tuberculosis hospital about two miles from the
Clinton State Prison. at Daunemora and out of
sight of it, and to give station to be established
near by a name, which would In my opinion
destroy any sentimental objection 10 using the
rame Daunemora.'
LETTER TO THE TRUSTEES.
Upon September George McI.aughlin The
Secretary Of the State Commission on Prisons
whose members especially busy themselves in find
ing work for the convcts, sent the following letter
to the Board of, Trustees of the State Hospital
for the Treatment of Incpient Pulmonary Tuber-
culosis:
Gentlemen: By direction of the State Commission
of Prisons send you this communication relating
treatment of inclpient pulmonary tuberculosis.
of William j. Montanye tmember Of the Prison
Commsson), made to the Commission at its meet
This report was indorsed by the Commission and
the Commission earnestly desires your honorable
body to give consideration to Dannemora as "A
desirable site for this institution You viii observe
tabIished for the same money by utilizing prison
labor. II is somewhat difficult under existing law
sirabe both their own account and on account
Of the taxpayers Of the State that they should be
AS appears from the report or Commissioners
Of the prison the ofcers and convicts of this in
stituton had had large experience in the erection
Of the labor in the erection Of the buildings be
in tho construction of roads reservoirs and In the
grading of the grounds.
appliances necessary for this kind of work. and for
the last two years has done an immense amount
new State Hospital at Dannemors
asks YOU TO consider Carefully and seriously these
suggestions and the facts set forth in the report of
GEORGE MLAUGHLIN.
Commissioner wantange in his report said:
Dannemora is an ideal place for the proposed
by labor Of convicts, and of stone. partly Of
stone, from the nearby auarries of the state
REGARDING THE CLIMATE.
From a climatic point OF view no better place
about a mile westerly from Dannemora Village.
station Of the Ghateaugay Railroad and the same
would not be in sight OF the proposed hospital The
mora Mountain yet it's southerly slope IT is pro
tected from the north winds BY the higher ridge
sea- 9e a6d the e%pu Tb sr
is pure az all times, as the prevailing winds
the All is very dry. fogs being entirely unknown
The water is pure and the supply is ample from
works already established IN connection with the
For many years the climate OF this particular
Temarkabe for its cure OF pulmonary troubles and
of tuberculosis The absence of humidity in the
air and tho even temperature Of summer and
winter the Thermometer records seldom showing
hove 81 degrees In the summer below In the
coolest snaps Of winter, are conducive TO that
The death rate OF the prison on the daily aver
age for the last FIVE years shows percentage of
6l36 thousand. During the year 1896 there
the Clinton Prison of which six were acute TWENTY
recent and seventy chronic advanced. The result
cured tSrty-eisht The disease was arrested in
forty-seven cases. and nine cases remained under
treatment.
CAN GET SITE FREE OF COST
The objection that the proposed site should be in