New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-05-04
A DANGER AND DISGRACE.

II is suggested that the melancholy death of
Deputy Acknowledgement Coyne was due to
poisonous eXhalations filling the room in which
the Gardiner trial has been conducted. That is
the room which the Supreme Court refused to
occupy several months ago. which was after
ward found by the Health Board to be in an
extremely unsanitary condition, which was con-
sequently closed for considerabe time. from
which attempts were made by crude means TO
prevent the escape of foul air into other parts OF
the Courthouse, which since Commissioner
Wilcox got possession of it has been closed as
tight as possible whenever it has not been in
actual USE and which has been commonly
known as the pest room" 1t may be untrue
or incapable of proof, that Mr.. Coynes recent
attendance on the Gardiner examination under
such conditions directly cost him his life, but
nobody pretends to deny doubt that the room
is utterly unfit for and source of danger to
all who are on duty in or near it, Yet month
after month passes away and nothing is done to
make it habitable while an important proceed
ing requiring the presence Of many persons, is
permitted TO go on there and the building which
it is believed TO infect throughout is constantly
occupied for public purposes, as If human life
were of trivial account, or indeed as if it We're
desira bic TO deplete the population through the
dissemination of fatal diseases.
Il
in such a condition is not mere foolish neg-
gence, but something far worse. What judg-
ment would be passed on man who should
content himself with yacating and shutting the
doors of a room in his house when it was per-
vaded by an intolerable stencil? Is it less out
ageous for public officials than it would be for
private citizens TO deal in such a manner with
the buildings for which they are responsible? 1t
is evident that in this matter of the Courthouse
there is determination on the part Of every
body who is liable to censure TO put the blame
on somebody else. The experience Is natural
and familiar, but not at all satisfactory.
The charter requires the Board Of Public I'm
provements to prepare and recommend to the
Municipal Assembly all ordinances and resolu-
tions regulating the repairing of public build
ings and puts the Commissioner of Public
buildings. Lighting and Supplies in control Of
such work. 1t ought therefore to be easy for
the Mayor, let us say, TO determine where the
remissness in this case of shocking neglect is
chargeable and it might be supposed that he
would have found pleasure long ago in bring
ing his influence and his formidable temper to
bear on the delinquents, he would assuredly
have won applause by so doing.
Many citizens of Newly DIRK have often been
tempted to wish that the County Courthouse
might be destroyed by some CONFUSION of nat
ure and replaced by new building adapted to
the purposes which that relic of infamy is made
TO serve. There is reason to look for a sub
stitution of that sort but there is every reason
why the Courthouse should be made and kept
wholesome. The city is not too poor to give the
men whom it employs in the public service a
fair chance for their lives.