The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-12-22
FRESH GOSSIP
FROM GOTHAM
The Rapid Transit Tunnel Weakens
Houses Along the Route.
BELLEVUE NURSES SUSPENDED.
They Arc Accused of Treut,ns Pate
With Bruiaiity-Ncw Plan for
PUNISHMENT OF Youthful
Oife doris.
BELLEVUE NURSES SUSPENDED.

| tiaI there was any thought of changing
the route OF the tunnel at Forty-secons
Street 10 avoid that thoroughfare. Yes
teFdaE II was announced that the EXecu-
1--WE Committee OF the Board of Directors
OF the New Central, consisting OF w.
! IL Vanderbilt, F. W. Vanderbilt, Senator
| Depew, ). +. Barser, J. Pierpont Morgan,
| H. Mex. Twonbiy, S r. Galloway and
| William Rockefeller, mad been directed to
| consult with the commission TO run the
subway under the Grand Central station
| to torty-sevent:l Street, ana through that
street to Broadway. The proposition was
| made TO the railroad company month
| ago, according to Secretary WorcneSter.
iiAe torty-selond Street excavation has
| been regarded as one OF the hardest en-
S.neerinS problems TO be solved in the
| construction OF the road on account OF
| the street car lines and s1lb-surface struc-
| lures. The question of burrowiuS under
| the Grand Central station IS complicated
| by the fact that the ground IS owned by
| the Old Manhattan Railroad which leased
| II TO tue Central for 500 years.
| WEAKENING BUILDINGS
| All that the commissioners have been
| willing 20 admit is that they were contGm-
| plating an underground connection be-
! tween the Grand Central Station and the
| subway.
| The commissioners received yesterday a
iENtVt iIclti JU!Ill l'JOli'i, 9tlitlit4 bt!L-
| dent of Buildings. who Informed them
| that the construction work on the sub
way has weakened y great many buildings
| along the route and that the inspectors
Of his department. report that in some in
stances this weakening is very marked.
Superintendent Dooner said that the
buildings most affected We're those on Elm
Street and some on Fourth Avenue He
did not give specific Instances, and his
communication did not go into any de-
tails. except that it was the impression
Of the inspectors in the department that
in some cases the injury TO buildings was
caused by the fact that the side walls
of the subway were 50 near the curb
lines that there was not sufficient earth
left between them and the building lines.
TEN I.IIENTS AND FIRE.
The special report Of Subcommittee
of the Tenement House Commission en-
tenement house fires has just been issue!
by Hugh Bonner and Lawrence Weller.
the committed They say that N seven
years, from January l. 1881. to January l.
1895, only III persons were killed in ,eHe-
ment house fires, while between Novem-
Der /, 1888. and November l. 1900, forty
one persons have been killed Forty
seven per cent. of the fires in the city
occur in tenement houses, although the
tenement houses are only 81 per cent OF
all buildings Tie small narrow light
shaft. serving as a fiue. is a source OF
the greatest danger in buildings of this
kind. and the construction of such shafts
IN tenement houses should be absolutely
fireproot halls and staircases in all tene-
ments erected hereafter In conclusion
they say:
we believe that no tenement house
should be erected in the future unless
hreproof throughout. We appreciate
however, that such method of construc-
iytar-
lnss. and that there are other evils in our
tenement houses to be remedied more
serious even than the danger from fire
II a choice must be made. it seems to us
preferable that a few people should be
burned to death eacn year than that thou
sands should be killed slowly by tuber-
culos!s and other diseases caused BY lack
of prone l'-tt and arr"
YOUTHFUL OFFENDERS.
The cases of three youthful offenders
We're disposed OF yesterday in the. Court Of
Special Sessions in accordance with a plan
formally put in operation for the first time
on Monday last. Samuel Styre, aged II.
charged with receiving stolen goods; VIII
liam Altscheilier, 16. and John Williams.
20. both charged with larceny, were re-
leased on parole in custody OF David VIII
lard, teacher OF the school maintained by
the Public Education Association for bow
prisoners in the Toul5s. The boys were
ordered by the court TO report once a week
to Mr. Willard, and 10 reappear in s,ourt
on January 9th. If they have done we'll
up TO that date sentence in their resnec-
V 0a NAV .be ind n -r Y SUSPENDED
Meanwhile 1t is only conditionally deferred
The case of Louis Benson, notification OF
when Mr.. Willard had failed to receive
was postponed until Monday next in order
that he mlght ascertain whether it was
desirable 10 parole the prisoner.
WORKS WE'LL,
The adoption of this plan of parole or
probatlon IS the outcome of nearly two
years experience in discharging youthful
offenders against the law in the custody of
Mr.. Willard, or in that of their parents
on the strength of Mr. Wizards report as
to their previous good reputation, the
ability of their parents to look after
them, or any extenuatlng circumstances
in connection with their orfenses. This
has worked 50 well that the judges decided
to continue IL with the addition of the
parole feature, and to authorize Mr. VIII
lard 70 act as a probation officer. lie
will De notified OF such cases as the court
thinks may be suitable for probation. and
will be requested to look them 40 and re-
port on them TO the court. Monday VIII
PROBABLY be the regular day Tor these
cases. The third Thursday of each month
will be probation day when the bows on
probation will appear After hearing the
boys will either be continued on probation.
released under suspended sentence or SEN
fenced, as the court may decide
NURSES SUSPENDED
AS the result of his investigation OF the
charges OF brutal usage OF patients Nv
nurses in the alcoholic and insane wards
at Bellevue Hospital, Commissioner John
w. Keller. Of the Department of Charities.
yesterday ordered the suspension OF the
six nurses; in the alcoholic ward and made
other sweeping changes to affect both
wards, to correct what ne called the
shocking conditions existing there. He
said afterward that not only had he found
cases OF extreme neglect of patients by
nurses, but his investigation had corrobo-
rated the, charges of brutality on the part
OF the nurses. The six whom Mr.. Keller
suspended yesterday are Edward E. Har-
mer, Joseph R. Rafferty, William L. s.
Wilson, H 3. iNewcomber, John D. E'rede-
rick and E. ]. MacCracken All come
from the Mills Training School, as did the
three nurses discharged from the insane
pavilion by Mr.. Keller. as the result OF
Louis T. billiards death there
Before ordering the suspension OF the
six nurses Mr.. Keller laid before the gov
errors of the Minis School. at a meeting
they held in the afternoon, the evidence
he had collected of the treatment received