New-York tribune., 1901-08-02
800 TO CARE FOR $500.
GOVERNOR ODELL FINDS BIG PAYROLL
AT ONE HOSPITAL
RETRENCHMENT MAY RESULT FROM HIS
TOUR OF INSPECTION AMONG
STATE INSTITUTIONS.

Retrenchment in the running expenses OF
State institutions particularly hospitals, is to
follow Governor Odell's tour. finished yesterday.
when he visited the State hospitals at Central
Islip and Kings Park The Governor would not
talk about what he in his long trip but
at Kings Park he found a payroll of 800 en-
ployes 70 minister to the wants of $500 inmates.
The force of employees at Central Islip was pro
portionately large. but the patients there num-
ber only about thirteen hundred.
The visit to Long Island yesterday wound up
sixteen days of almost continuous hard work
consumed in examining forty institutions which
receive money from the State. The Governor $
party included Senator Ellsworth Speaker
Nixon and Assenibymen Aids and Kelsey; MT
Graham the Governors secretary Calvin Nc
knight and Colonel Reuben l. Fox. of the
State committee. The Governor has worked
the party hard that yesterday Assemblyman
lothian p. Aids told him that if he ever did
it again he (Allds) and his associates would or
ganlze a labor union and limit the hours of labor
to eight a day. Since the middle of July the
party has covered about two thousand miles by
half dozen different railroads.
HE ASKED MANY QUESTIONS
The Governor and his friends left Long island
City yesterday morning at o'clock by special
train. reaching the Manhattan State Hospital. at
George A. Smith. superintendent. and George L.
Thompson. a lunacy commissioner. DR.. Smith
has about thirteen hundred patients. and when
the buildings are completed there will be
accommodations for $500. Five hundred acres
of land cultivated. Governor OdeI asked
many pertinent questions about the cost per
capita of maintaining the hospital.
At Kings Park he met at the station
shortly after noon by State Senator william NJ.
Mckinney. of Northport. Commissioner Thomp-
son accompanied the party. DR.. o. NJ. Dewins
superintendent OF the hospital. is sick with grip
DR.. George O'Hanlon. first assistant physician
In charge. received the visitors.
Owing TO lack of time the stay at Kings Park
brief The ice plant and the power
plant received attention. Many of the $500
patients filed past the Governors carriage on
their way TO dinner and a woman patient was
fearful that she would not be noticed that she
pirouetted on the lawn and caused good deal
OF merriment. crazy man at a third story
window began political stump speech as the
Governor passed but IL somewhat inferior
to the ordinary of stump speeches. and the
visitors were glad TO get out of earshot.
COMPARING NOTES
Superintendent Aldrich, OF the farm depart
ment has 600 acres under cultivation. He said
his Irish potato crop failure. but he would
have about thousand bushels OF the finest
sweet potatoes. which. ne declares. do we'll in
Long Island sand. Mr. Aldrich said hts bis,
dairy good according 20 the official fig
ures. as the competing dairies at the Pan-A AmerI-
Exposition. He employs 200 patients at
farm work
Governor Odell. at the close OF the inspection
declined 10 comment what he had seen. Re
turning on the train he compared notes with
Messrs. Ellsworth. Aids Nixon and Kelsey. Mr.
Aids said afterward:
Our tour OF inspection has been n stretch OF hard
work in hot weather. and m glad Il Is over but
II has paid All OF us now know from personal in
which visited. The Governor has shown an ex-
traordinary keen grasp OF the practical phases Of
the subject, and what he may say In his next
message about hospitals will be timely.
OFF TO LAKE MOHONK
After returning TO New-York Governor OdeIl
took train for Lake Mohonk where his family
Is He will be Senator Platt's guest for a week
at the Oriental Hotel this month. One of Gov
ernor Odells party. in commenting last night on
the trip, said:
We were Governor Odell's guests The informa-
tion obtained observation tour will guide us
In legislation next winter. The Governor I'm his
last message suggested that S750OOO ought 10 be
saved in running the State hospitals We shall
probably try to his ns far us
possible. The institutions we Visited generally
speaking, present handsome appearance The
best foot of each was put forward for our visit
no doubt Vast sums have been spent on our State
institutions OF late years. II is time to get them
upon an economical working basis | think the
Governor Will be able a result OF his ohserva-
ton tour 10 make the desired retrenchments with
out injuring the institutions In any important par
ticular.