New-York tribune., 1901-01-28
NEW STATE PRISON URGED.
ABANDONMENT OF AUBURN AND SING
SING RECOMMENDED.
SUPERINTENDENT COLLINS WANTS PENAL
INSTITUTION OF MODERN con-
sTRUCTION AT PEEKsKILL

sTRUCTION AT PEEKSKILL
Albany, Jan. 27 (speciaD.-The recommenda-
tions of the New-York Prison Association for
condemning Sing Sing Prison. printed in The
Tribune yesterday. strongly supported by
the State Superintendent of Prisons and the
State Board of Health. Stirred by his recent
investigation Of Sing Sing Prison to determine
the reasons for the prevalence there Of typhoid
fever and of consumption. the Superintendent
of Prisons. Cornelius V. Collins. will urge in his
report, which will be made public this week.
the tearing down of the present structure and
the removal of the thirteen hundred inmates 10
building. The Superintendent will also
urge the abandonment of the Auburn Prison.
the sanitary condition of which is almost as
vile. he says. that of Sing Sing, and the
building of prisons grouped together within
a radius Of a few miles.
The wide separation Of the three State prisons
from one another and from the central admin
istration office at Albany. adds greatly TO the
expense of maintenance, and TO the inconveni-
ence Of superinte tendence. II has been urged by
certain State officers in high authority that the
new prisons be built on the Peekskill training
ground. This situation is adapted for such a
purpose, they say, since the land is high the
drainage excellent. the water pure and the city
Of New York, from which large percentage of
the criminals come is only on hours ride dis
tant. The land also, is already owned by the
State. that the only expense involved would
be in the construction of the buildings 1t is
understood that bill will he introduced later
in the session providing for the establishment of
the new prison structures at Peekskill.
CONDENSATION URGED.
The Superintendent's recommendation to aban-
don Sing Sing Prison will be widely discussed
this week and will receive added strength from
the report of DR.. Daniel Lewis, president of the
State Board OF Health, which will be read at
special meeting Of the Board next Wednesday.
Dr. Lewis has made personal examination OF
the sanitary conditions Of the prison, and It is
said that he will also urge the condemnation OF
the institution.
The conditions at Sing Sing disclosed by the
Investigations of Superintendent Collins and Dr.
Lewis not only explain the wide prevalence OF
disease in the institution but awaken wonder
that the number of deaths is not far greater than
the list reported. At the present time. with a
total Of thirteen hundred inmates. there are
tlirty-six typhoid cases in the prison hospital.
The number Of deaths for the last year was
thirteen. No definite figures are obtainable 10
show how many are suffering from consumption.
although It is said on good authority that they
number no less than one hundred. third OF
lHe deaths reported result from tnlS disease.
Although the Superintendent Of Prisons has
called attention the condition OF Sing Sing
IN his reports for the last two years no attention
was given the subject until last November.
when several inmates Frustrated with ty-
phoid fever. The pestilence spread rapidly and
occasioned great alarm. In order to determine
the causes OF the fever. Superintendent Collins
ordered an investigation. and found that the old
stone conduit which brought the water from the
Croton Aqueduct draining a long row OF
outhouses which had been built it. The
conduit is now being torn up and iron piping
laid in its place
SUPERINTENDENT COLLINss STATEMENT.
In speaking of Sing Sing Prison to-day su-
perintendent Collins said:
In this prison the main buildings are very old
antlquated monuments or outworn IDEAS. Ihey are
loaded with the crusts Of three-quarters Of cen
The cell hall is six tiers high with two hundred
cells in each tier. Thus in this one wing of the the
inmates The cells are small. containing about two
been condemned for years as unsantary. There is
little If any yenulat9n The halls ais into @ which the the
and which the only means OF ventilation, are
in t6e morning is too foul for ordinary lungs to
breathe without choking. The two of cells on
sonry, and the outer walls of the same thick
condensation Is great that the water runs |
down into great pools the floor The lower tier |
is below the river that sewerage is possible
There closets nor wash basins in any of the
cells.
What is needed is not pOnderous masonry. 1t Is |
the thickness Of the wall that defes escape 1t
is the steel bars. Light. airy, brick buildings with
strong steel cagings, would be far secure, a
thousand times more healthfu. and could be erect
ed at low figure. Although consumption Is more |
less prevalent in all prisons, nevertheless have
every 10 believe that at Sing Sing this dis
IS still further aggravated by the damp and !
even loathSome quarters where the convctS sleep.
or course. many of the prisoners entering the |
institution already victims OF chronic diseases.
which often known by the name of consump- |
tion. Extreme should therefore be taken that
prisons. more than any other public institutions,
should be sanitary and well ventilated.
Auburn Prison built In 1917. Much that is !
said OF Sing Sing will apply TO Auburn. In both !
prisons the walls solidy built of stone. The !
up space that should be utilized for cell The
water supply is procured from the municipal works
and is exceedingly expensive
Dannemora Prison, the superintendent said |
by far less unsantary than either Auburn |
or Sing Sing, although the institution was far |
behind such institutions the prisons at Tren- |
ton, n. j. Baltimore and Columbus. Ohio |
Among other recommendations which the su- |
perintendent will make, is the imprisoning and |
execution of condemned men In one prison. in |
stead of maintaining three distinct institutions
as at present the indetermnate sentence and |
central power plants.