New-York tribune., 1903-06-10
VTSIT TO BL4CKWELL,S.
Women Inspect Improvements Made
Since Tan7nang Regime.

The average intelligent citizen OF New-York never
nveo on Blackwelrs Island, and none Of his rela-
tves ever lived there Consequently he doesn't {
know anything about it. the difference the char
scts- OF the municipal government makes TO the
inmates He is ssid to care. either. and as
he does care extremely about the amount Of taxes
he has 10 pay. the administration that takes his
money TO spend II Blackwelrs Island runs a
great rsk OF losing his vote For the purpose OF
obtaining information for the enlightenment OF
such citizens g delegation from the Women's Mu-
rictpal League visited Blackwers Island yesterday
and spent an arduous morning going over the vari-
GUS institutions under the OF the Department
Of Charities Millard n Ellison. secretary of the
Commissioner Of Charities. cicerone- and the
party spent about three hours the island, leav-
ing the dock a4 the foot IF East Twenty-sixth-st
Il o'clock
The citv hospital was the first institution Wis
tied and before entering the building the women
were startled by inexplcable comrnotion inside
q small iron tower from the foot OF which men
and women some OF them with children In their
s-nx were emerging every second or two This
was the fire escape consisting simply OF cir
c1,Ia- inclined plane, down which the patients slid
There are two Of these curious toboggan slides
gnd each one capable OF bringing down TWO hun
o-ed peopIe minute The patients seemed to enjoy
the descent for most Of them came out laughing.
WARDS THEY LEFT BEHIND THEM
The inside Of the hospital. with Its high, airy
wards delicstey tinted walls and spotless cleanli-
was the more interesting because one ward still
remained as the administration left It with
unUafnted floor discolored woodwork and cracked
or1Irnbling unlimited plaster.
vy-hen the present administration came in said
Nj Ellison. the whole hospital was like this
ward There wasn't g floor that was painted, nor
8 ceiling that was not cracked There wasn't
chair in any Of the wards. and e patient who was
able TO be up had nothing but a stool TO sit on
The nurses tables unsanitary wooden ones
chests.
were 10 screens The Department Of Charities
hz not. n fact. spent cent on the equipment Of
the hospital in four years We have spent sl'O"S
on repairs and equipment
HAS this administration spent more money Iaan
the last one7" asked Miss Sadie American
Tt has spent more money" said Mr. Ellison.
r,,t II has established two new hospita4s-Ihe Tu-
h-erclilosis InfirInary and the Hospital Tor Con
-,zlesoen-s II received additional appropria-
tior Of 100000 and has spent the whole amount
sor food Formerly the inmates Of the almshouses
didn't get anything 10 eat but bread and corIee'
without milk sugar or butter No attempt was
mace 10 grade dietaries. and tuoerculous pauel'
got exactly what the others did Commissioner
Folks has mt IN dietitian, and now have
scientifically graded dietaries for all classes OF
inmates and employees This has Effected sur
rrisng saving, though II ia Impossible TO say no"
much yet A breadn1aking plant has also been put
n and the same bread IS used throughout al the
institutions for employees and inmates alike
On reaching the almshouses the VISITORS Iounu
that dinner was Just over and consioerapie
amount OF food remained on the tables a iacI
which was noted as evidence that the supply was
abundant Mr Ellison then called attention 10
the width Of the tables and the fact that the IN
mates sal facing one another, a small clTcnih-
stance and insignificant it would seem. but former
ly the tables were only about foot wide ana 'ne
diners sat back to back as prisoners do
Some Of the inmates who were una bic TO go 10
the table were having their meals in the WARDS ana
one Of the visitors stopped TO ask an oid woman
who was enjoying bowl of SOUP, If 1t was good
Yes, II is good" she answered They are very
good 70 me-
WORD PAUPER Is BARRkD-
Ths soup In fact. smelled very appetizing. ano
the visitors hungry enough by that time TO
feel that they would have liked some OF it them
selves.
In the wards of the alnishouses were posted
couple Of significant orders. One forbade the use
any Of reproach. and in particular OF the
word --pauper, in speaking 70 the inmates ana the
other, posted in the slnshouse infirmary. pro
vi6ed that in Of death tag. bearing the