The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-27
NO RELIEF FOR CONSUMpTIYES
HARRIMAN'S INFLUENCE POTENT
WITH GOV. ODELL.
II Prevents This City From Establishing
q sanitarium for Poor Consumptfves
in Orange County and Condemns Them
to Die In Their Tenement Homes.

in Orange County and Condemns Them
TO Die In Their Tenement Homes.
ALBANY, Dot. 28.-Not only has Gov.
Odell persistently sought to place the In
sane and other inmates Of the State institu-
lions at the mercy Of an unscrupulous ring
In order that he might build up personal
machine, but he has, despite the protests
Of the medical fraternity and OF philanr
thropists generally, deprived hundreds, II
not thousands, OF the oonsumptive poor OF
New York city Of their last chance for life
itself. This fact Is a matter OF public
record.
In the spring OF 1903 the health authorities
Of New York city, appalled, at the annual
death rate in the city from consumption,
were about to establish a sanitarium for
durable consumptives In an isolated part
OF Orange county, where climatic conditions
were favorable to recovery and where there
would have been not the slightest danger
to those living in the neighborhood. The
New York city Commissioner OF Health
at that time reported that over 5000 persons
died annually in that city Of consumption,
but that with the open air treatment. such
as it was proposed to give at the intended
sanitarium in Orange county, many con-
sumptives could be restored to health and
the death rate greatly lowered.
But just as the Commissioner Of Health
began to make known through the press
his intentions, Gov. Odell's friend and
financial hacker, Edward H. Hartman,
he of the Furnaceville Iron Company fame,
appeared on the scene. Mr.. Hartman
is the owner OF park Of 10, 900 ares in Orange
county, not far distant from the site Sc
lected for the New York city sanitarium
for poor consumptives. He strenuously
objected to the presence Of any sanitarium
near his preserves Mr. Hartman quickly
enlisted the aid Of his friend Governor
Chairman .Odell, who at once secured
men, Senator Louis F. Goodsell and As
semblyman Louis Bedell, both Of Orange
county, the introduction of a bill known
as the. Goodsell- Bedell bill, amending
the Public Health law by prohibiting the
establishment of hospital or camp for con-
sumptives without the consent of the Board
of Supervisors of the county and the town
board Of the town in which such hospital
or camp was sought to be located.
The law as 1t then stood provided that
Health and Of the State Board of Health
must be obtained before hospital for
consumptives such as was proposed by
New York city could be established. The
Goodsel- Bedell bill made it necessary to
secure the consent of four separate and
distinct bodies before the city of New
York could establish a sanitarium for con-
sumptives outside OF it's corporate limits
This was practically prohibitive.
Many, protests pointing out the cruelty
ture and to Gov. Odell. The Republican
Commissioner Of Public Charities of New
York city, Homer Folks, who now is score.
tary of the State Charities Aid Association,
referring to this Goodsell- Bedell BILL said:
Of s hf s SSG0 tSs s the
inability Of the city, to provide properly for
It's consumptives will result for years to come
IN more sickness, restitution. suffering and
Of this city than it Is possible to calculate.
In my opinion y Is impossible to overstate the
seriousness of the situation.
The New York committee on the pre-
vention of tuberculosis addressed a letter
to the Governor pointing out the gross
injustice OF the bill and urged him to veto
Despite all protests. the Legislature
passed the bill, although it at first met with
quently passed in that body after the Gov
ernor's private secretary, James G. Ora
ham Of Newburgh, had circulated among
the Republican Assemblymen on the floor
of the chamber while the bill was under
consideration the second time. In other
words, the Governors secretary lobbied
the bill through in the interest Of the Gov
ernor's personal friend and financial
hacker, Edward II. Hartman.
The bill then went to the Governor, who
he was not left without, information from
the highest medical and other authorities
as to its obnoxious features.
The New York Academy of Medicine on
May 7, 1908, unanimously adopted and at
once transmitted to the Governor before he
fha h tha f0ll nxxytr al,
Resolred, That the, New York Academy of
Medicine deeply deplores the passage Of the
above bill and urgently requests his Excellenoy
act. which in case. il became law. would
involve the loss of thousands of lives and
Increase the spread Of tuberculosis, within
the crowded districts OF our cities and towns.
and would have to be considered an act OF
the greatest injustice and inhumanity.
Notwithstanding the protest from the
Academy Of Medicine and many other pro-
the bill to oblige his friend, Hartman,
thereby literally condemning thousands
OF consumptives to despair and death.
With characteristic efrontery, based upon
his belief that the people are readily fooled,
the Governor issued a memorandum full
of misstatements, whereby he sought to
explain and defend his act in signing the
bill. In his memorandum he said
=, Under existing laws MUNICIPALITIES Of the
first class are not permitted to esta blish such
villages or in towns without the
consent Of the local board Of health and the
approval Of the State Commissioner OF Health
This bill substitutes for the State Commits
sioner OF Health the local board of supervis-
ors of the county and for the local board of
health the town board.
The bill made no such substitution of
but added the consents OF the
board Of supervisors and OF the town
board to those Of the State Commissioner of
Health and the local board OF health, MAX |
ing four separate consents necessary before !
New York city can establish a sanitarium
for consumptives in any part of the State
outside Of its own limits. In conclusion the |
Governor said: |
| cannot see that any great injury will |
result to the work which the State and in.
iividuals have undertaken. On the con-
trary. | can see very urgent reasons why the |
property interests and the rights OF individ- |
ials which are safeguarded in this act should |
receive the thoughtful consideration of the
Legislature and the Executive o..
or course Mr.. Hartman and his breath
ng spot Of 10000 acres received this
thoughtful consideration" but the poor
afflicted with consumption in the city of
New York are by this act of inhumanity
md gross injustice condemned to die in
heir tenement homes.
CANAL GRAFT IN SENECA.