The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-11-19

the Deal BY which the state Paid
sA7. o to Isaac v. Baker. Jr.. for
Land NJ Inaccessible nv II Is Isolated.
ALBANY. Nov. Is.-Republicans in the
confidence of G~overnor-elect Hughes are
making an investigation with a view TO
preparing a report to be submitted 10 him
concerning the establishment OF a state
hospital for the insane at Comstooks. wash
ington county. This hospital is 10 cost
81 900 900 and is to accommodate LOW
patients.
The Republicans interested in making
this investigation have been averse, they
said tonight. to building the hospital al
Comstocks for the reason that in their
judgment II is an isolated spot and should
never nave been selected Furthermore.
they say that Comstocks was selected IN
opposition to h opinion Of the Lunacy
Commission OF the State. The land Tor
the site at Comstocks is meadow land. ana
it is insisted that there is not an available
water supply. Beyond this. the investiga-
tors say, il is seventy-two miles from Al
bany on a side line Of railroad and is as
Inaccessible az it is isolated.
The Republicans who are making this in
vestigation are 10 call the attention OF Mr..
Hughes to h political methods by which
Comstocks was selected for the site OF this
new State hospital. with a view OF having
him direct the State Lunsoy Commission to
select a site without regard to political
influence. 1t was asserted very positively
tonight that the Lunscy Commission does
not believe that the exigencies Of the situa-
ton demand that this State hospital h
be built at Comstocks. There has been
quite a public scandal over the selection Of
the site.
The land belonged to Isaac v. Baker, Jr.,
who is the powerful Republican OF Wash
ington county. The State has already paid
Mr.. Baker s42, 900 for the and for the site
and a $4,000 preliminary appropriation has
been made for the building of the hospital.
Yet none of the $4,000 has been used and
those who are interested in calling Gov.
Hughes's attention to this matter are averse
to spending any part of this money until
it is made clear that Comstocks is not an
available site for the hospital. Better,
they say. that the s42. 500 paid to Mr.. Baker
by the State be lost entirely than that the
hospital should be built in this inaccessible
and isolated part of the State.
1t was pointed out tonight by those who
are asking an investigation Of this matter
hat il a State hospital is to be built in Wash
ington county it should be built at Green
wich or Cambridge, which is only half the
distance between Albany and Comstocks.
They add that the difference in freight
and passenger transportation charges as
between Comstocks and Greenwich or Cam
bridge in one year would more than make
up the loss of the money paid to Mr.. Baker.
Those who have taken up this matter
said tonight that Comstocks was selected
for the site of the hospital, contrary to
the views of the Lunacy Commission, for
no other purpose than for Benjamin b.
Odell, DR.. TO reward Mr.. Baker for siding
with Mr.. Odell in his fight while Governor
to be elected chairman of the Republican
State committee.
Mr.. Baker has been a powerful Republic
can in Washington county and the political
zeal which resulted in the selection of Com
stocks and the election Of Odell as State
chairman should have no weight with
Gov. Hughes, especially when the Lunacy
Commission all along has been positively
opposed to COmstocks az the site for the
new State hospital. 1t is insisted that il
there IL TO be a new State hospital il should
be within easy distance OF New York city,
where the accommodation for patients il
now greatly limited and where the ac-
commodations promise to become more
limited within a few years when Wards
Island is TO be abandoned by the State 10
the city.
Gov. Hughes's friends, it was learned.
are not only making a thorough investiga-
Baker received from the State s42 500 for
a site for the State hospital in opposition
10 the wishes of the LunaCy Commission
but they are looking into many other i'm
portant matters which have occurred
during the last few years.