The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1907-10-30
How the State
Saves Money.
Thousands of Dollars THROUGH
the Department of Chart
ties and Core ctlons.

One of the most progressive things
accomplished by the present Republic
Nm administration was the creation Of
department of charities and cor
rections under an act of the legisla-
ture passed in the session of 1905. This
law brings the supervision of all the
charitable and correctional Institutions
of the state under one head aitI h. :
all plans for new state bindings or
additions or alterations there prepared
hy Il state architect who is the deputy
commissioner of charities and correc-
tionS. nder the operation of this de.
parlment many thousands of dollars
have already been saved IN the state,
indicating the wise and progressive
policy of the Republican party.
The department WIS created May /,
1905. lis duties are the supervision OF
the charitable and correctional insttu=
tions. of soldiers homes. of county and
private insane asylums in the state; to
control the bringing into the state of
dependent children from other states;
10 investigate the management of all
state institutions, when directed by the
governor Ia do So and 10 hold stated
advisory meetings of the executive
heads of those institutions.
The work of supervision has been
constant aud careful, resulting in inn
proved administration and efficiency;
In protecting the state to an extent
constantly increasing against impoSi#
ti0H in the care of detectives and in
corrigibles 10y insisting that persons re
sponsiblc for their maintenance who
have ample means shall do SO, thus re
lieving the state of the burden of their
support This work Is necessarily slow.
but is being vigorously pushed. Many
hundreds of dollars have already been
collected
The department has insisted that all
inmates of correctional institutions
shall he employed within the limits of
the law. not 50 much to secure IA large
revenue 10 the state ms to pay the cost
of their conviction and their board
while in custody. and the balance. II
any, Ia 90 To their families. Much
progress has been made In this direc=
ton, with more Ia follow.
Another important duty of the de
partment of charities and corrections
is To prepare plans and specifications
aud To supefintcnd the construction Of
all state buildings, II was thought by
Governor Stokes that by centrallzins
this work considerable saving could be
effected The following statement pre-
pared from the records speaks for 1t.
self.
The legislature appropriated for 1909
for new buildings sos, IGG. Contracts
were entered into and the buildings
completed for S1o63l1 The Legislature
of l9oG appropriated for new buildings
$5iS390. Contracts We're entered into
and the buildings when completed will
cost S1u3,J29 In 1907 the Legislature
appropriated for new buildings S53;,,
OO0 Contracts entered into for the
greater portion of this work show II
saving thus far OF Sli,iol The total
saving in contract price for two years
and six months has been Sl0S sol.
The sum heretofore allowed for mr.
chitects' services on this work would
have been SI,i,Gl2 The sum actually
expended TO maintain the architectural
branch of the department of charities
and corrections since May |. 1905. has
been 81 ,iW. or II saving of So ,2I2 or
an aggregate saving in both contracts
and architects fees of Sill 0S2.