New-York tribune., 1909-01-16
FIGHT OVER CREEDMOOR
HOSPITAL DELAY LIKELY.
Real Estate Men SAID to Wdnt Site
for Development,
fRy Telegraph to The Tribune. ]

Albany ian 15-Anxfety on the part Of Long
Island real estate dealers TO acquire the old Creed
moor rifle range and the interest taken by senator
John Raines in the cost Of that tract OF land II
used for the Long Island State Hospital for the
insane, have brought about series OF comphca-
tons which bids fair TO delay the erection OF e
new hospital indefinitely. AS the facts came 10
Hight to-day there is a suspicion abroad here that
some of the real estate men in question hoped to
make a fine profit by using the Creedmoor range
for development" and others by selling new
site 10 the state.
Following much criticism last year that further
rife practice at CreedmOor would endangeF the
lives of residents OF the surrounding territory Gov
ernor Hughes suspended range work there Ihat
this land might be idle, II was turned over 10
the State Lunacy Commission by act OF the Legls-
I7tt1re for the Long Island State Hospital, after
examination had shown that it would be an ideal
site for the institution. Reports had reached here
ct that time that various real estate men had been
after the range when they learned that It was TO
be given up but the bill turning it over to the
lunacy commission was passed before they got
their plans into operation.
In this tract are 1877 acres valued at from S4OoOo
20 $4,000 Before the Legislature organized this
year Senator Raines visited the lunacy commas
sion one Of whose members, Mr.. Parkhurst comes
from his own town and said he believed this land
was TOO valuable bc used for the insane asylum
'svUenty-four hundred dollars an acre is too much
20 nav for a paupers' insutItiOn,' he is reported
20 have said at that time. So he got the commits
sion to draw I'D e bill permitting II TO dispose OF
~be Creednoor site and buy other property for the
hospital This bill introduced a couple or days
ago The commission had been having plans pre-
pared for the hospital, but this work has been dis
continued.
We thought there was use having il go on II
The LEGISLATURE was opposed TO using CreedmoOr as
the site for the hospital" said Secretary McCfarr
OF the Iunacy Commission, as we learned Il was"
He said It seemed the time the work was stopped
that the Legislature against this USE though
at that time Legislature had not been consider
ing the subject as It not before that body.
Meanwhile the commission has been having offers
real estate interests for the Creedmoor prop
erty In considering these. according to Secretary
McCsarr, It has been guided largely by the advice
Of Assemblyman Miller OF Long Island. who Is
said TO have acquired considerable wealth by his
knowledge Of real estate values there. On his ad-
vice several offers have been thrown aside as not
large enough. The commission also has been en-
deavorng to acquire other sites for the hospital
Options have been obtained on two but these are
thirty miles from Brooklyn. while Creedmoor is
only fourteen. The managers OF the hospital.
among whom Alexander L. Orr and J. Edward
Swanstrom. object vigorously TO any such arrange
rent maintaining that Creedmoor is the IDEAL spot
this hospital, that the owners OF these other
sites want too much money for them and that 10
place the hospital anywhere else than at Creed
moor would really defeat the purpose OF its being
10 have asylum for the insane within easy dis
tance of New York City