Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-05-14

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should, In our Judgment, be checked at
once. otherwise we fear the condition of
affairs will develop serious conse-
quences to the county and With
ing disadvantages to the many patients
of the institution.
Urge Court-Appointed Commission.
1.-THE system of court-appointed COM
missions has been used successfully in
the erection of our Court House, our
City Hall, and various other buildings,
and court-appointed commissions have.
with excellent results, managed our
public parks and Free Public Library.
If then, such advantages from court
appointed commissions can be obtained
where merely property rights are nj
fected, 1t seems to us that with great
propriety such a system should be
adopted, If possible, where not only
PROPERTY rights, but the rights of per-
sons are involved, and particularly
where the persons affected are a great
class Of our most unfortunate citizens.
accordingly recommend to
your honor that II II be possible
a commission should be appointed
to take the management Of this In
~stitution out of the realm Of poll
tics, and that 1t be plnced In full
and complete charge of a court
appointed commission to be charged
with the sole and entire respon-
sibiIity for its proper management
-.-ro-t Tto ,raaanf Iarnauf-
nbIe condition of affairs therein
makes some such action "a prncti-
cal necessity.
Old Asylum Criticised.
THE members of this grand inquest
inspected the old asylum on South
Orange avenue, and desire to inform
your honor that we found the outside
gates open the doors of the main build
ing unlocked, with no caretaker in
charge TO look after the property.
There is a large quantity of furni-
ture and fixtures in the building, which
is depreciating rapidly through neglect.
The buildings are in good condition
physically, out are also commencing
to show depreciation through being va
cant and the want of care. 1t is quite
evident the place has not been cleaned
since the former occupants were re-
moved to Overlook.
I'VE respectfully recommend that this
valuable property receive immediate at.
tention, put to some proper use, or sold
at the earliest date possible.
we respectfully present to the court
that an inspection of the new house OF
detention at the corner of Newark and
New streets, adjacent to the county
Jail. discloses defects in it's construc-
ton. which render it unsuitable for the
purpose for which 1t was intended,
namely, "a place of detention for wit
nesses I'M juveniles awaiting trials
and transportation after sentence
"Some of the defects are ir~remediable,
apparently owing to an improper con-
ceptioh of the purpose Of the building
in the preparation of the original plan
and design; others may yet be remedied
or supplied.
ITO enumerate a few of these
deficiencies, as we found them:
There are no iron bars as yet on the
windows of the first foor and dining
rooms.
There are solid doors on the dormi-
tories, thus preventing guards from
exercising proper supervision over in
mates.
"There are no proper quarters for the
warden and matron, whose living-rcom
must serve as an Office.
"There are no sleeping quarters pro
vided for either cook or engineer.
THE only connection between male
and female departments Is through the
kitchen, and in the event of trouble
occurring in the assembly on the
third floor in the female department
the matron would have to run down
three lights of stairs to obtain help
from the male department.
"Railing Dangerously Low
THE railing at the head of the s airs
in the assembly rooms of both the male
and female departments Is dane err us.y
low, being only four feet in hight.
f"These assembly rooms are the only
places provided for the inmates in
which they can pass time during the
day or for recreation, and are situated
on the top floor of the, building. and it
could easily happen that in play or
recreation fatal accidents might oc-
cur. AS a fall from either assembly
room would mean precipitation to the
first basement floor, four flights in all,
with a cement floor for a landing place,
we would suggest that the staircase
should be barred from the cellar to
the ROOT and a door placed at the head
of each landing.
There being as yet no fence sur
rounding the building or the lot, 1t is
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