New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-06-09
DRUNKARDS' HOME URGED
Special Committee of Board OF
Estimate Makes Report.
ESTIMATE COST AT $3.50, 1000
Present System of Dealing with
the Evil Is Called Aimless
and Expensive.

II the recommendations of a special COM
mittee Of the Board OF Estimate made 10
that body Yesterday are adopted board
Of inebriety and n system for the regu-
lation and reclamat ton Of drunkards will
be established. The report Of the commit
tee. which was composed OF Borough Presi-
dent McAneny and Borough President
Cromwell. was laid over for week
The report suggests that the establish
ment of such a system would not only he
advantageous To society but would prob
ably result I'm some economy, as II is fig
ured that the habitual drunkards are
source OF much expense to the community.
The committee estimates that TO estab-
fish a home that would care for five hun
di ed inebriates would cost $4,000. and that
the expenses of maintaining the board OF
nebrety would be about $4,000 year.
The report Of the committee showed that
the 23461 persons arrested and arraigned
for intoxcation in this city last year con-
stituted more than One-sixth of the per-
sons arrested for all causes. OF that num-
Der 1880 were committed TO the work.
house either directly or in default of pay
ment of a fine. In the alcoholic wards or
Bellevue and Allied Hospitals more than
100 men are treated every year. For the
year ending May !. 1899 1875 men were treat
ed for intoxication more than once, over
100 from four to twelve times. and in the
course of a few years some individuals
were treated more than twenty times and
committed to the workhouse more than
sixty times.
Calls Present Method AimIess.
II is estimated that some cases have
cost the city more than 5000 each in
few years. The proportion Of the police
and police court expenses that should he
attributed to drunkenness is great. the
report says II adds: Economy demands
that the present aimess method OF dealing
with inebriates should give way 10 more
rational system. which will tend to d.
minish their number and the attendant
expenses Of dealing with them. The pres
ent method is not only at once wholly ex-
pensive and wholly fruitless. This in-and-
ut-of-prison method leads nowhere. IT
affords no protection to society and no
help to the nebriate. II Is a wrong method.
due 10 a conception of inebriety AS purely
moral offence requiring punishment and
not remedial treatment"
Under a law passed last year the Board
Of Estimate may establish.a board Of in
ebriety 70 investigate Systematically ar
rests for intOxication and a graded series
Of remedies for dealing with those arrested
for intoyication. The occasional offender
would be released: those who repeated the
offence would he placed on probation. with
or without fine; those who failed 10 re-
spond 10 the efforts Of the probation Of
flcers would he committed for various
periods To hospital and industrial colony
maintained by the board Of ineoriety. Only
the hardened offender who did not respond
to any of these methods would he com
n1itted to iail as last resort.
Plan Has Been Tried Before.
The report states that wherever this plan
has been tried the results Justify it's ex-
tension. II has been used not only in Eng
land. Germany and other European coun-
tries. but also in Massachusetts. Iowa and
Minnesota
A study Of the results obtained in some
institutions" the report saws. Shows that
from 90 10 81 per cent of the inmates who
would. without treatment Of this kind. he
doomed to end their lives msersbly and
cause suffering and humiliation to those de-
pendent upon them are cured and restored
10 life Of usefulness 10 themselves and
TO the community
The committee estimates that every year
$4,000 IS spent at Blackwells Island $4,000
at Bellevue and $500 on magistrates
courts in caring for inebriate ties.
1T cannot he claimed IT is stated. that
the establishment Of this institution will at
once relieve the city OF all these expendi
lures but It undoubtedly will tend 10 d.
minish them appreciably. Any slight In
crease in the expense is abundanty justi-
fed by the moral effects to he anticipated
from the various provisions Of this
measure.
The law provides that the Mayor may
appoint A board OF inebriates Of FIVE mem
bers. two Of whom shall be physicians.
The Commissioner Of Charities and the
Commissioner Of Correction shall be OK
officio members 81 the board. all Of whom
shall serve without paw.