New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-10-20
NEW PRISON BOARD REPLIES
Commission Removed by Dix De
tends It's Action.

Albany, oct. 1e.-Tha former state Com
mission on New Prisons, which was re-
moved from Office this week by Governor
Dix for falling 10 comply with his request
10 resign. to-day issued a statement calling
attention TO the heavy loss Of money the
state Will incur by stopping work on the
new prison a. WinEdale. and the long
delay which must occur before any relief
is given from the present conditions At
Sing Sing prison, which the commission
says has been condemned. for the last ten
years.
The plan OF Governor Dix and Colonel
Scott, Superintendent Of State Prisons. to
build a new cell block a. Sing Sins and
thus do away with the need of new
prison is objected 70 by the commissioners
because they say, the ground there is low
and IS conducive 70 malaria, tuberculosis,
prison fever and other diseases.
The commissions statement follows in
part:
The cost Of maintaining a prison at Wing
| dale over that Of one at Sing Sing would
he f1considera BILE Every year about one
thousand prisoners are committed 10 sing
sing. most Of them from greater New
York Later about six hundred OF these
are transferred 20 other prisons further
north AS 70 these SIX hundred, when they
are brought to WinEdale they are simply
so much further on their final journey 70
Dannemora and Auburn than II they nad
stopped Al Sing Sing; so the actual extra
cost would be limited 70 the cost or trans
porting about four hundred prisoners forty
miles further i'm tho first instance. over
I against this would he the advantages or
cUltivatiug a large farm IN connection with
the prison The Wiugdale site now contains
over six hundred acres, an additional six
hundred or more Of good farming lands az
Joining could he readily purchased, and an
mi under intense cultivation by the prison
ers The produce from this farm would re-
duce the cost Of maintaining the INSTITUTION
for sll fine q come and would be- a very
much larger item than the increased cost
Of Transporting four hundred prisoners
forty miles further annually.
To stop the work at Wingdale now and
throw away the cost Of preparing the plans
for this plant. the cost OF the woTk alreadL
done and paw the contractor large sum
. for quitting would not only Involve the
stste in serious loss. but would necessarily
cause another long delay I'M bringing re-
lief 20 the deplOrshle conditions AT Sing
sing The legislature would have 10 ap-
prove and make an appropriation. new
plans made. ana new contract iet u
would probably take two or three years n
advance this work 70 is present status
even If the LEGISLATURE approved.
As ~ the healthfulness Of the site al
Wingdale, the mortality statistics on ne
with the State Commissioner Of Health
u
| this site is situated is IN healthfulness very
much above the average of Duchess
COUNTY which is known % he very
healthfu' county.
The Commission on New Prisons never
received any request from the present Gov
erno~ not 10 let the contract for the con-
struCtiop Of this plant on the Wingdale
site. or 10 suspend work under the Carlin
contract II has endeavored 10 diligently
execute the mandate 81 the Legislature d.
rectng fir 70 construct this new prison plant
ON this site The law charged It with this
responsibility and duty. and II has en-
deavOred TO carry into effect the require
ments OF the Law. knowing the urgent need
Of such new prison.
Governor DIX announced YESTERDAY after
he had requested the figures from Control
Ier Sohmer that William J. Besrdsey ~
Poushkeepsie the special architect ap-
pointed 10y the removed Commission on
New Prisons 70 design the prison at Bear
Mountain. and later the Harlem prison at
Winedale. Duchess County. has already
drawn from tho state Controller No1 964 o.
for the services he rendered the state in
supervising the preliminary work on the
prison According 70 the figures submitted
10 tho Governor S9S.97T e was paid him
for services on the contract. Sl754 &c for
extra services on account Of the change Of
site and a2i2 10 for travelling expenses.