Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1914-12-30
BYERS SEES THE NEED OF At
LEAST $685., 900 TO PROPERLY
CARE FOR JERSEYS CHARGES
State of Charities in Annual Report Says State
Not Meeting Its Obligations and Offers Remedial Sug
gestions for the Legislature to Act Upon.

2f1IAAA ta Ahh Evening 1A-La
TRENTON. Dec. S0-It is apparent
that New Jersey is not fully meeting
its obligations TO its public charges
and that In order to do so additional
accommodations in our institutions
must be provided, according to the
statement Of Commissioner of Chari-
ties and Corrections Joseph P. Byers,
in his annual report just submitted
to Governor Fielder.
One million one hundred thousand
dollars will be necessary to properly
eouip our state institutions with nee
essary additions and better living
surroundings. ut must rest with the
Legislature to determine how and to
what extent the State is to discharge
its obligations to those who under its
laws have become, and those who in
the future will become, its wards
says Mr.. Byers.
Where Money Is Needed.
The plan of the commissioner as to
how the money should be distributed
among the different institutions rec
ommends:
THE establishment of two colonies
for the insane along the lines recon-
mended last year by the commission
on the care of mental detectives, one
colony to be connected with and I'M
Ger the direction of each of our two
State hospitals. They should have not
less than 500 acres of land, on which
there should be erected simple. plain
and inexpensive buildings. The per
capita cost of these colonies for land
and construction should not exceed
$3.50 on the basis of 300 inmates each.
II these colonies are provided for by
the next Legislature they ought to pc
and can be ready for inmates within
year after the appropriations be-
come available. on the above basis
this will require 100000.
THE building for the criminal and
insane at the Trenton State Hospital
should be completed. This will re-
quire 100000.
Additional buildings at the State
Village for Epileptics to accommodate
100 inmates. including q service build
ing. This will require 100000.
New buildings at the State Home
for Feeble Minded Women TO accom-
modate 100 inmates, to include pro
vision for female feeble-minded idiots
of any age, $4,000.
Buildings to accommodate 100 zee
ble-minded men OF any grade. at the
Burlington county colony, conditioned
upon the States assuming the direc-
tion and control Of said colony, $4,000.
"At the State prison, for the pur-
pose Of installing the State-use sys-
tenn, including the purchase OF ma
chinery and including a working capi-
tai Of $4,000. $125,000.
"At the State prison, for the re-
modelling of shops and cell blocks, IN
cluding the State arsenal, in the event
of its transfer to the State prison.
The work to be done by prison labor,
all to the end that the State prison be
reconstructed along modern lines as
an industrial prison, for not to exceed
500 prisoners, $50,000. Culture appro-
priations would be necessary, but 1t Is
doubtful if the rate Of expenditure for
the rehabilitation of the prison need
exceed an annual sum of $4,000; ana
this for probably four years)
"At the prison farm, for additional
for prisoners, to be
erected by prisoners, 100000.
+ 4'At the State Home for Boys, chapel
and gymnasium, $4,000.
Two cottages and disciplinary
building at New Jersey ReformatorS
for Women. Clinton, $4,000,
Administration building at the
New Jersey Reformatory, Railway, to
be erected by inmates, $4,000.
"In addition to the foregoing there
will be required for other permanent
at State institutions,
including additions to heating ana
plants. laboratories, water
supply, barns, land, equipment of new
etc, probably $3.50, ,000 MAX
ing grand total Of approximately
81, 100, 900.
This amount can be reduced II
with the least hurt to the
States interests, by eliminating tho
Administration building at
Railway Reformatory, the service
building at the Epileptic Village, the
laboratory at Skillman Gncluded un-
der item 12) the electric plant al New
Jersey State Hospital, Trenton Gn-
cluded under item 12), making a total
reduction of s115,00
1.-THE pressing needs, therefore, as
above outlined, will require from the
Legislature appropriations for the es-
tablishment of colonies, extension OF
and for other permanent
improvements, not less than 5000"
More Insanity and Tuberculosis.
During the fiscal year just closed
the state cared for 17,706 wards, an