USA > New Jersey > The history of New Jersey : from its earliest settlement to the present time : including a brief historical account of the first discoveries and settlement of the country, Vol. II > Part 21
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The joint committee, in concluding their report to the Legisla- ture in 1872, say : " Your committee therefore conclude that the present system of prison management is a success ; that the State has been fortunate in securing the services of a man so eminently qualified for his position as Colonel William R. Murphy, for
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Supervisor ; and that Robert H. Howell, as Keeper, has shown himself to be an excellent disciplinarian ; watchful, prudent, and careful in the performance of all the duties of his perplexing position, and is emphatically ' the right man in the right place,' and that by continuing the efficient management, not only will the current expenses of maintaining the convicts be paid out of the institution as they now are, but the salaries of the various officers which have heretofore been paid by the State Treasurer, will soon be met from the same source ; as it will be seen that the receipts of the past year exceed the expenditues of the prison $13,368.60, relieving the State from the large appropriations heretofore made, and offering effective means for the reformation of its inmates."
During the year 1871 gas was introduced into the institution, and a light placed in every cell; the halls were also lighted as well as the centre and house department, and lamp-posts were placed through the yard, which makes a better and clearer light than before.
The first keeper of the prison was a Mr. Crooks. Henry Bel- lerjeau was his successor. Francis Labaw succeeded Bellerjeau, and was keeper for a number of years.
The keepers were for a long time appointed by the Board of Inspectors. Ephraim Ryno, being a member of the Board, suc- ceeded in getting the appointment by having a majority of the Board in his favor, and this, with his own vote, bestowed the appointment of keeper upon himself. He held it for one year only, when Thomas Perrine was appointed. In 1835, before the completion of the new prison, Joseph A. Yard was appointed Keeper. He removed the prisoners into the new building in 1836. In 1845 Jacob B. Gaddis was appointed. He was re- moved, and Yard was again appointed. Yard was again removed, and John Voorhees appointed, who only held the office one year, when Jacob B. Gaddis was again appointed, and was continued in the office until 1851, when William B. Vanderveer was ap- pointed ; he was succeeded in 1858 by Robert P. Stoll, who was in turn succeeded by T. V. D. Hoagland, in 1862. Joseph B. Walker was appointed in 1863, and continued in office until 1865, when he was succeeded by Peter P. Robinson.
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In 1867 Walker was again appointed, and remained in office until his death, in 1868, when his brother, George A. Walker, was appointed. In 1869 David Hennion was appointed, and in 1871, Robert Howell. Charles Wilson was appointed in 1873, and Gershom Mott, the present Keeper, in 1876.
On the 11th of. January, 1833, Samuel L. Southard, at that time Governor of the State, in his annual message to the Legis- lature, recommended, as his predecessor, Peter D. Vroom, had done in several previous messages, the building of a new State Prison, and proposed as soon as the new prison should be com- pleted, that the old one be converted into an arsenal for the safe keeping of the arms and military property of the State.
Previous to that time the arms had been kept in the old State Bank, corner of Warren and Bank streets, Trenton, and the accoutrements and camp and garrison equipage in the attic of the State House.
Therefore, when the old prison became empty by the removal of the inmates into the new one, and by its ceasing to be occupied as a jail by the County of Mercer, the edifice was converted into an arsenal, for the repository of State arms and military stores. General Samuel R. Hamilton, then Quartermaster-General, ap- pointed Captain Daniel Baker, of Trenton, Armorer, to take charge of the building and property of the State kept there. He had occupied the position previously, under appointment of General Garret D. Wall, in the year 1833, under whom he served as Lieutenant in the war. of 1812. Mr. Baker continued in the position until his death.
The first act passed by the Legislature in regard to a State Arsenal for the safe keeping of the arms and accoutrements of the State was on the 21st day of February, 1837, which was an act declaring that the old State Prison be, and is hereby declared the public Arsenal, and the State Treasurer was authorized to have the said building altered, fitted up, and put in proper con- dition for the reception and safe keeping of the arms and accou- trements belonging to the State. For this purpose the sum of five hundred dollars was appropriated. February 28th, 1838, the Quartermaster-General was authorized to make such altera- tions and repairs in the building as in his judgment were neces-
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sary for the preservation of the arms and accoutrements, and to accomplish this object, the sum of three hundred dollars was appropriated.
March 6th, 1839, the Quartermaster-General was authorized to appoint an Armorer or Keeper of the State Arsenal, to keep the arms and equipments in good order, the annual salary for which was fixed at four hundred dollars, and he was to be allowed an assistant, at the rate of one dollar per day.
February 22d, 1843, the Quartermaster-General was authorized to make such alterations, improvements, and repairs, for the preservation of the arms, ordnance, and accoutrements, as in his opinion may be necessary, for which the sum of three hundred dollars was appropriated.
March 4th, 1847, the Quartermaster-General was authorized to put a new roof on the building, at a cost not exceeding two hundred dollars ; and on the 7th of March, 1850, he was author- ized to put a new roof on the north wing, and to make such other repairs as he might deem necessary for the preservation of the arms and accoutrements belonging to the State; to carry out which object, the sum of three hundred dollars was appro- priated.
March 10th, 1856, the Quartermaster-General was authorized to make alterations, improvements, and repairs, as he might deem necessary, subject to the approval of the Commander-in- Chief, for the preservation of the public property, arms, ord- nance, and accoutrements, for which purpose the sum of one thousand dollars was appropriated ; at the same time they author- ized the alteration of the arms from flint-lock to percussion, and to dispose of such of the old arms as were not fit to alter ; and that two hundred new flint-lock muskets be altered for the use of Minnie ball.
March 12th, 1858, one thousand two hundred and twelve dollars and sixty-one cents was appropriated in favor of the Quartermaster-General, to pay for repairs made to the Arsenal.
March 28th, 1862, the sum of eleven hundred dollars was appropriated for the purpose of putting on a new roof, relaying floors, and making other necessary repairs to the Arsenal.
April 17th, 1868, the Quartermaster-General was authorized
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to dispose of at public vendue or at private sale, as in his opinion might be to the best interest of the State, such of the old arms and equipments now in the arsenal as are not fit for service, and to deposit the proceeds of such sales with the State Treasurer, who should place the same to the credit of the Arsenal, to be expended in the repairs and alterations, and the purchase of such ordnance and ordnance stores as from time to time might be required for the militia service of the State, and to cause such muskets now in the arsenal as are suitable for that purpose, to be altered into breach-loaders, upon the most approved plan, in such numbers as may be required for the use of the uniform companies of this State.
The arms belonging to the State are 22,829 ; of these 311 are unserviceable. Number in the hands of the National Guard, October 31st, 1876, 3,931, and in the State Arsenal, 18,587. Number of cannon of different calibres, 40, making seven com- plete batteries, comprising caissons, battery wagons, forges, and . implements ; also, two Billinghurst batteries with implements.
Received from the United States during the year, 2,600 Springfield rifles, breach-loaders, calibre 45.
Among these are one bronze gun, French, of the date of 1758, two bronze guns, English, four-pounders, and two iron guns, six-pounders. There are also two cannon captured at Yorktown October 19th, 1781, and another taken at the battle of Trenton.
There are also in store at the Arsenal, 1, 150 tents of all kinds, together with a large lot of clothing, camp and garrison, quar- termasters' and ordnance stores, the property of the State.
After the permanent location of the seat of government at Trenton, and the erection of the State House, it was thought desirable to have a permanent residence for the Executive, con- sequently, on the 9th of March, 1798, the Legislature passed an act appointing James Mott and John Beatty commissioners to contract for and purchase a house and lot of land for the resi- dence of the Governor at the seat of government. To accom- plish this object the sum of ten thousand dollars was appropriated, and on the 12th of March of the same year, they purchased a house and lot of Moore Furman, in State street, now known as the State Street House, and kept as a hotel; the lot extending about three hundred feet west.
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March 4, 1801, Messrs. Benjamin Vancleve, of Hunterdon ; Jonathan Bowen, of Cumberland, and John Haas, of Hunter- don, were appointed a committee to examine and report what repairs would be necessary to be done to the government house and property, and on the 5th they reported "that they had examined the same, and were of opinion that provision ought to be made to make the said repairs. An estimate being made by a workman to answer the said purpose, amounting to forty pounds, the committee recommend an allowance to be made in the incidental bill to the amount of one hundred dollars, to answer the purpose aforesaid." Accordingly, on the 7th of March, an appropriation of one hundred dollars was made to repair the house, and Abraham Hunt was appointed the com- missioner to have the same done.
October 29th, Messrs. John Dey, of Bergen ; Amos Harrison, of Essex, and Azel Pierson, of Cumberland, were appointed a committee by the House, to inquire what sums of money had been drawn from the treasury for making the necessary repairs to the house and lot now occupied by the Governor, and also to inquire into and report the propriety of selling the same ; and on the ad of November they reported that the sum of ninety- seven dollars and fifty three cents had been drawn from the treasury by Abraham Hunt, agreeably to the law passed the 7th day of March, 1801, and that they deemed it improper at this time to sell the government house. Again, on the 9th of No- vember, a committee of both Houses was appointed to settle with Abraham Hunt, and report the expediency of selling the government house. On the 12th they reported " that Abraham . Hunt had expended in repairs to the government house the sum of ninety-two dollars and eighty-nine cents, which, together with commissions at five per centum, makes the sum of ninety- seven dollars and fifty-three cents, which was the sum drawn from the treasury. And the committee further report, that con- vinced of the propriety of having the Governor, as well as the heads of departments to reside at the seat of government, the convenience which will necessarily result to persons having busi- ness in chancery, the immediate access which the Executive at all times have, and the frequent necessity of recurring to the
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public documents, are of such importance, and we trust so obvious, that the Legislature will at all times hold out the in- ducement of a good and convenient house for the immediate accommodation of the Governor. For the above reasons it is the opinion of your committee it would be inexpedient to sell the same at present."
Again, on the 8th of November, 1802, a motion was made in the House for the appointment of a committee to inquire into the expediency of selling the government house, which was de- cided in the negative.
February 16th, 1811, a resolution was again offered for the appointment of a committee to inquire into the expediency of selling the government house, which was agreed to ; and on the 23d of January, 1817, a bill was presented to the House, author- izing its sale, with the lot, which was on the 12th of February again decided in the negative.
January 10th, 1818, the House passed a resolution appointing Messrs. William Coxe, of Burlington ; Robert NcNeely, of Hun- terdon, and John S. Darcy, of Morris, a committee to inquire if any, and what encroachments have been made upon the property of the State, in the city of Trenton, and empowered them to employ a surveyor, if in their opinion it was necessary to effect the purpose of their appointment.
February 9th, 1819, John Beatty, James Parker, and Daniel Thompson, were appointed commissioners to sell the govern- ment house, the moneys realized from the same to be paid into the school fund ; and on the 22d of November, 1824, David Johnston, Daniel Baker, and Thomas Gordon, were appointed commissioners to sell part of the government lot, commencing at the southwest corner, and extending twenty feet to the east ; the moneys received from the same to be applied to the school fund.
December 21st, 1826, Charles Parker and John Wilson were appointed commissioners to have the house repaired, at an expense not exceeding one hundred dollars.
March Ist, 1830, a resolution was adopted, that in case the Governor saw proper to make the government house his resi- dence, that the Treasurer be authorized to put it in proper
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repair ; and on the 27th of February, 1833, William Grant and Jasper S. Scudder were appointed commissioners to repair the dwelling-house, carriage-house, and fences, at a cost not exceed- ing three hundred dollars.
On the Ist of March, 1838, the Treasurer was authorized to repair the house, and the sum of one hundred dollars was appro- priated for that purpose.
April 2d, 1845, Samuel R. Gummere, Samuel R. Hamilton, and Stacy A. Paxson were appointed commissioners to make sale of the house and lot on Second street (now State), in the city of Trenton, conveyed to the State of New Jersey by Moore Furman, by deed bearing date March 12, 1798.
This time, after so many efforts, the property was sold. John A. Weart, Joseph C. Potts, and Dr. John McKelway, all of Trenton, being the purchasers. for the sum of ten thousand dollars.
The house was afterwards converted into a hotel, and as such is continued to this day, having been considerably enlarged on its rear. On the rest of the lot dwellings have been erected.
Doctor Lyndon A. Smith, of Newark, was the first one who directed the attention of the public to the necessity of providing a suitable asylum for the wants and treatment of the insane in our State, in an address before the State Medical Society, in 1837.
In 1839 a joint resolution passed the Legislature, authorizing Governor Pennington to appoint commissioners to collect in- formation in regard to the number and condition of the insane in the State, and if an asylum was deemed necessary, to ascertain the best locality for the same, the cost of its erection, etc. This com- mission consisted of Drs. Lyndon A. Smith, of Newark ; Lewis Condict, of Morristown; A. F. Taylor, of New Brunswick; Charles G. McChesney, of Trenton, and Lucius Q. C. Elmer, Esq., of Cumberland County. They were all physicians except the latter gentleman, who was lately a Judge of the Supreme Court. After having performed the duty assigned them, they reported the result of their observations to the Legislature at their session in 1840-1841.
By their report it appeared that there were at that time over
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four hundred insane persons in the State, many of whom were suffering for want of proper treatment.
At the next session of the Legislature the subject was referred to a joint committee, who reported in favor of an appropriation for the erection of an asylum, and here the matter was dropped.
In 1844 Miss Dorotha L. Dix, of Massachusetts, visited the various receptacles for the insane poor of the State, and in a memorial to the Legislature in 1845, urgently recommended to that body the subject of providing an asylum for their care and cure. Moved by the disinterested efforts and appeal of this dis- tinguished and philanthropic lady, the Legislature appointed a joint committee, which reported in favor of prompt action. The same year commissioners were appointed to select a suitable site, and an appropriation was made of ten thousand dollars to pay for the same, and twenty-five thousand dollars towards the erection of the building. These commissioners were Daniel Haines, of Sussex ; Thomas Arrowsmith, of Monmouth; John S. Condict, of Hudson ; Joseph Saunders, of Gloucester, and Maurice Beasley, of Cape May.
The commissioners, after visiting various localities, determined on the one upon which the building now stands, about two and a half miles northwest of the city of Trenton, on the Belvidere · Delaware Valley Railroad, and near the Delaware River.
The tract of land on which the building is erected originally consisted of one hundred and eleven acres of excellent land for farming and gardening purposes. The landscape view is one of great beauty and attraction, combining the diversified land scenery of the valley of the Delaware, with a view of the river for two and a half miles, to the city of Trenton.
During the summer of 1845, the Rev. Eli F. Cooley, D.D., Calvin Howell, and Samuel Rush, were appointed commissioners by Governor Stratton to contract for and superintend the erec- tion of the building ; and after visiting various institutions for the insane in other States, and examining many plans, adopted the draft of design by Dr. T. S. Kirkbride, of the Pennsylvania Hospital for the Insane, from which a working plan was subse- quently made by John Notman, Architect, of Philadelphia.
The building was erected by William Phillips and Joseph
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Whittaker, of Trenton, the builders of the State House, who had just completed that building to the entire satisfaction of the State.
The asylum occupies a central position on the most elevated point of land belonging to it, and is directly in front of a beau- tiful grove of timber, thirty acres in extent, through which passes a winding carriage road from the main highway to the house. The grounds on the eastern front of the building are arranged with walks, planted with trees, flowering and evergreen shrubs, etc., according to a tasteful design by the late A. J. Downing, landscape gardener.
The building is constructed of reddish sandstone (from the Ewing quarries on the premises), laid in rouble and broken- range work, and pointed, with hammer-dressed stone for base, the roof being covered with slate, except the dome, which is of tin. The building was originally four hundred and eighty feet long.
March 18th, 1846, an additional appropriation of fifty thousand dollars was made. March 9th, 1848, five thousand five hundred and thirteen dollars and fifty-eight cents was appropriated to pay the balance due on the building; and at the same session, and on the same day, another act was passed appropriating twenty thousand dollars for furnishing the building and payment of officers' salaries. March Ist, 1849, thirty-one thousand dollars was appropriated for furniture, fixtures, and property.
March 6th, 1850, eight thousand seven hundred dollars was appropriated. March 18th, 1851, ten thousand dollars was appropriated for current expenses. March 26th, 1852, seven thousand dollars was appropriated for the erection of a steam- engine, to supply water and convey the same through the several apartments of the building.
March 10th, 1853, the managers were instructed to employ some suitable architect to draw a plan for the extension of said building upon each wing, with an estimate of the expense to complete it thoroughly, and to furnish apparatus to heat and light the said wings.
March 16th, 1854, the managers were authorized to build two wings on each side of the present building to correspond with
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the main edifice ; and the sum of twenty thousand dollars was appropriated for the wings and necessary fixtures, heating appa- ratus and furniture ; the whole expense of the same was limited to forty-three thousand dollars ; and at the same time five thou- sand six hundred dollars was appropriated for the payment of current expenses. March 30th, 1855, twenty-three thousand dollars was appropriated to pay the balance due on contracts for building and furnishing the two wings, and six thousand dollars for the erection of the building, removal of boilers, etc. March 19th, 1857, the sum of nine thousand dollars was appropriated to pay debts already incurred in making necessary improvements, and providing furniture for west wing.
March 21st, 1860, twenty-five hundred dollars was appropri- ated for improving and repairing the buildings. March 14th, 1861, eight thousand dollars was appropriated for the purpose of erecting an addition to the central portion of the building, forty feet by sixty-five feet in extent, and three stories high.
March 27th, 1852, twenty-five hundred dollars was appropri- ated for the purpose of improving and repairing the Asylum, and eight hundred dollars to pay the balance due for finishing the extension.
March 31st, 1864, an act was passed appropriating fifteen hundred dollars for erecting the necessary apparatus and fixtures in the State Lunatic Asylum for making aerated bread, and the further sum of one hundred and fifty dollars to repair the billiard table used by the patients.
April 5th, 1865, ten thousand dollars was appropriated to supply the deficiency in the income of the asylum of the previous year, to meet the anticipated deficiency of the current year, and on the 6th of April the managers were authorized to build addi- tional wings on either side of the present building, and corres- ponding in style and architecture therewith, sufficient to provide rooms for one hundred and twenty additional patients, sixty of each sex; and to carry out the object contemplated, thirty thou- sand dollars was appropriated ; the whole cost of such extension was not to exceed sixty thousand dollars.
March 20th, 1866, the above appropriation was increased to one hundred thousand dollars.
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March 6th, 1867, the sum of thirty-five thousand dollars was appropriated to procure the necessary furniture and fixtures for the new wings, provide drainage, and to erect fences and make other needed improvements to the buildings and grounds, and the further sum of four thousand dollars to pay for the improved gas apparatus now in use, and for erecting and constructing a gate-house and entrance road to the main building.
March 7th, 1867, an act was passed increasing the salaries of the resident officers and treasurer of the asylum to eight thousand dollars, and creating the office of an assistant resident physician. March 18th, 1868, the sum of twenty thousand dollars was ap- propriated to pay for land and trestle-work for landing coal at the asylum ; for bakery-building and fixtures ; for stable, car- riage-house, and hay-scales ; for fixtures and apparatus for extin- guishing fire ; for extension and renewal of laundry-building and machinery, and completing new buildings; and the further sum of five thousand dollars to defray the expenses of making extra- ordinary repairs, improvements, and refurnishing older parts of asylum building.
March 31st, 1871, an act was passed empowering and authoriz- ing the managers to purchase for the use of the asylum, so much land adjoining the present asylum farm as they may deem neces- sary, provided the cost thereof shall not exceed thirteen thousand five hundred dollars; and March 17th, 1874, the sum of twenty thousand dollars was appropriated to purchase what was known as the " English Mill Property," upon which has been erected a handsome and commodious mill for supplying the asylum.
There is also upon the premises a slaughter-house, for slaugh- tering cattle for the use of the institution.
By the report of the United States Census of 1870, there were upwards of nine hundred insane persons in our State, and there is no doubt this is far below the actual number.
On the 3Ist of October, 1875, there were in the asylum 704 patients ; received since, to November Ist, 1876, 231 ; under treatment during the year, 935. Of these there have been dis- charged, escaped, died, and removed to Asylum at Morris Plains, 463 ; remaining, October 31st, 1876, 472. Of this number 251 are men, and 221 women.
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