USA > New York > Onondaga County > History of Onondaga County, New York > Part 17
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" And those articles of an inferior and superior quality, in proportion, and other ratable property in like proportion.
" The Board further recommends to the consider- ation of the different towns the following mode in making the assessment, viz : That each person hold- ing ratable property shall give in to the Assessor a list of his or her ratable property or estate, in writ- ing, agreeable to the request of the Assessor, which will be an avoucher to the Assessor, and pre-
vent any aspersions of injustice of being taxed un- equally by those having that part of duty to per- form in society.
" The Board also recommends to Assessors that they completely make out their list of assessments by the first of May, as the law directs, so that the Supervisors may be enabled to proceed on their business at their first meeting, and save the county cost.
" And further, we also recommend to the towns to adopt a uniform mode of granting a bounty on wolves, and render the reward of each man in his exertions for the destruction of these animals. Therefore, with submission, we think a reward of forty shillings, in addition to the bounty allowed by the county, to be adequate for the bounty of each wolf.
"The Board submits the above recommendations to the consideration of the several towns in the county of Onondaga.
" By order of the Board. COMFORT TYLER, Clerk.
" SCIPIO, December 20th, 1795."
SUPERVISORS FOR 1878.
Camillus-Sidney H. Cook, Jr.
Clay-Jacob W. Coughtry.
Cicero-Nelson P. Eastwood.
De Witt-Josiah G. Holbrook.
Elbridge-Alfred D. Lewis.
Fabius-Newell Rowley. Geddes-N. Stanton Gere.
Lysander-J. T. Skinner.
LaFayette-George W. McIntyre.
Manlius-Anson Smith.
Marcellus-Robert E. Dorchester.
Onondaga-James C. Rann.
Otisco-Henry W. Hotchkiss.
Pompey-Marshal R. Dyer. Salina-George Bassett.
Skaneateles-John H. Gregory.
Spafford-Benjamin McDaniels. Tully-Ellis V. King. Van Buren-Augustus W. Bingham.
First Ward-Thomas Nicholson.
Second Ward-Michael Kohles.
Third Ward-William H. H. Gere.
Fourth Ward-John Rombach.
Fifth Ward-Egbert Draper.
Sixth Ward-George W. Chase,
Seventh Ward-William C. Anderson.
Eighth Ward-H. Wadsworth Clarke.
COUNTY OFFICIALS, 1878-Miscellaneous.
Justices of Sessions-Martin L. Gardner, Nava- rino ; George W. Hill, Otisco.
District Attorney-Nathaniel M. White, Bald- winsville.
80
HISTORY OF ONONDAGA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
Coroners-A. J. Dallas, Syracuse ; S. M. Hig- gins, Memphis : Jonathan Kneeland, South Onon- daga.
Loan Commissioners-Zenas A. Jones, Pompey ; J. Maxon, Elbridge.
School Commissioners-Richard W. McKinley, Collamer ; James W. Hooper, Geddes ; Robert Van Keuren, Jordan.
Superintendent of the Poor-Henry H. Loomis, Syracuse.
Superintendent of the Penitentiary-Jared C. Williams, Syracuse.
Clerk of the Board of Supervisors-Bingham N. Bailey, Syracuse.
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON EQUALIZATION, PASSED BY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS DECEM- BER 14, 1877.
To the Board of Supervisors of Onondaga County :
Your Committee on Equalization would beg leave to present their final report, as embraced in the following table, showing the aggregate corrected valuation of the several towns of the county and the city of Syracuse, upon which is apportioned the State and county tax, which, together with the town tax, makes up the aggregate tax to be raised in the several towns and the city. Your committee would therefore offer the following resolution and recom- mend its adoption :
Resolved, That the aggregate tax set opposite the several towns of the county and city of Syracuse, as exhibited in the table accompanying this report, be levied and assessed upon the taxable property of the towns and city respectively, as their proportion of the State, county and town tax for the year 1877. Respectfully submitted,
A. VAN VLECK,
WM. C. ANDERSON,
M. R. DVER,
J. G. HOLBROOK,
A. W. BINGHAM,
N. P. EASTWOOD,
O. F. SOULE,
W. H. H. GERE,
Committee. *
Mr. Kendall moved that the report be accepted and the resolution adopted. Carried, as follows :
AVES-Messrs. Sherwood, Coughtry, Eastwood, Holbrook, Van Vleck, Rowley, N. S. Gere, Kendall, McIntyre, Smith, Comstock, Niles, Dyer, Bassett, Earll, Willis, Bingham, Avery, Mason, W. H. H. Gere, Rombach, Soule, Chase, Anderson, Rose-25.
NAYS-Messrs Dorchester and Weston-2.
MILITARY ORGANIZATION FOR ONONDAGA COUN- TY-1791 .-. On the 8th of March, 1791, the fol- lowing appointments were made for Herkimer, in Major J. L. Hardenburgh's battalion, General Vol- kert, Veeder's Brigade : Captains- Moses DeWitt, Benjamin Dey and Roswell Franklin ; Lieutenants - Jacob Hart, Hezekiah Olcott, Joshua Patrick and Josiah Buck ; Ensigns-Samuel Lackey, Asa Dan- forth, Jr., Nathan Walker and James Alexander ; David Holbrook, Surgeon.
Patrick Campbell was appointed Brigadier-Gen- eral for Herkimer, Oct 9, 1793. In the same year Moses DeWitt was appointed Major : Asa Dan- forth, Major. First Company : Hezekiah Olcott Captain ; Jeremiah Gould, Lieutenant : Comfort Tyler, Ensign. Second Company : Asa Danforth, Jr., Captain ; Orris Curtiss, Lieutenant ; James Clark, Ensign.
In March, 1794, the following appointments were made for Onondaga county : Major John L. Har- denburgh's Battalion : Solomon Buell, Captain, Light Infantry ; Noah Olmsted, Lieutenant ; Jona- than Brownell, Ensign. Majors DeWitt and Dan- forth's Battalion : Jeremiah Jackson, Captain, Light Infantry ; Jonathan Russell, Lieutenant ; Sier Cur- tis, Ensign.
On the 8th of April, 1795, Othneil Taylor, Esq., was appointed Commandant of a Brigade, compris- ing the counties of Onondaga and Ontario, with the rank and title of Brigadier General. A troop
* Valuation and Taxation of the Real and Personal Estate of the County of Onondaga for the Year 1877.
TOWNS.
Acres.
Price per Acre.
Supervisor's
Valuation.
Assessed Valuation
Corrected Valua-
Personal Estate.
Aggregate Cor-
lected Valua-
State Tax.
County Tax.
Town Tax.
Aggregate Tax.
Rate.
Camillus
21,100 $30
5533,000 $2, 366,700 $1,335,060
$295,050
$2,630,119
$5,255 51
$4,35" CI
$2,098 33 $11,710 85
00439968
Cicero
29,000
435,000
1,688,375
1,604,673
201,"10
1,806, 383
3,609 34
2,4012 41
1,020 (12
7,622 37
.0040328
Clay
29,500
20
50,000
1,6c8,731
2, 176,453
100.000
112.6,453
4,548 ->
3.71 12
2,501 5€
10, 821 34
.000332968
De Witt
23,400
608,420
2,330,665
2,244.328
108,145
2,352,4-3
4,700 "2
3,50- 05
2,665 40
11,265 17
.00461912
Elbridge
22,200
30
666,000
2,670,250
2,456,509
360,76c
2,517, 5(x)
5,6:30 IL
4,607 54
3,284 35
13,5$1 99
.00448101
l'abius
30,000
14
+20,000
1,195,750
1,54.340
130,45℃
1,679,790
3.356 58
2,782 71
1,236 78
7,375 07
.0055618
Geddes
6,374
637,400
3,655,050
2,351, 306
306,800
2,658,106
5,341 45
4,403 37
7,311 16
17,016 01
.00426519
Lal'ayette
22,200
18
399,600
1,368,170
1,474,086
179,930
1,654,016
3,305 of
2,740 02
1,622 20
7,667 28
.0049527
Lysander.
38,000
24
912,000
2,862,765
3,364,281
547,525
3,911,806
7,815 15
6,480 21
3,186 20
17,48: 56
.0051262
Manlius
30, 300
18,900
28
1,150,8co
3,472,950
4,245,190
388,05c
4.633,240
3,416 40 9,258, 12
7,675 33
2,525 64
19,759 09
.00511755
Otisco ..
15,500
14
217,000
744,270
Soo, 4:)1
118,65c
919,141
1,836, 55
1,522 (14
9C1 45
4,260 6,
.004838
Pompey.
319,000
702,000
1,840,200
2,589,609
128,350
2,717,959
5,430 93
4,501 53
2,406 48
12,334) 94
.00626S
Salina
8. 446
60
506, -60
1,647,801
1,86,388
121,500
1,990,SS>
3,978 of,
3,208 07
10,366 13
17,642 26
.0099713
Skaneateles
23,600
26
613,600
2,89, 335
2, 263,511
842,600
3,160,111
6,206 68
5,145 52
4,044 10
15,396 30
.0054362
Spafford
13,500
14
259,000
587,150
9,550,427
140,250
1,095,67-
921,712
1,841 7€
1,526 S9
1,233 35
4,602 00
.00585
Van Buren
21,600
2S
604,80c
2,328,460
2,231,048
285,610
2,516,738
4, 169 18
1,272 09
10,470 09
.0040051
Syracuse
7,300
7,100,000
17,584,130
16,929,000
3,647,390
30,576,390
61,09, 68
50,652 23
118,303 02 230,051 93
.0073661
Total
TS,OSS,760 66,727,685 66,727,685 89,066,235 75.793,920
151,448 26 125,558 70 184,049 73 461,056 69
596 48
4,599 72
.0055591
Tully
15.600
218,400
3,683,825
3,017,893
801,730
3,819,623
7,63- 40
(1,327 50
15,854 04
29,813 94
1006614665
Marcellus
396,900
1,3:2,450
1,464,126
245,600
1,"℃),"26;
2,832 30
1,169 91
7,567 11
Onondaga.
41,100
$18,100
6,70,15"
So5,657
116,055
1,815 0℃
100
matica
11011.
PENITENTIARY, SYRCUSE . ONONDAGA CO N Y
ONONDAGA COUNTY POOR HOUSE
8 I
HISTORY OF ONONDAGA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
of horse was organized in the said Brigade in 1795, and Walter D. Nicholls, appointed Captain.
In 1796 the Governor organized several new regi- ments in the Counties of Ontario and Onondaga. The battalion hitherto commanded by Major Dan- forth was made a regiment, comprising the town- ships of Hannibal, Lysander, Cicero, Manlius, Pom- pey, Fabius, Solon, Cincinnatus, Tully, Virgil, Ca- millus, Sempronius, Locke, Dryden, and the Onon- daga Reservation. Asa Danforth, Lieutenant- Colonel, Commandant ; Hezekiah Olcott, first Ma- jor ; Josiah Buck, second Major ; Joshua Wickoff, first Lieutenant ; Thaddeus M. Wood, second Lieutenant ; and Colman Keeler, Cornet in Cap- tain Nicholl's troop of horse, General Taylor's brigade, appointed March, 1797.
The following officers were appointed in Lieuten- ant-Colonel Danforth's regiment, viz : Hezekiah Olcott, first Major ; Asa Danforth, Jr., second Major ; John Ellis, Adjutant ; Elijah Rust, Pay- master ; Jabez Hull, Quartermaster ; William Need- ham, Surgeon ; Walter Colton, Surgeon's Mate ; Jesse Butler, Lieutenant ; Comfort Tyler, Captain ; Nehemiah H. Earll, Lieutenant ; Elijah Phillips, Captain ; Caleb Pratt, Lieutenant ; John Lamb Captain ; William Cook, Lieutenant ; Samuel Je- rome, Captain, David Williams, Captain ; Robert Earll, Captain, etc., etc.
The population of the county in 1800, 7,698 ; 1810, 25,987 ; 1820, 41,497 ; 1830, 58,973 ; 1840, 67,911 : 1855, 86,575 ; 1865, 92,972 ; 1870, 104, 183 ; 1875, 112, 186.
(For full tables of population and other statistics, see statistical department of this work.)
CHAPTER XIX.
COUNTY POOR HOUSE AND INSANE ASYLUM- COUNTY PENITENTIARY-STATE ASYLUM FOR IDIOTS.
T HE Onondaga County Poor House and Asy- lum are situated upon Onondaga Hill about two miles distant from the city of Syracuse. The site contains 36} acres of land. It contained originally about 145 acres, being part of lot No. 87 in the town of Onondaga, and purchased by the county of Josiah Bronson in the year 1826.
The following is from the minutes of the Board of Supervisors at a meeting held November 24, 1826:
" The Board of Supervisors of the County of Onondaga having taken into consideration the pro- priety of erecting a County Poor House, appointed 11*
a select committee consisting of the following gen- tlemen : George Pettit, Hezekiah Strong and Charles H. Toll." The committee embodied in their report the following charges for the county poor during the years from 1823 to 1826 inclusive : Aggregate charges for the year 1823. $2,459 88
The like for the year 1824. 2,560 98
The like for the year 1825 3,973 66
The like for the year 1826. 5,767 47
Increase of charges from 1823 to 1824, $10,114; from 1824 to 1825, $, 1412.68 ; from 1825 to 1826, $1,793.83 ; total increase in three years, $3,307.65.
This showed the disadvantage of not having suit- able provisions for the poor. The committee in view of all the circumstances recommended that " the Board do avail themselves of the pro- visions of the act entitled 'An act to provide for the establishment of County Poor Houses, passed No- vember 27, 1824." The following resolutions were adopted :
" Resolved, That the sum of two thousand dol- lars be forthwith raised in the county of Onondaga towards purchasing a site and erecting a county Poor House."
" Resolved, That the members of this Board be a committee to examine, investigate and enquire as to the best location in said county for the said Poor House, and report their opinions and views on the subject to a future extra meeting of the Board."
At the annual meeting of the Board held at the house of Z. Rust, on the 28th day of November, 1826, it was
" Resolved, That it be and is hereby determined that it will be beneficial to the said county to erect a county Poor House."
" Resolved, That a copy of the above resolution be signed by the President and Clerk of this Board, and be forthwith filed with the Clerk of the said county."
ELISHA LITCHFIELD, President.
JAMES WEBB, Clerk.
At the next meeting of this Board, held at the house of Z. and G. Rust, in. the town of Onondaga, on the second Tuesday in January, 1827, present all the members except Charles Jackson. of La- Fayette, propositions were received of farms for sale to the Board of Supervisors for county Poor House purposes, in the towns of Manlius, Pompey, and many other localities in the county. The Board adopted the following resolution :
" Resolved, That the location of the County Poor House shall be within ten miles of the Court House."
A committee was then appointed consisting of Russell Chase, Hezekiah Strong, Charles H. Toll, Fisher Curtis and George Pettit, to examine a farm offered by Mr. Josiah Bronson, being part of Lot 87 in the town of Onondaga, 100 acres or more at
82
HISTORY OF ONONDAGA COUNTY, NEW YORK
$20.00 per acre, and report upon the same at the next adjourned meeting.
On the ninth day of February, 1827, the Board met again at the house of Z. and G. Rust. The committee reported favorably upon the farm offered by Josiah Bronson, and the Board resolved to accept the same, " containing about 145 acres, at the price of $18.00 per acre."
" Resolved, That the Board of Supervisors will pay Josiah Bronson the sum of $500 on taking a deed, and the residue in two equal annual install- ments with interest, amounting to about $735 each to be secured to said Bronson by mortgage, and the said Supervisors take upon themselves to pay the State mortgage, amounting to about $640.00, and the said Bronson reserves the wheat now on the ground."
Hezekiah Strong, Fisher Curtis and George Pettit were appointed a building committee, with instructions to " build a house not exceeding 60 feet in length and 36 fect in width, two stories above the cellar or basement, all of stone, and the expense of which shall not exceed $2,500.00." By a resolution passed at this meeting, Oliver R. Strong, Daniel Mosely, Truman Adams, Azariah Smith and James Webb, were appointed Superintendents of the Poor House. The building committee were instructed to build the barn 42 by 32 fect, and other out- buildings not exceeding in the whole $300.00. Hezekiah Strong, Fisher Curtis and George Pettit, were appointed a committee to raise the funds nec- essary to erect the buildings.
The Poor House was completed on the 17th of December, 1827. Our space will not allow us to enter into a detailed account of all the changes and improvements which have been made in the last half century both in the buildings and in the manner of taking care of the poor and the insane. This important interest has kept pace with other improvements in the county, and has of late years commanded increasing attention and interest. The main building of the present Poor House was erected in 1854. In 1860 the first stone build- ing for the Asylum was erected. Extensive im- provements were made during the years from 1866 to 1873, under the administration of Mr. C. C. Warner, who had charge of the Institution during the ycars referred to, and to whose economical management and indefatigable labors the people of the county are much indebted. Under his administration the Reservoir for the supply of the county buildings with water was constructed in 1867, at a cost of $4,000. In 1868, a new Asylum, built of stone, 32 by 76 feet and three stories in height, was built, costing about $16.000. The
same year one wing of the Poor House was enlarged and a story added to it, at a cost of about $8,000. In 1871, the carriage and hay barn, 32 by 76 feet, with stone basement, was built to supply the place of the one previously destroyed by fire. This barn was erected at the very moderate cost of $1,550. A great improvement was made in the whole general appearance of the premises; the road in front was elevated and graveled ; side-walks were built, and rows of beautiful shade trees planted.
Mr. Warner being elected to the office of Super- intendent, appointed Mr. Knapp his successor as keeper, who had charge of the Poor House and Asylum until April ist, 1875, at which date the present incumbent, Mr. Ambrose Sadler, assumed charge.
The Annual Report of the Superintendent, H. H. Loomis, Esq., for the year ending November 9, 1877, shows that the receipts from all sources, in- cluding an appropriation by the Board of Supervi- sors of $18,000, was $23,072.86, and the total dis- bursements, $19,579 17. The amount of cash on hand was $3,493.69, and the amount of supplies, $1,725.00. Estimated amount necessary to meet the current expenses of the Poor House and Asylum for the ensuing year, $16,000.
The number of children now in the different charitable institutions who are supported by the county is fifty-three. Of these 24 are in the On- ondaga County Orphan Asylum, 15 in the St. Vincent de Paul Orphan Asylum, and 14 in the House of Providence.
The number of persons in the Poor House is 130; 90 of whom are males and 40 females. Of the 117 in the Insane Asylum, 47 are males and 40 females. The number admitted to the Asylum during the year is 49 ; 26 have been maintained at their own expense or that of their friends, $2.00 per week being paid for their board and care ; 10 have died, 34 have been discharged, and one has absconded during the year.
The following table shows the causes of depend- ency of all persons received at the County House during the year :
Intemperance direct.
64
Vagrancy
127
Indigent and Destitute
53
Lunacy 42 I
Sickness 1
30
Old Age
IC
Debauchery
1 3
Bastardy
7
Blindness
4
Lameness
1
1
1
Idiocy
1
1
6
t
1
1
1
J
I
1
1
L
1
I
6
1
83
HISTORY OF ONONDAGA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
The products of the Poor House farm during the past season have been as follows :
Twenty-five tons of hay, 222 bushels of beets, 75 bushels of onions, 15 bushels of tomatoes, 41 bushels of carrots, 48 bushels of apples, 95 bushels of wheat, 950 pounds of butter, 2,500 pounds of beef, 20 hogs, and 1,000 head of cabbages.
The following is a statement of expenses in- curred and the income realized from the farm of William Moore (20 acres) rented in the spring :
EXPENSES.
Rent
$250 00
Seed
75 00
$325 00
INCOME.
Potatoes, 1303 bushels_ ~$521 20
Corn,
224
56 00
Oats, 150
52 50
Cornstalks
15 00
Oat straw
39 00
Hay, 3 tons
30 00
Rent
36 00
$719 70
Profits realized
- $394 70
ONONDAGA COUNTY PENITENTIARY.
On the 4th of December, 1849, Messrs. Robert Dunlop, Cyrus Upham and T. C. Cheeney, a com- mittee of the Board of Supervisors to whom was referred the subject of the county jail, reported a plan for a penitentiary, to be built upon the center of the lot where . the court house and jail then stood. The main building was to be 75 by 50 feet and four stories including basement, with one wing 100 by 50 feet, having one row of windows and four tiers of cells. The whole number of cells was to be 96. It was estimated that the entire cost would be a little less than $20,000.
The Board of Supervisors, on the 7th of Decem- ber, 1849, adopted the report of the above commit- tee, and passed the following resolutions :
" Resolved by the Board. That a work-house or Penitentiary be erected in the county in pursuance of the plan submitted to this Board at its present session by the committee of which Mr. Dunlop is chairman.
Resolved, That Mr. Church, of Lysander, Mr. Dunlop, of DeWitt, and T. C. Cheeney, of Syra- cuse, be appointed commissioners to superintend the erection of said building.
Resolved, That said commissioners and the County Treasurer be empowered to loan a sum of money necessary for the erection of said building, not exceeding $20,000, to be deposited in the County Treasurer's office." .
The plan of the committee was carried out with the exception of locating the building on the Court House grounds. The delay in moving the Court House to its present location and other causes in-
duced the Board to change the site to Block 116 in what had previously been the village of Salina, where the Penitentiary now stands. This block was purchased of the State and a patent issued therefor, signed by His Excellency, Hamilton Fish, Governor, on the 4th of February, 1850.
On the 8th of January, 1851, the following resolu- tion, moved by Mr. L. Harris Hiscock, was adopted :
" Resolved, That the Onondaga County Peniten- tiary is completed within the necessary meaning of the Act of April 10, 1850, and that the Board of Supervisors have full power to officer and organize said Penitentiary, under the 10th section of that act, and that so much of the resolutions of the Board of Supervisors of last year as confers any power to officer and organize said Penitentiary on the Commisioners of the same, be and the same is hereby rescinded."
In January, 1851, a special act was passed by the Legislature, the first section whereof is in the fol- lowing words :
" The Jail of the county of Onondaga shall be, and the same is hereby, removed to the Peniten- tiary of said county, and said Penitentiary shall be used for all the purposes of a jail of said county ; and the Superintendent of said Penitentiary, ap- pointed by the Board of Supervisors, shall be the Jailor thereof, and have the custody and control of all persons while confined therein, as the Sheriff of said county might have were this law not en-
* * acted. * *
SECTION 7. This act shall take effect immedi- ately."
In the rules and by-laws adopted January 9, 1851, it is provided that three inspectors shall be appoint- ed by the Board of Supervisors, in meeting now assembled, who shall have the supervision of the penitentiary and the entire control of all its finan- cial concerns and operations, and shall purchase and furnish all the necessary supplies for the Peniten- tiary, one of whom shail hold his office for one year, one for two years and one for three years from the first day of January, 1851. " The said Peni- tentiary shall be under the control and management of one principal keeper or Superintendent and a Board of Inspectors, subject to the authority es- tablished by law and the rules and regulations adopted by the Board of Supervisors for its govern- ment. There shall be a physician to the peniten- tiary, to be appointed, and his compensation fixed by the Board of Supervisors."
The Board then proceeded to the election of officers of the Penitentiary, with the following result, the vote being by ballot :
Superintendent-Joseph A. Yard.
Inspectors-Lyman Norton, James V. Kendall, Aaron Brinkerhoff.
Physician-James Foran.
8.4
HISTORY OF ONONDAGA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
The Penitentiary was originally erected, substan- tially the same as at present, with the exception of the addition of one wing in 1864. A portion of the building was re built and other improvements made subsequent to the fire which occurred during the late war.
The present condition of the Penitentiary, after an experiment of twenty-seven years, is such as fully to demonstrate the practical success of the institution. The Inspectors-Messrs. H. K. King, William Austin and Timothy Hough- in their an- nual report to the Board of Supervisors for 1877, recommend the erection of additional buildings for female prisoners. Besides the great moral advan- tages which would obviously result from this policy, the increased facilities for taking and working a large number of long-term prisoners from adjacent counties and from the State at large, would greatly increase the profits of the institution and enlarge the revenue which it might be made to pay to the county. Already, besides paying all expenses for the past year, and in a season of considerable busi- ness depression, the profits of the Penitentiary have reached the net surplus of $12,190.86. The con- tractors for the penitentiary labor are Messrs. Fra. zer, Burns & Jones.
The report of the present Superintendent, Mr. J. C. Williams, shows that the total income for the year 1877 was $38,620.85, and the total expendi- tures $25,644.99. Balance in favor of the Institu- tion $12,975.86. Items to the amount of $785 to be deducted from the above balance making the net profit of the Institution $12,190.86. Total number of persons in confinement during the year 1,264.
The Jail of the county is kept in the Peniten- tiary building, and is simply a house of detention. None are ever confined in this department who are undergoing sentence on conviction. No work is required of the jail-prisoners, but such as choose to work with the penitentiary-prisoners are permitted to do so, subject to the rules and regulations of the Penitentiary.
THE NEW YORK STATE ASYLUM FOR IDIOTS.
The New York State Asylum for Idiots was found- ed in 1851. It was open for the admission of pupils in October of that year in buildings leased for the purpose at Albany.
At the end of four years it was removed to Syra- cuse. The first building erected for its use was completed in 1855, where it now stands. The cost of this was about $70,000, not including the land which was given by the citizens of Syracuse.
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