The civil, political, professional and ecclesiastical history, and commercial and industrial record of the county of Kings and the city of Brooklyn, N. Y., from 1683 to 1884 Volume I, Part 119

Author: Stiles, Henry Reed, 1832-1909, ed. cn; Brockett, L. P. (Linus Pierpont), 1820-1893; Proctor, L. B. (Lucien Brock), 1830-1900. 1n
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: New York : W. W. Munsell & Co.
Number of Pages: 1114

USA > New York > Kings County > Brooklyn > The civil, political, professional and ecclesiastical history, and commercial and industrial record of the county of Kings and the city of Brooklyn, N. Y., from 1683 to 1884 Volume I > Part 119

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Remaining in Hospital, July 31, 1876, males, 158 ; females, 153 ; total, 311 ; admitted during the year, males, 1,855 ; females, 1,389 ; total, 3,244; total number under treatment. males, 2,013 ; females, 1,542 ; total, 3,555 ; discharged recovered, males, 1,419 ; females, 1,065 ; total, 2,484; discharged improved, males, 180 ; females, 166 ; total, 346 ; discharged unimproved, males, 23 ; fe- males, 20; total, 43 ; died, males, 190 ; females, 121 ; total, 311 ; total discharged and died, males, 1,812; females, 1,372 ; total, 3,184.

It will be seen from the above report that there was a decrease of 603 in the total number of patients admitted during the year. There were 145 children born in the institutions during the year. Of all the number of patients, 3,555, admitted into the Hospital during the year, all excepting 810 were foreigners ; of these 1,392 were from Ireland, 722 from Germany, 240 from Sweden, 66 from France, 62 from England, 59 from Switzerland, 47 from Scot- land, 50 from Norway, 39 from Denmark, 25 from Italy, 18 from Poland, 2 from Russia, 8 from Belgium, 1 from Portugal, 1 from Cuba, 1 from China, and 2 from Spain.

Dr. James Blanchard, Medical Superintendent of the Lunatic Asylum, reports, among other things, that in the preceding Jan- uary the Hospital for Incurables was completed, officered and fur- nished, and in the February following some of the patients-260 in all- were transferred to that institution. These consisted of epileptics, idiots, imbeciles, and demented patients, all quiet and orderly. At one period there were 827 patients under treatment in the Asylum, which had a capacity for containing only 600, leading to a very unsatisfactory condition of things. Notwith- standing this, Dr. Blanchard alleges that during the past year the management of this institution was the subject of much unfair and unjust criticism, when whatever fault there was in the con- duct of the establishment could not be justly charged against the managing officers of the Institution. The report concludes with the following table :

Patients in Asylum, August 1, 1876, males,323; females, 487; total, 810 ; admitted during year, males, 150; females, 168; total, 318;

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HISTORY OF KINGS COUNTY.

recovered, males, 48 ; females, 58 ; total, 106 ; improved, males, 20; females, 22 ; total, 42 ; unimproved, males, 11 ; females, 9 ; total, 20; removed to Hospital for Incurables, males, 128; females, 139 ; total, 267 ; died, males, 27; females, 34; total, 61 ; whole number discharged, males, 334 ; females, 262 ; total, 496 ; re- maining July 31, 1877, males, 239 ; females, 393; total, 632 ; employees, males, 34 ; females, 51 ; total, 85.

Since the change in the Nursery department, and other changes in the Poor establishment, a brief allusion to the report of the Superintendent of the Almshouse is necessary and in- structive. From the report it is seen among other things that during the year the capacity of this department was tested to its utmost. During the entire winter season it became necessary to place beds upon the floors of all the different dormitories in the department ; that even the reading-room was converted into a dormitory.

The report recommends the erection of a " workhouse," so that the inmates of the Almshouse be classified, making a dis- crimination between unfortunate persons driven to seek shelter there for a time, and the degraded " rounder " and "revolver," who looks forward with pleasure to a life at the public expense.

The small department assigned under the new regulation to the children, for a nursery, is reported to be in an overcrowded condition. These reports were given at the close of the fiscal year, the 31st of July, 1877.

We now come to the brief consideration of a sub- ject which created intense fecling throughout the county ; this is the report of the Investigating Com- mittee appointed to examine the whole condition of the Poor establishment under the official management of the Board of Commissioners of Charities. This report was submitted to the Board of Supervisors at the close of the year 1877, and was most searching, exhibiting a condition of things somewhat startling in their nature. We have already referred to a resolution requiring the Commissioners to report, etc. How well they reported will be seen in the report of the Investigating Commit- tee, of which we can only give a brief history. The re- port alleges that the Charity Department of the county had been for years in bad repute with the people; its management had given rise to great complaint ; some of its members had been found guilty of corrupt prac- tices, punished and removed from office; that the aid of legislative enactment had been invoked, but in vain, and the cure did not come ; the evil was political, and it was politics that attempted the cure ; instead of im- provement, matters grew and are still growing worse ; extravagance and waste prevailed ; the employees were inefficient ; duties were neglected ; lunatics were robbed and beaten; that even death had been hastened by cruelty and abuse; the poor were ill-treated, and con- tractors favored; large sums of money were appro- priated every year, and yet heavy deficiencies con- tinued to be the rule; that the Commissioners wrong- fully increased their pay-rolls; men were receiving wages who did little or no work, while everything about the establishment was neglected.

To such an alarming extent had these things come that a public meeting, irrespective of party, was held at the Academy of Music in Brooklyn, composed of the best citizens of the city and county. At this meeting

a resolution was unanimously adopted condemning the management of the Commissioners, and measures pro- posed for relieving the Poor establishment of these great evils. The measure of relief proposed was the abolish- ment of the present Board of Charities and the estab- lishment of a new Board, to be called a "Board of Commissioners of Charities and Corrections."

"But," says the report, " the will of the people was thwarted at Albany, and the cure came not. Politics again showed its venomous fangs, and the mongrel bill denominated a cure was justly throttled by the Governor, and thus the old system was continued in all its evils. It was then thought best that a full and fair investigation of the whole matter should be made. We supposed that the Commissioners would second our efforts, but after making some progress we were met with open hostility to our labors by the Commissioners." Notwithstanding this, the committee searchingly continued their investigations, and the result revealed a most terrible and revolting state of affairs.

Among other things, the buildings were infested by rats, the wood-work gnawed in almost every room, creating great destruc- tion. In one instance an old closet was opened, and was found to contain the bodies of nearly two barrels of dead rats in a state of decomposition. In one of the upper stories a dining-room used for women was in part used for water-closets, being parti- tioned off by low board partitions, from which there came most offensive odors. The place where the provisions were kept and served was dark, dirty, filled with fleas and other filth. The grounds were out of order; holes had been cut in the board fences, through which intoxicating liquors had been passed in to the inmates.

Even clothing, shoes and other articles had been given by the inmates in exchange for liquor. Some of the employees had kept, and still kept, a place near by for the sale of liquor. The inmates of the establishment often got drunk and fight. There was due and owing the county for board of patients $15,000 or $20,000. People from other counties, and even from other States, were boarders at the expense of this county. Notwith- standing this large arrearages for their board, they had every delicacy, all indulgencies equally, if not better, than patients more worthy. This condition of affairs had existed for years. Finally, after enumerating many other gross evils, the report concludes as follows: "Enough has already been shown to justify the preparation of charges against the Commissioners for neglect of duty, for malfeasance in office, and to demand their removal."

This report, with several resolutions as to the mode of procedure against the Commissioners, was unani- mously adopted by the Board of Supervisors December 26, 1877.

We have given large quotations from this report, be- cause it was strongly influential in revolutionizing the administration of the whole Poor establishment of the county. The action of the Supervisors was very prompt and decisive ; but, instead of resulting in a pros- ecntion of the Commissioners for gross violation of duty and malfeasance in office, it took, as we shall see a little further on, another turn, quite unsatisfactory to the Board of Supervisors.

The pay-roll of the Commissioners of Charities for the month ending March 7, 1878, is very important, in that it shows what salaries the employees were receiving at that time. We give only a few of its items :

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THE COMMISSIONERS OF CHARITIES.

The Medical Superintendent of the Hospital received $2,000 per annum; clerk, $1,500; steward, $1,000; Superintendent of Almshouse, $1,500; steward, $1200 ; matron, $400; cutter of clothing, $500 ; baker, $660; Medical Attendant of the Asylum, $3,500; as- sistant physician, $1,200; do. do., $600; steward, $1,000 ; matron, $500; clerk and bookkeeper of the board, $2,500; secretary to the board, $1,500 ; treas- urer, clerk and collector, $1,500; general inspector, $2,000; counsel, $,1500 ; Medical Superintendent of Hospital for Incurables, $2,000; steward, $1,000; matron, $400. The salaries of the other employees of the Poor establishment ranged from $12 to $20 per month.

The report to which we have alluded, made in Decem- ber, 1877, was not acted upon officially in the direction of the impeachment or removal of the Commissioners ; but was continually used in an effort to abolish the office of Commissioners of Charities-with what effect we shall see hereafter. But, on May 23d, 1878, a long preamble setting forth the general bad management of the charitable department, which had called forth the condemnation of the entire press of the county, was followed by the following resolution :

" Resolved, That the Board of Supervisors most respectfully re- quest his Excellency the Governor to remove from office the Commissioners of Charities, and appoint, to serve out the time between their removal and the next general election, four disin- terested citizens of this county."

As this resolution was not accompanied with charges and specifications, the chair ruled the resolution to be " not in order," which ruling was, on appeal, sus- tained.

At the annual election in November, 1878, Andrew Zizer, Charles J. Henry, and Wm. M. Shipman were elected Commissioners of Charities, Mr. Shipman in the place of Dr. Norris, and Mr. Zizer in place of Mr. Bogan. The annual report of the Commissioners of Charities for the year ending July 31, 1878, was much briefer than usual.

" We have," said the Commissioners, "endeavored to the best of our ability to discharge the duties im- posed upon us, with an honest desire so to condnet the affairs of the department that no injuries may be done to the public bonnty, and at the same time no encour- agement given to those committed to our care to re- main a charge upon the county longer than was really necessary."

It is proper to add that a very respectable portion of the community believed that the charges made against the Commissioners of Charities, and the public clamor raised against them, was the result of political warfare, kept alive and intensified by swarms of hungry appli- · cants for the very remunerative places which the Com- missioners had to bestow. In other words, it was the common growl of the " outs " against the "ins "-the usual contest of politicians.

This report shows that the average cost for each person sup- ported for the year 1878 was $106.09, or $2.04 per week; the average cost for each person supported for the year 1877 was $121.83, or $2.34 per week; the average difference in cost in favor of the year 1878, for each person, was $15.74, or 30 cents per week for each person. The net expenses for the department for 1877 were $422,345.55; for the year 1878, $312,524.93; differ- ence in favor of 1878, with an increased averaged number of in- mates of 157 persons, was $110,280.62. This large decrease, with other reductions in regard to the poor departments, were re- garded as indubitable evidence of the wisdom and success of the Board of Charties, and a triumphant vindication against the aspersions made against them. The report continues as follows: There were remaining in the institutions at the date of last re- port: Almshouse, 826; Hospital, 377; Asylum, 717; Hospital for Incurables, 310; total, 2,230; admitted into all these depart- ments during the year, 5,976; the whole total was 8,206; died and discharged during the year, 5,722; remaining July 31, 1878, 2,448. The number temporarily relieved was 46,093; cared for in the institutions, 8,206; total number relieved, either wholly or in part, during the year, 54,299.

The annual report of the Superintendent of the Almshouse for the year 1878 shows the unusually crowded condition of that de- partment, but a very satisfactory state of things in regard to the general management.

The report of Dr. P. L. Schenck, Medical Superintendent of the County Hospital, shows that there were remaining in that department July 31, 1879: Malcs, 201; females, 170; total, 371; admitted during year, males, 1,661; females, 1,196; total, 2,857; total number under treatment, males, 1,862; females, 1,366; total, 3,328; recovered, males, 1,250; females, 926; total, 2,176; im- proved, males, 188; females, 100; total, 288; unimproved, males, 42; females, 46; total, 88; died, males, 166; females, 90; total, 256; of these 3,328 patients, 1,259 were Irish, 750 were Germans, 710 native, 190 Swedes, 60 French, 52 Swiss, 59 Scotch, 32 Nor- way, 43 English, 30 Danes, 20 Italians, 12 Poles, 2 Russians, 6 Belgians, 2 Cubans, 1 Chinese. There were during the year 166 children born in the Hospital; the nativity of the mothers was as follows: United States, 83; Ireland, 53; Germany, 14; England, 8; Sweden, 2; Scotland, 1; Switzerland, 1; Nova Scotia, 1; 95 were married and 68 unmarried.

In the Hospital for Incurables there were on August 1, 1877, 288 patients; there were admitted during the year 89; the whole number treated was 377; the number discharged during the year ending July 31, 1878, was 29; number of deaths, 34; remaining in the institution July 31, 1878, 307.

The report of the Medical Superintendent of the Lunatic Asylum, Dr. R. L. Parsons, for the year ending July 31, 1878, shows that a large room, 60x90 feet in area, was much needed for the general assemblage of the patients for lectures, readings, concerts, dramatic entertainments, dancing, etc .; the room would also be adapted to the use of the female patients as a gym- nasium or exercise room. The report also strongly advocates the erection of a new cookhouse, and that an omnibus and team of stout draft horses should be at the service of the patients for driving about the country, in conformity to a similar luxury at the New York City Asylum, where, it was alleged, the most excitable and violent patients were, with good effect, taken out on excursions.

The report also shows that there were remaining in the Hospi- tal, August 1, 1877, males, 239; females, 393; total, 632 ; ad- mitted during the year 1877, males, 173 ; females, 187 ; total, 360 ; recovered, males, 47; females, 61; total, 108; improved, males, 19; females, 24; total, 43; unimproved, males, 43; females, 26; total, 69 ; died, males, 25 ; females, 33 ; total, 58 ; total died and discharged, males, 134; females, 144; total, 278 ; on pass, males, 12 ; females, 10 ; total, 22 ; total number of pa- tients remaining, August 1, 1878, males, 266 ; females, 426 ; total, 692. The Doctor gives a table stating the habits of the patients

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HISTORY OF KINGS COUNTY.

during the year, as follows : temperate, males, 54 ; females, 128 ; intemperate, males, 68 ; females, 36 ; unknown, males, 51; fe- males, 23 ; total, males, 173 ; females, 187.

The opposition to the Commissioners of Charities continued until, on October 30, 1879, a resolution was introduced to the Board of Supervisors directing the president pro tem. to appoint a special committee of five to consult with the Commissioners of Charities in regard to drafting an act whereby further and larger powers of correction and control, in regard to the De- partment of Charities, should be conferred upon the Commissioners, and whereby the dual government then existing might, with proper restrictions reserved to the Supervisors, be done away with.

There appears to have been no further action taken during the year under this resolution. The records of the Commissioners of Charities for the year 1879 ex- hibit little else than their annual report, and the an- nual reports of the Lunatic Asylum and the Hospital, and a brief report from the Keeper of the Almshouse.

The Commissioners of Charities for this year were Charles J. Henry, William M. Shipman, Andrew Zeiser, Bernhard Midas, and Harmon V. Storm. Their annual report for the year end- ing July 31, 1879, differed largely in form from those given here- tofore, excepting the following table : The number of patients remaining at date of last report-Almshouse, 887; Hospital, 363 ; Asylum, 790 ; Hospital for Incurables, 329 ; admitted during year, Almshouse, 2,090 ; Hospital, 2,069 ; Asylum, 340 ; Hospital for Incurables, 42 ; discharged and died, Almshouse, 3,106 ; Hos- pital, 2,747 ; Asylum, 333 ; Hospital for Incurables, 51; total, 6,- 237 ; remaining July 31, 1879, Almshouse, 771; Hospital, 306 ; Asylum, 797; Hospital for Incurables, 320; total, 2,194; cared for in the institutions, 8,431; average number in institutions during year, 2,398; highest number in institutions, February 18, 1879, 2,611; lowest number in institutions, June 24, 1879, 2,181 ; aver- age cost for each person supported for the year, $104.88 ; average cost for each person per week, $2.01 ; total amount of bills paid and due, $266,935.78 ; total amount cash receipts, $15,420.28 ; balance, $251,515.50.

The Superintendent of the Almshouse, in his report, states that during the winter months every foot of space in that large building, with the exception of two sitting-rooms-even the halls and landings of the stairs-were turned into dormitories. The report also shows that the "rounders " or " repeaters," who formerly made this place their temporary home, no longer appear there. That under the new law touching what was called "State paupers," the Kings County Almshouse was the only one this side of Albany where a large increase of such paupers could be expected during the coming year; that under this act hundreds of people are forwarded to their homes and friends, and to the States where they belong, who would otherwise settle down a permanent burden upon this and other counties within the State of New York. The report strongly commends this act, as likely to relieve the crowded state of the Almshouse. It further shows that the number of inmates remaining July 31, 1878, was 887. There were received during the year, 1,714; there were 8 vagrant commitments ; 387 State pauper commitments, and 881 from other institutions, making 2,990 ; total, 3,877; discharged, 2,423; transferred to other institutions, 547; absconded, 7; died, 129; number remaining July 31, 1879, 771.

Dr. P. H. Schenck, Medical Superintendent of the County Hos- pital, reports patients in that department for the year ending July 31, 1879, to be as follows :

Remaining July 31, 1878, males, 218 ; females, 145; total, 363 ; admitted during the year, males, 1,588 ; females, 1,102 ;

total, 2,690 ; discharged recovered, males, 1,170 ; females, 799 ; total, 1,969; discharged improved, males, 247; females, 170; total, 417 ; discharged unimproved, males, 22; females, 14; total, 36 ; died, males, 204; females, 121; total, 325 ; total discharged and died, males, 1,643; females, 1,104; total, 2,747; remaining July 31, 1879, males, 163; females, 143; total, 306.

The total number of patients admitted shows a decrease of 167. There were 167 children born during the year in the Hospital. 89 of the mothers were married, 75 single.

The nativity of those treated in the Hospital was as follows Ireland, 1,411; United States, 1,013; Germany, 367; England, 138; Sweden, 29; France, 19; Scotland, 18; Canada, 13; Den- mark, 9; Italy, 7; Norway, 6; Wales, 5; W. Indies, 3; Poland, 3; Austria, 2; Switzerland, 2; Russia, 1; Portugal, 1; China, 1; Australia, 1; Hungary, 1; Chili, 1; Nova Scotia, 1.

The report of the Superintendent of the Hospital for Incur- ables, for the year ending July 31, 1879, shows there were re- maining August 1, 1878, males, 144; females, 162; total, 306; number admitted, males, 25; females, 17; total, 42; whole num- ber treated, males, 169; females, 179; total, 348; number dis- charged, males, 20; females, 7; total, 27; died, males, 13; females, 11; total, 24; whole total, males, 33; females, 18; total, 51; re- maining July 31, 1879, inales, 136; females, 161; total, 297.

The annual report of Dr. John C. Shaw, Medical Superintend- ent of the County Lunatic Asylum, for the year ending July 31, 1879 :

In Asylum, August 1, 1878, males, 266; females, 426; total, 692; out on pass on August 1, 17; admissions during year, males, 180; females, 160; total, 340 ; recovered, males, 73; females, 47; total, 120; improved, males, 58; females, 48; total, 106; unim- proved, males, 27; fema'es, 11; total, 38; not insane, males, 1; females, 1, total, 2; died, males, 26; females, 41; total, 67; re- maining in Asylum, August 1, 1879, males, 270; females, 446; total, 716.

The insanity of 50 of these patients was caused by the use of intoxicating liquors ; 20 from religious excitement ; 163 were married, 150 single ; 12 widows 9 widowers.

So successful was the movement for abolishing the Board of Commissioners of Charities in the county, and for the establishment of a new Board, to be called the " Board of Commissioners of Charities and Correc- tions," that early in March, 1880, a bill was introduced into the Legislature of the State providing for the or- ganization of the last-named Board. This bill created much excitement in the county, and the opposition to it took a form that is still fresh in the memory of many citizens. The Board of Supervisors were singularly hostile to the new act, notwithstanding the long-con- tinued difficulties of their predecessors with the Com- missioners of Charities, which was often demonstrated by acts of positive hostility, as we have seen.

Notwithstanding the resolutions of remonstrance and the efforts of committees appointed by the Supervisors, fierce opposition to the proposed measure, and the use of every conceivable means for its defeat, it was success- ful, and on the 13th day of May, 1880, the act to pro- vide for the creation of " A Board of Charities and Corrections in the County of Kings," and for the ap- pointment of the Commissioners thereof, and their su- bordinates, passed both branches of the Legislature of the State and became a law.

The importance of this act, and the sweeping changes

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THE COMMISSIONERS OF CHARITIES.

which it produeed in the management of the Poor es- tablishment of the county, may be seen from the fol- lowing synopsis of its several sections :

This act (sec. 1) designates the new Commissioners as " The Commissioners of Charities and Corrections of the County of Kings," provides that they be ap- pointed by the Supervisor-at-Large, or by the Presi- dent pro tem. of the county; also (sec. 2) provides that no successors shall either be eleeted or appointed for the two Commissioners whose term of office shall ex- pire first after the passage of this act ; but that as the terms of the said Commissioners shall respectively ex- pire, the number composing the Board constituted by this act shall be correspondingly reduecd, so that the Board shall ultimately be composed of threc Commis- sioners ; the successors of the two Commissioners elected in 1878 to be appointed by the President pro tempore on or before October 1, 1881 ; the suceessor of the Commissioner eleeted in 1879 to be appointed dur- ing the month of September, 1882, by the Supervisor- at-Large, and these three Commissioners and their three successors to hold offiee for four years, and until their snecessors shall have been appointed ; vacancies in the office during the years 1880 or 1881 shall be filled by the President pro tempore of the Super- visors, and after that vacaneies shall be filled by the Supervisor-at-Large ; and the successors of the Com- missioners appointed under secs. 2 and 3 of this aet shall be appointed on or before the 15th day of October preceding the expiration of the term of the respective Commissioners ; the salary of those hereafter appointed shall be $3,000 per annum. The act (sec. 4) establishes the name, nature, power and functions, both of supply, purchase and government, of the new Board; inelud- ing, also, under their powers of appointment, the storekeepers; and, after the expiration of the term of the present Keeper of the Penitentiary and of the Morgue of the county, giving to the Board the appoint- ment and control of their successors, and of the persons confined in said institutions ; provides (sec. 5) that the new Board shall have exelusive power to fix the salaries of all its officers and subordinates; and that (sec. 6) it shall have power to indenture and bind out within the State, as apprentiees, during their minority, any minor children over fourteen years of age who may be under their care and control, &e., &c.

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The civil, political, professional and ecclesiastical history, and commercial and industrial record of the county of Kings and the city of Brooklyn, N. Y., from 1683 to 1884 Volume I, Part 119

Author: Stiles, Henry Reed, 1832-1909, ed. cn; Brockett, L. P. (Linus Pierpont), 1820-1893; Proctor, L. B. (Lucien Brock), 1830-1900. 1n Publication date: 1884 Publisher: New York : W. W. Munsell & Co. Number of Pages: 1114

Author: Stiles, Henry Reed, 1832-1909, ed. cn; Brockett, L. P. (Linus Pierpont), 1820-1893; Proctor, L. B. (Lucien Brock), 1830-1900. 1n
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: New York : W. W. Munsell & Co.
Number of Pages: 1114