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New York State Idiot Asylum At Syracuse, Fifth Report Of The Trustees

Creator: n/a
Date: February 11, 1856
Source: Steve Taylor Collection

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19  

There are due to various individuals on contract and otherwise the following sums:

20  

John Bridgford $1,828.15
James Christie 1,598.92
G. & C. M. Woodward 323.00
Brown & Pornroy 255.00
Wm. L. Wollett 112.00
Hatch & Burt 252.00
Hall & Hopkins 44.88
Land 2,800.00
Agar 52.00
A. Featherly 166.02
Pruyn & Lansing 190.00
Amounting in the aggregate to $7,621.92

21  

To meet this indebtedness, the trustees still have the land purchased in the vicinity of Albany, where it was first proposed to locate the asylum. That cost $7,047.75, and was regarded by the trustees, at the date of the last report, as being available for that amount. A favorable opportunity for its sale has not occurred since then. But it is the design to offer this lot at public auction at an early date. Its very favorable position as a site for residences; the increased value of real estate in the vicinity of Albany, and the favorable terms upon which the property can be sold by the Commissioners of the Land-office, inspire a confidence that very little sacrifice, if any, need be made in the sale of it.

22  

There is now in the hands of the State Comptroller, to the credit of the building fund of the Asylum $293.91
To this should be added the excess of estimates submitted last year, over the appropriation 332.44
Value of land above stated 7,047.75
$7,374.10
Total indebtedness of building fund $7,621.97
Amount of resources, brought down 7,374.10
Excess of expenditures of the trustees, in building, over their estimates submitted last year $247.87

23  

The trustees cannot but feel a very great degree of satisfaction in presenting a statement of appropriation and expenditure so nearly balanced as they are now enabled to. And it should be observed that the contracts have all been adjusted and settled to the satisfaction of all parties; that all the bills against the building fund have been rendered and stated in the above schedule, with the exception of a sum claimed by the architect for services and not allowed by the trustees.

24  

The building has now been occupied by the institution about five months; and it will be seen by the report of the Superintendent, and it is confirmed by our own observation, that it proves to be in all respects all that was expected of it.

25  

At the last session of the Legislature, the sum of $15,000 was inserted in the Supply Bill, by the committee of ways and means, as reported by them to the Legislature. Of this sum, $12,000 was designed for the current expenses of the present fiscal year, and the remaining portion, $3,000, was designed for the purchase of new furniture and the expenses of removal. That section of the bill passed both houses. No motion to reduce it was made by any member of either House, as will be seen by the journals of the Senate and Assembly. On the adjournment of the Legislature, the appropriation was found to be $13,000 instead of $15,000. Whether this happened through a clerical error, or otherwise, the board of trustees have no means of knowing.

26  

The result, however, has been that the cost of new furniture and the expenses of removal, amounting in the aggregate to about $4,500, has had to he taken from the $13,000, the greater portion of which was necessary to meet the current expenses of the present fiscal year.

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The board of trustees would therefore respectfully suggest to the Legislature that provisions to the amount of $5,000 be made to meet the deficiency in our means of support.

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JAMES H. TITUS,
HENRY N. POHLMAN,
FRANKLIN TOWNSEND,
F. F. BACKUS,
HIRAM PUTNAM,
H. WHITE,
LYMAN CLARY,
ALLEN MUNROE,
Trustees.

29  

MYRON H. CLARK,
HENRY J. RAYMOND,
JAMES M. COOK,
E. W. LEAVENWORTH,
Ex-officio Trustees.

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SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.

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To the Trustees of the New York Asylum for Idiots:

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GENTLEMEN: -- Since my last annual report to the board, important changes have taken place in the affairs of the Institution.

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These changes relate to the constitution of the Board of Trustees, to the removal to the new buildings we now occupy, and the consequent increase in the number of pupils, and in the family of assistants, attendants, &c., in charge.

34  

I will notice these in order.

35  

By the legislative enactment of last winter, three additional trustees were appointed, from the city of Syracuse, as members of your Board. This was desired to secure a suitable oversight of the Asylum by the Board of Trustees.

36  

Since then, one of your number -- the late John C. Spencer -- has been removed by death (see Appendix A.). Such were my relations to him, during the period that intervened between the opening of our Asylum and his death, that I cannot forbear from expressing at this time my humble tribute to his services as a member of your Board. He was one of the original members of the Board, and, till his death, held the office of chairman of the executive committee.

37  

Much of the preliminary labor in organizing the experimental school devolved upon him. This was performed with his usual industry, sagacity and promptness-as was evidenced by the fact that the new Asylum was actually receiving pupils in less than three months from the passage of the act establishing it. Professing some doubts, at the outset, of the practicability of the objects for which the Asylum was founded, he was yet determined that the experiment should be fairly tested.

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