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As soon as these dormitories can be made ready for occupancy, the inmates of the Custodial Branch at Newark, now under the care and authority of this board of trustees, will be transferred to them, and such additional cases of the same class received as the accommodations will admit.

The erection of the fire-proof corridors at the north and south ends of the main central building, for which an appropriation was granted, last year, was not commenced until late in the season, and owing to a failure on the part of the contracter in securing the requisite iron material at the expected time, the work was delayed, but is now ap-proaching completion.

The barn and sheds at the Fairmount farm were entirely overhauled and rebuilt during the summer months. As now arranged, the ground floor of the barn is fitted up with stalls for horses and cattle, the loft above being reserved for the hay, grain and other products of the farm. A shed attachment provides shelter for wagons, tools and farm implements.

Your attention is respectfully invited to the recommendations of the superintendent, and his reasons therefor regarding the renewal and reconstruction of the steam and water piping throughout certain portions of the present buildings; for the erection of a new laundry building; for providing outside hospital accommodations for the sick, and preventing the spread of epidemic or contagious diseases among the inmates. With these recommendations we are in hearty accord and believe them to be both important and essential to the growing wants of the institution, and its healthful, convenient and economical administration.

To recapitulate: Appropriations are asked and required for the pur-poses and amounts specified, as follows:

At the time our report was presented last year, we supposed the services of Dr. G. A. Doren, as the superintendent of this asylum, had been permanently secured; certain unexpected contingencies, however, arising soon after in the work of rebuilding the Columbus Asylum with which he had been previously connected for a period of nearly twenty-three years, he felt obliged to withdraw his acceptance of the position here, and much to the regret of this board, resumed his work at the Columbus institution.

Upon the retirement of Dr. Doren, Miss A. B. Wood, matron, was continued as the acting superintendent. Miss Wood had been con-tinuously in the service of this asylum since its organization in 1851, and other than medical, possessed a thorough knowledge of all duties required. In this connection it is just and proper to say, that she discharged the duties devolving upon her with commendable satisfaction, thus again exemplifying the value to the institution a long, faithful and intelligent experience gives.

At the annual meeting of the board held on the eighth of October, Dr. J. C. Carson; of New York, was unanimously elected superintendent, and commenced his duties a few weeks later. Dr. Carson had an experience of nearly thirteen years as an assistant physician at the Willard Asylum for the Insane, and for eighteen months prior to his appointment here was the superintendent of the New York Institution for the Deaf and Dumb.

Since our last report was made one change has taken place in our membership. Our late secretary and treasurer, Hon. Allen Munroe, for thirty years a member of this board, was removed by death October 6, 1884. An appropriate resolution relative to the sad occasion was adopted by the board at the annual meeting held two days later, and may be found in the appendix of this report. At the same meeting, Mr. Alfred Wilkinson was elected secretary of the board, and Mr. Alfred Wilkinson, Jr., treasurer of the asylum.

Before closing their report the trustees desire to make public expression of their confidence in and gratitude to the officers, teachers, attendants and employes, for their general faithfulness, the conscientious discharge of their duties, and their interest in the welfare of the asylum so manifest throughout the year.

ALFRED C. CHAPIN, Comptroller,
W. B. RUGGLES, Supt. Public Instruction,
F. D. HUNTINGTON,
GEORGE F. COMSTOCK,
N. F. GRAVES,
FREDERICK HYDE,
GEORGE SLOAN,
R. FRISSELLE.

SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.

To the Trustees of the New York Asylum for Idiots:

GENTLEMEN -- In compliance with the requirements of the law and of your board. I have the honor to present to you herewith, as obtained from the books and official records kept, the following report exhibiting the statistics and operations of this institution for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1884.