On the 23d of May, 1860, a special committee was appointed to select a proper site for the building, and to report to the Board. Every owner of lots was anxious to dispose of them to the county. Washington Park had its advocates. So favorably did the Supervisors look upon that location, that a committee was appointed to confer with the Board of Aldermen on the subject. When it began to look as if a portion of that famous old hill would be chosen, the abutting owners sent in a remonstrance, claiming that as the park had been paid for in part by assessment on the surrounding property, the city had no right to grant any such privilege. The city fathers, adopting this view of the case, gave the Board no satisfaction, and the scheme was abandoned. A circular was prepared, and invitations extended to architects to submit plans. The plans were to be deposited with Albert H. Osborn, clerk of the Board of Supervisors, on or before June 3, 1861. A large number were submitted, some coming from St. Louis. The plan of King and Tackritz of Brooklyn was finally accepted. In March, 1861, the special committee appointed by the Supervisors purchased the land on which the present building stands for $70,000. The land having cost $70,000, only $30,000 was left of the sum directed to be raised to purchase the land and erect the building. As that was insufficient for the purpose, the aid of the Legislature was again invoked, and the passage of an additional act obtained, authorizing the Supervisors to borrow, on the credit of the county, an additional sum of $100,000 to be expended under their direction for the erection of a building or buildings, for the use of the courts and county offices. In 1858 the expense of supporting the almshouse, and the several institutions connected therewith, was $158,604.66. Including expenditures for out-door relief, the aggregate cost of supporting the poor of the county was $192,079.77. The average number of inmates during the year ending August 1, 1858, was 1495. The cost for the support of each of them was $106.09, or $2.04 per week. This was a decrease on each as compared with the previous year. The expenses of the several departments were as follows: Almshouse, $36,530.15; hospital, $51,755.19; lunatic asylum, $33,068.26; nursery, $20,571.31; store, $605; miscellaneous, not including temporary relief, $16,074.07. The total number remaining July 31, 1857, was 1274; number admitted during year, 8570; number of infants boarded out during year, 123; number temporarily relieved, in Brooklyn, Western District, 20,793; Eastern District, 11,661; Flatlands, Flatbush, and New Lots, 378; New Utrecht, 108; making a total of 32,940; and the total number relieved and supported wholly or in part during the year ending July 31, 1858, was 41,623. The population of the county was at this time about 254,000. The number relieved was 16-1/3 per cent. of the population.