The New-Jersey gazette — Burlington [N.J.], 1783-01-08 00:00:00, page 1

[Vol. VI.J THE [Numb 263. j
NEW-JERSEY GAZETTE.
I H THE ancient ordonnances of France making
■ no provision for the poor, but only ap
■ pointing, in general, that they should be
- maintained in the places of their birth,
all that were absent from their birth place had re
course to begging, and naturally flocked to Paris.
The precarious charity of the monaltick orders, and
their pretended care of the poor, was so far from
preventing the evils which arose from this deficien
cy of the police : that in 1640, the number of beg
gars strolling about the streets of Paris, without
Settlement, maintenance, or lodging, was no less than
40,000.
After many ineffectual attempts to remedy this
deplorable evil, an edict was published in 1656, for
fixing the poor to a fettled residence, finding means
for their employment, and establishing a common
fund for their support.
In order to execute this ediCt, the King granted
several houses and fcites of ground in or near Pa
ris, one called the Biceftre, another the Salpetriere,
bn which the rest were to be dependent, and all
were to be comprised under the common appellation
of the General Hospital.
Of this hospital, the firft president and procurator
general of parliament for the time being were ap
pointed governors, to be assisted by a certain number
of directors.
As a fund to support it, the revenues of several
other charities were made over to this, and it was
ordered that all future donations to the poor, either
by will or deed, in general words, should be deemed
given to this hospital ; that charity boxes should be
fixed up and collections made in all churches and
publick places, that every community, both secular
and regular, should pay an annual sum; that on eve
ry contract or lease with the government, the con
tractor should pay a certain sum; that part of all
fines, forfeitures and confifcations, should be ap
propriated to it ; that a certain sum fhouid allo be
paid to it by every magiftfate entering on hi^ffice,
and all persons taking up their freedom in the com
panies of arts and mysteries : It was allo ordered
that the poor should contribute to their own main
tenance by working at any manufacture which should
be thought most eligible ; that what they make
should be fold free of all duty, and that each com
pany of arts and mysteries should be obliged, if re
quired, to fend two of their body to instruct chil
dren, and others, in such manufacture as should be
appointed. The hospital was also difeharged from
@ll duties on the entry of their necessary provision,
and from all tolls on the road. The King remitted
his duty on a certain measure of wine and fait to be
• bought for its use, and granted a certain quantity
cf wood for firing, as a free gift, to be cut from
any of his forefts where it could be bed fpaied.
The edict having made this provision for the poor,
ordained, that all beggars, whether men or women,
fek or well, should be confined in the general hof
ptal, and if able, set to work, apd forbid all per
fins either to afl< or give alms without doors, pub-
Irkly or privately.
Ihe Biceftre was immediately prepared for the
reception of men, and the Salpetriere for women,
aid notice was given that all would be received who
wnted relief or employment, and that those who
di! not come voluntarily should be compelled, if
thy did not repair to their present fcttlements.
)f the 40,000 beggars who infefted Paris when
thre was no provision for them, no less than 35,000
dilppeared rather than accept the provision that
wa made; the edict therefore, by setting 5000 to
vek within doors, set 35,000 to work without;
forall who did not subsist themselves were put into
Wehofpital whether they would or not.
An account of the regulations in France for
maintaining the poor, supporting boffei
tals, suppf u ppf m g, provisions, preventing
fires, regulating publick companies, and
paving, cleaning, and lighting the
streets.
WEDNESDA Y, January 8, 1783.
The Biceftre is divided into four parts : one part
is destined to the reception of idle youth who have
deferred their parents, or been deserted by them,
who are inftru£ted and employed in some easy and
ufeful manufacture; another part is for the confine
ment of vagabonds and sturdy beggars, and the pu
nishment of such as are committed to hard labour;
the third part is a prison for inferior persons taken
up, by the King's Letter de Cachet, for offences
against the government, and for supernumerary cri
minals when the other prisons are full; and the
fourth is appropriated to lunaticks and ideots.
There is allo a large building dependant upon
this, called the Charity, where poor boys from 5
to io years old are received, and taught reading
and writing, and several forts of manufactures ;
these, at a proper time, are put apprentice to
handicraftfmen, or sent into other services.
1 he foundling hospital is also a part of this ge
neral hospital, though it is in some degree lupported
by diftin& charitable donations; for the children
brought to this hospital are maintained before they
are sent into the provinces to be nuifed, and after
they are brought from thence, by the general fund.
The Salpetriere, tor the reception of women and
girls, is divided in the lame manner as the Biceftre.
I he governors of this hospital hold a general
board every Wednesday and Saturday, to hear com
plaints, and make regulations; and the aifnting di
rectors are divided into three committees, the firft
purchases the provisions, the second infpe&s and
distributes them, and finds clothes and medicines,
and materials for manufacturing; the third super
intends all affairs relating to the revenues and ex
pences.
All the necessaries of bread, meat, peafe, &c. are
prepared in a large leparate building, appropriated
to the purpose, where people are employed in the
butchery, brewing, baking, and preparing other ne
cessaries. Each perfoo in the hospital is allowed
something more than a pound of bread a day, two
ounces, of meat every other day, and on the inter
mediate days a proportionable quantity of peas and
beans.
A like eftablilhmcnt is eroded in all the great
cities and towns of the kingdom.
i he foundling hospital receives all that come;
this number, at an average, is 4000 every year ;
these are received at the house in Paris, and in a few
days are sent into the country to nurse ; they con
tinue at nurse five years, and when they come back
are distributed between the two departments of the
general hospital, the boys to one, and the girls to
the other, where they are kept till they arrive at
twelve, and are then placed out in the world.
Ihe sick and maimed are received into the hof
pitai called the Hotel Dieu, which is lupported by
a large endowment, and many charitable contribu
tions. '
I here is another hospital called the charity,
which is supported by voluntary contribution, where
the patients are relieved in a decent and effectual
manner.
Betides the officers appointed to secure the peace,
there is at Paris a migiftrate, called the Prevot des
Marchands, whose duty it is to controul the ac
counts of the city revenue, and pay the salaries of
officers, repair buildings, and support the conduits
for supplying the city with water: This officer has
also the conservancy of the Seine, and all naviga
ble rivers falling into it within 30 leagues of Paris;
he determines disputes between matters of vessels
and owners of goods; he grants licenses to dyers,
tanners and millers, to ered stages on the streams,
take cognizance of nuisances, and has the direction
of all floats of wood that are brought into the city,
and appoint where they ihall be laid up.
In these functions he is assisted by four inferior of
ficers, called Efchevins. and they are also assisted by
others, called Quarteniers; and the Quarteniers by
others in several subordinations.
As in France there are few coal mines, the chief
fuel is wood, which is found difficult to supply, and
which therefore is the object of many laws and or
dinances with refpe& to keeping up the forefts, cut
ting only such as is fit, laying it up in piles, and
fixing the price at which it is to be fold.
Many precautions are taken to prevent accidents
by fire ; and are so effectual that such accidents hap
pen much less frequently than in other great cities.
I he houses and staircases are built with done, and
the chimnies and party-walls are conftru&ed so as
best to answer their purpose. Anoffice is established
called the engine office, which keeps thirty engines
in perfect repair, in different parts of the city, and
fifty men in constant pay. When a fire happens,
the officers of the police enter the house and take
charge of the whole. The Guet both of horse and
foot, are stationed to keep off a useless croud; the
masons, carpenters and tylers, who live in the 'city,
being all registered, with their places of abode, a
proper number is instantly lent for to give directi
ons. Ihe proprietor of the house in which a fire
begins is obliged to pay a severe fine, besides a pe
cuniary gratification to the officers of the police for
their extraordinary duty.
As to water, the city is no otherwise supplied
than by publick conduits and the river Seine, whence
it is carried by pail-fulls about the streets and fold,
'i he conduits are supplied by three great reservoirs,
from springs, collected together in the adjacent
country.
The magistracy of Paris fettle the price of pro
vifior.s of ail kinds, in proportion to its scarcity or
plenty.'
I he following rules and regulations are eftabliflied
ror the sale of commodities of every kind.
i he matter and wardens of the several companies
of handicraftfmen, artificers and manufacturers, are
obhged to viht all that work in the fame mystery
to lee that every Ipecies of manufacture answers the
standard prescribed, and the mark that is put upon it.
Proper officers are also appointed to visit all the
buyers and lellers of second-hand goods once a
week, and examine the books in which they are
obliged to enter the quantity and quality of all the
second-hand goods they buy, and the names and
places of abode of the persons of whom they are
bought; an excellent regulation which effectually
prevents the purchase of Rolen goods.
As to paving, cleansing and lighting the streets,
they are pared by a toll collected at the barriers of
the city, for all merchandise that enters it, under
the direction of an inspector general of the pave
ment.
Ihe streets are cleaned under the direction of of
ficers called Scavengers ; for this purpose 120 tum
brils are kept, with two men and three horses to
each ; and these are employed in all parts of the
city every day to carry off the filth, every house
holder being obliged to iweep into a heap all that
lies before his own door, house or garden wall, be
fore nine in the morning, of which timely notice is
given by a perlon appointed to go through all the
streets of each divilion with a hand bell for that
purpose. Half an hour afterwards, officers, called
inlpedors, walk their rounds, to fee that the heaps
are properly made and spread; at ten the carts come
by, and carry all off.
Lanthorns with candles are hung on the middle
of a cord that reaches across the street, and is fixed
to pul ies on each fide, about 15 feet high, and 15
yards distant from each other: of these lanthorns
there are 6,500, and they are lighted 20 nights in
a month from the last of September to the firft of
April, being thought unnecessary in moonlight
nights, and the summer season. Each lanthorn is
luppofed to consume 50 pounds of candles every
season: when there is no moon, they burn candles
of four in the pound; on the increase and decline
of the moon, they burn these of eight in the pound.
Every evening, as soon as it is dai k, the proper of
ficer lends out a person ringing a hand-bell through
all the streets of the refpe&ive quarters, to give no
tice for lighting them, by ceitain officers called
Lanternieres : These Lanternieres are annually
chosen from among the householders in every quar
ter, without exception ; each has the care of light-