American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1822-12-31
FOR -HE WATcHMAN.
Hnts, suggested to the Citizeus Of ys'saO Cast
County, respectiag the Poor establishment.


County, respecting the Poor establishment.
At the time that the purchase was made of the
present site for the Poor the whole number oil Pau
peis did not exceed 40; what the yearly expenses
were, exclusive Of purchase money and repairs,
cannot now ascertain but tor the last 4 or years,
the number of Paupers would average $40, and the
annual expense Tor their support, above 5000
The population and wealth OF the county have
S, srcely increased one half whilst the Pauperism
has quadrupled itself, and become serious src
vance
Whether the County is imposed upon, by per-
sons who are not objects of charity, will not now
inquire: (the exercise Of charity gives pleasing
lemollonl but, 1t the same number who now receive
lit, could be as we'll fed and clothed at half the ex
pense. the charity would still be equal. And with
aspect 10 the Pauper, could he be satisfied, that
by some easy and prof able labor in which he was
engaged, he vas relieving the County Of great
portion of the expenses for his support, he must be
worse than human, if he did not feel his
happiness proporionably increased, independent Of
the relief from the tedium vitae and ennui atten
dant on inactivity Of body and mind.
The only business Tor profit in which paupers are
engaged is picking Oakum; and the amount fol-
which in the years 1899, 1900 and 1901, was 2S
dollars and SO cents OF dollars as cents per year
there being at present about times the number Of
| PauperS. would make tne yearly proHlS ABOUT S2z
There is no doubt, but that at all times there are
number of persons particularly among the females
who do not pick Oakum but who could be enga'
ged in the business which shall propose.
| Now, would suggest the propriety of erecting
machinery for carding and spinning cotton by hand
! in which the females, as well as males could be
empoyed say 100 spindles in hand machines Il
each spindle would do three fourths of days work
they would spin $50 hanks Of No. 10; or Is lbs
the profits of which would be dolls. per day, oil
5000 per annum. The cost of the machinery
would not exceed $1,000, the interest Of which
would be S60,--leaving a clear income OF $40.
! have no doubt but greater number OF spin
dies than l00 could be drove, and the profits pro
portonaby increased but il is safest to err the
wrong side.
\ The experiment that have here proposed was
tried in the Philadelphia Poor house the cause o
its failure, and the remedy, shall propose in my
next number
i 1t has frequently been agitated within the last q
years, to sell the present establishment, and pur
chase farm /; but the poor institution in Chester
County, is demonstration of the inutility OF thai
scheme that Institution with all the advantages oil
! raising bread stuff, and meat. and all their wood
costs 90 per cent. per head more than that OF New
Castle County, where every thing has to be bought
j The Legislature of South Carolina have given to
Purcell, the free man Of colour, who gave iniorma-
ton OF the late intended Instruction in that state
100 dollars year for life, and exempting himself
and family from taxation,