The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1857-01-10
For the Gate City.

For the Gate City.
The County Peer Reuse.
/ Lee County Poor House, situated on the
Plnkroad, six mills from ~ city, iswcsthf
4 Of being visited BY those who feel N iatssk
sssin the unfortunats. The poor housa q
present consists OF along row Of log huts,
and one small frame house containing one
room, making seven rooms 10 all. -
Three OF these are occupied by the Superin.
tendent and his family, leaving four rooms
for the use Of paapers.
In company with some ladies W made
visit TO this inssitution on Tharsday. We
found it to contain thirty paupers, Wis az
females and twenty -four males. Many, In
deed every one, seemed 10 be diseased, or
enfecblod in body or mind, in some way or
another. There was one maniac and three
idiotic; one, a female, severely burned, and
ono with frozen feet several laboring from
the effects Of fcvers, &c. Three Of them
were children |; two of the children were idi-
OTIS !; most Of them appeared happy, and glad
to see strangers take. an interest IN them
our visit seemed to afford them real pleasure,
quite as much as il this had been their own
happy home. Each Of rs in passing through
the rooms discovered one or more familiar
face. Keokuk has sent larger number here
than any other portion Of the county.
The persons having charge Of this institu.
ton are kind and attentive, and We think do
oil they can to make al under their care
comfortable. Yet one could not help the
conclusion that their means for accomplishing
this we're entirely too limited. In the 6rst
place, the packing Of thirty persons promis-
ouously into four small rooms, where they
must cat, sleep and wash, and all in poor
health at that, does not afford very good
chance for speedy restoration to health
This obvious defect, however, we doubt not
will be remedied, at the earliest opportunity,
by our County Judge
One other item Of which we took note, We
deem prejudicial, both to their comfort and
health; viz the want Of wearing apparel
In this particular, We learned from those in
charge, that some Of tho inmates were very
deficient. One woman whose body was bad
ly burned, informed us that she had not had
a change Of linen for seven or eight days,
and that she had not q ''shirt to her back,
except the one she had on, and IL was as
stiff as board, from the discharge from the
burned flesh" This need not be the case.
Many Of those sent there are not only de-
fcient in quantity aud quality Of clothing,
but much Of it is too filthy to be worn, and
as the Superintendent receives from the
county but 81 so cents per head for boarding,
washing, mending, clothing, and furnishing
oil necessary wearing apparel, -lights and
fuel, they do not feel that they can afford to
be very liberal in regard to furnishing the m
with clothes. The county furnishes all nec-
essary beding, which appears rather DEF
cient, for this season Of the year, and not
/ quite a. clean Is might be. We should men
ton that in addition to the $3.50 cents per
head, the Oyerseer has the use of the Farm,
consisting, We were informed, Of about one
hundred acres, and ~ yet not very product
i've -not yet having had time to bring il
y uuucE q utku stAte VI Cuttlv0tO0s
! The night previous to our visit, bitter
cold night, they spent most Of the night in
search for an inmate with frozen feet, and
/ partially seranged, who had in the evening
wandered abroad. They found him towards
morning, about mile from the house, asleep
on the frozen earth The labor and respon-
sibility of properly taking care Of such a
community of persons is undoubtedly very
great. We do not desire to be understood
as finding fault with any--bu. rather to sug-
gest wherein some wholesome improvements
might be afforded.
DEFINITE. Especial dispatch" to one Of
the New York papers, from Washington, is
as follows
"Mr. Buchanan may BE- here about the
18th Of January, or he may postpone the
time of coming to fortnight after. Both
contingencies are probable from his recent
declarations, and either event may happen
according to the Development q circum-
Stances"
! eTk was testified to in the trial Of Hunt
/ ington, by u book keeper Of firm who was
IN the practice or accommodating him with
loans for the purpose Of shaving notes, that
TO one OF these firms he paid sometimes, for
sums OF ave or ten thousand, one per cent.
day, saying that it was just half Of what
he made.
Walkers REPuBLIc.--Mr. +. Gaillardet, in
his correspondence to the Paris Constitution
mel, states that there is no doubt that the
idea Of forming from the several States Of
Central America and Mexico rival confed-
eracy TO the Northern States Of the Union,
has been suggested to General Walker BY
Mr.. Soule, as ten years ago the same idea
was openly advocated by the ex-senator
from Louisiana.
| GT"Herc, you little rascal walk up and
give M account OF yourself. Where have
/ you been 2"
! "After the girls, father.''