Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1859-01-14


cents per week, at Monson but A cents, and at
Bridgewater but 60 cents. The difference be-
tween this cost and 81 u or 81 II 1.-THE average
cost of all expenses in support of paupers at
the almshouSeS) represents other things which
it is in the power of the Legislature to with
hold entirely or to reduce to whatever scale of
expenditure may be thought proper"
1t is thought that the item of salaries can be
reduced by providing that the officers shall
provide at their own expense any supplies be-
yond the usual staple article purchased for the
inmates This would also prevent the great
number of visitors who are now entertained
at the States expense.
In referring to the provision of work for the
inmates of the almshouses, the committee say
at ought, moreover, to be the constant
study of the superintendent and inspectors to
provide some sort of labor for the inmates
Here, however, we must correct a very gener-
al misapprehension, which prevails among
members of the Legislature and among the
people at large, with regard to the character of
the population gathered at the almshouses.
When it is reported that there are three of
these institutions, containing each from six to
eight hundred inmates, the opinion is univer-
sally expressed, that so many ought to per-
form some productive labor Nothing more
than sight of the inside of one of the aims
houses is necessary to show why it is impossi-
BILE that this should be done to any great ex
tent. In the first place, one half lin actual
numbers) of the inmates are little children too
young to work, many Of them too young even
to attend school, OF the other half the pro-
portion really fit to sustain any long continued
physical exertion is literally almost infinitely
small Such motley collection of broken
backed, lamelegged, sore-eyed, helpless, and
infirm human beings, one would not have sup
posed it possible to get together in such num-
bers nor would it be possible, if the whole
world were not laid in contribution. They are
representatives of our State almshouses of ev-
cry cline and almost every nationality on the
face of the globe Besides English. Scotch.
Irish, German, French, and other Europeans,
there are Kanakas from the Sandwich Islands,
Malays from the East, men from the Marque-
sas and Madagascar, and to complete the yari-
ETY., native OF st. Helena. Among this whole
mass of humanity, there is scarcely single
adult that is able in body and sound in mind
throughout. Indeed, if it were not for the
harmless insane, who are able-bodied, the most
necessary operations of the farm could not be
persistently maintained; and the inspectors and
superintendent agree in estimating the whole
force of the multitudes under their care as
equal IN the aggregate only to the labor of
three or four ablebodied men upon the farm
Now when it is considered that this misera-
bic and helpless multitude takes care of itself;
that it makes its own beds, keeps the whole
institution taultlessly clean, cooks its own VIC
tuals-the women taking care of the children,
nursing the sick, making all the clothing, and
doing all the washing of the whole establish
ment-and besides these regular daily duties,
by no means inconsiderable, that the farms
have been brought up from low and neglect
ed state to condition that promises more am
pie returns in future, it must be conceded that
not much more in the shape of labor can be
expected from such weak and forlorn creatures.
"For what is it that makes a paupe? Is it
anything more than the inability to earn ones
livelihood by work d? If man has in him the
ability to labor, he prefers to work for himself
rather than to become the inmate of pauper
establishment where he must work for the
State"
The committee say that two things, howev-
er, should be insisted upon by the superintend-
ents and inspectors,-first, there should be
enough labor provided oprevent anybody from
making the institution a place of abode from
ideness or laziness; and, secondly, there
should be regular and organized system of
finding places beyond the walls of the insttu-
ton for inmates who are able to do any sort of
labor
| RAINsFORD ISLAND HOSPITAL
The institution which has occasioned the
most expense in proportion to the number of
inmates, is the hospital at Rainsford Island.
The law by which convicts are sent there by
the Police Court of Boston, was passed with
the expectation that their labor would be valu-
able. This has not been the case, and it is
recommended that the law be repealed. 1t
would not answer to entirely abolish this Hos
pltal because its use would be indispensable on
a recurrence OF the scourge of ship-teyer but
| 1t is not thought necessary to keep up the
whole establishment, and the committee pro-
! pose that it shall be reduced to the character
of a quarantine, with resident physician, and
a sufficient force to keep the buildings in Or
der, to take care of such patients as the Board
OF Charities may think best to send thther !;
the whole expenditure of the establishment not
to exceed $4,000 per annum.
The committee have considered whether
some saving might not be effected by the APP
polntment of purchasing agent to procure the
supplies Tor all the State institutions, but are
satisfied that no advantage would accrue from
such an arrangement.
CONCLUSION.
The Committee conclude their report as
follows.
we have now finished the consideration of
all the topics which have seemed to us neces-
sary to be presented to the attention of the
Legislature. We ask for our recommended
tons and suggestions a careful examination I;
and II they appear to the Legislature in the
same light as to us, we feel sure that they will
be passed into law. If the State charities
shall be administered in the manner which we
thlnk Will prove feasible under a more careful
central supervision, with increased facilities for
economy and better understanding of what
Is required ON the part of the officers of the va
rlous institutions, we believe the expense may
be reduced very considerably The precise
amount of saving which can be effected, it per-
haps is not prudent for us to estimate but we
90 not think we are eXtravagant in striking of
sixty thousand dollars ($60,000) from the an
nual expenditures
before entering upon the active prosecu-
tlon OF our duties, we adverted publicly to the
TACT OF our appointment to this service and
announced ourselves in readiness at particu-
lar day and hour at the State House, to hear
any representations that any persons might
wish TO make to us. No parties appeared in
answer TO the advertisement, except some OF
the officers OF the institutions, who kindly at
Uehued IN case their presence should be desir-
ed by the Committee. We think we have a
right to infer from this silence on the part of
the pubic at large, that there is nothing in the
management OF our charitable institutions
whlch requires attention, excepting such re-
forms as the government may desire to cstall
llsh to prevent the waste and misapplication OF
the public bounty. There can be no great
abuse, or suspicion of abuse, no great defcen
cy OF administration or mistake of principle in
the conduct OF our institutions, if there is no
body In tins whole population of a million and
quarter to suggest it. We have ourselves
been very much gratified with the good order
efficiency and humanity with which we FIND
our charitable institutions conducted. VIZ
nelleVe that they are useful in practical opera