Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1860-01-13
THE NEW POOR HOUSE

Last year the subject of a new TOwn-POor
House came prominently before the voters Of
this Town at March meeting. The subject
was not altogether a new one to the minds of
the voters, but at that time the Selectmen and
the Overseer of the Poor presented the neces-
sitv for a prompt and liberal action with so
much distinctness and emphasis that delay
seemed no longer admissible. With hearty
unanimity the Town voted an appropriation
of 81 900 for that purpose, and left the exc
cution of the work to a committee of the
Selectmen and the Overseer of the Poor. To
insure proper construction Of the house, so
far as the health of the inmates was concerned,
DR.. VIM. c. Hickok was associated with the
committee.
The new building was completed about six
weeks ago. and the inmates of the old, dilap-
idated. and comfortless shell were transferred
10 their new and wholesome quarters. We
had the satisfaction of going through the
new building day or two since, in company
with Mr. Huntington, the Overseer of the
Poor. and Mrs. Miller, the efficient matron Of
the establishment, and we are sure brief
description of it will be acceptable to our
fellow citizens.
The building, a two story brick one 46
feet square on the ground stands few rods
west Of the old one on the Town farm, con-
tanning about 20 acres, on the bank OF Shell
bnrne Bay. The situation is open, pleasant
and healthy. The building is built with
hollow walls thus promoting dryness and
warmth. and with wide overhanging caves
all around. ami a small lookout from the
Ton. The basement has in it a fair sized
kitchen,-a large dining room, wash and
bath room, two store rooms, one bed room
and a large cellar. A proper yentllatinS ar
rangement extends from the lower rooms to
the open air above the building. \ good
cooking stove and other culinary couvenlen-
ces are in the kitchen. The first story, al
together above ground, contains one large
ward. in which there is coal burning stove;
two convenient sleeping rooms to be occupied
by persons of different sexes; the keepers
room with coal burner IN it; and four bed
rooms. There is also a well arranged water
closet for the use of the sick and lnfrm.
In the second story there are large bed
rooms. , wards. a store room for bedding,
&c. > vacancies for cells not yet completed,
and a water closet for the SICK and helpless.
Thcse rooms derive their necessary warmth
from dumb stoves heated by the stoves be
low. The rooms are all high between joints,
plainly but well finished with ample means
Of ventilation over the doors The badstcads
Owe of iron and evervthi q about the estab-
lishment betokens attention to healtn cream
illness and comfort. There are two new els
terms and a well, and the arrangements for
the use Of water are very convenient.
The old shop so called was moved west
Of the new building and put in good condi-
ton fora wagon house and woodshed, and
house for farm implements. tn with
the work, the plan and the cost we feel sure
the voters of the town viii be well satisfied.
Moreover, besides the change from the squat
or and discomfort unavoidable in the old
concern to the neatness and comfort OF the
new, we are satisfied there will come great
lessening Of the annual expense for the sup
port of the Towns poor,-a bill which at
best Is inevitably a large one.