Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-06-16
THE CITY POOR,
The City Council Visit the Infrmary-
The Farm-The InfirmRry.

The arrival of the strawberry season"
has been for some years the occasion of a
visit from the Mayor and City Council to
the In6rmary. In accordance with this
excellent and ~time-honored custom, an in
yitation to visit the Institution on the af-
ternoon of Friday, the 18th, was extended
to, and accepted by that honorable body at
its last regular meeting. Yesterday after
noon the Mayer and "City Fathers" and
the heads of the several departments of the
city government and a few invited guests,
assembled on the Infrmary grounds and,
with Superintendent kirkpatrick and Di-
rector A. E. Burlison as guides, made a
thorough inspection of the entire premises.
TIE Farm.
The grounds were found in excellent con-
dition and much improved in many respects.
The addition of several very neat flower
pets and borders is especially worthy Of
mention. The garden has received more
than ordinary attention and the vegetables
and plants are quite as thriving and for
ward as any we have seen this season.
Strawberries are growing in quantities suti-
cient for the supply of the establishment
and all the smaller fruits are cultivated
with the greatest care and generally with
success. The farm showed the skill and
foresight of the real, practica farmer in every
one OF its neat, well titled fields. II
contains about forty acres of upland and a:
much more of the low land bordering on
the river. On the former are fifteen acre:
of potatoes, which are entirely free from
weeds and look rank and thrifty. They
have been hOed already two or three times
and the whole working force was engaged
on them yesterday. In the lower fields art
t~wenty-three acres Of corn, which bids fail
to be an excellent crop, several acres 0
meadow and q three acre field of the fines
oats we have ever seen. All these field
show the most careful and judicious hus
Ibandry, and the "Tathers" seemed vel
satisfied with the condition in which the.
found the city farm. At the end borderin!
on the river, the water has encroached some
what on the property and some means viii
probably be adopted to prevent any furthe
wastsge.
TEE I~NFIRMARY.
After the walk over the farm the IuhrmB
~ building was inspected. Every part
from cellar to garnet, was found scrupulousl,
neat and clean. The mems apartment 70
the insane has a few inmates who are vel
cared for and have very fair accommods
tons. The basement rooms are now yeH
little used, on account Of their dampnes:
the apartments Just above them being &C
cupied instead. These open into q gar
properly enclosed, giving an opportunity 70
air and exercise. As the population and tn
number Of insane increases, the city vii
doubtless find it necessary, ere long, to sd
a wing similar to that now occupied by IL
female patients, to the south end of th
main building.
IN the hospitals a few sick were found
but no very critical eases we believe. 1
the apartments for females everything Wa
found in the best Of order. IN the SEWN
room several Of the inmates were indua
triously at work making and mending gar
ments. In another apartment a number c
new pensioners on the public bounty-littl
innoeents, born in the "poor house'-wer
found. Among them a pair Of twins SCENE
the most healthy and promising.
Among the women, the cases Of insanity
the most of which are hopeless, arc doubl
those among the men, but the !spari
msnts are not crowded and the cells an
rooms are well furnished. The entire mum
Der Of inmates at the present time is on
hundred and seventy, there being abou
fifty cases of insanity.
After the tour of inspection was eomplet
ed, the guests were invited to q bOuntifu
supper provided almost entirely from tn
fruits of the farm and arranged in the mo;
tempting manner. The walk over tn
estate" had proved an excellent spur
the appetite, and full justice was done I
the s~ubstantials which loaded the tabl'
Supper over, Mr.. Heisley in behalf of tn
Mayor and Council, made a very neat ad
dress, expressing the entire satisfaction a
felt at the condition of the Infrmary an
farm. Mr.. sturgis followed hin. in an ez
cellent speech complimentary to superin
tendent kirkpatrick and his lady an
Director Burlison. The Superintendent
made q brief and appropriate reply, thank
ingthe members of the Council for thei
visit and the favorable opinions they ha
expressed.
The excellent condition of this most i'm
portant charitable institution gives promis
that it will at no distant day become sell
supporting and cease to be g burden on th
the city treasury.