The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1867-11-29


w. G. SCHAEFFER, Sec'y.
THE BEDFORD COUNTY Poor
HOUsE.-THE GRAND JURY DECLARE
IT 4 NUISANCE.-A the late term of
Court, the Grand Jury made their Gus
tomary visit to the Poor House, and
after examining that institution, they
reported it to the Court as public nui-
sance. That is, they declared the build
ing in which the paupers are lodged,
to be unfit for the purpose for which 1t
is used. OF course, the Grand Jury in
tended no reflection upon the manage
ment of the Poor House, for it is adj
mitted by all parties that no complaint
can be justly made in reference to that.
But the building itse!fiS properly char
acterized as a nuisance" Years ago
we urged the propriety of selling the
present Poor House property and pur-
chasing a farm of moderate size, where
upon a new and cOmmodiOus building
might be erected. We still think that
such a course would be wise. 1t is true
that the construction of a new Poor
House would entail considerable eX
penSe upon the county; but we can bet
ter afford to pay little additional tax,
than to bear the shame of falling to
make proper provision for the shelter
and maintenance of our unfortunate
poor. We estimate that the cost of a
suitable Poor House building, distribu-
ted equally among the taXables of the
county, would be about 50 to each tax
payer. Who would not be willing to
contribute his share of a fund to be de-
voted to SO humane and praiseWorthy
purpose?
Formerly there were grave doubts as
to whether the County authorities pos
sesSed the power to sell the Poor House
property, or to erect new building.
1t seemed beyond dispute that the Poor
Directors possessed no such power.
Hence efforts were made to induce the
Legislature to pass a law comforting
such power upon the Poor Directors.
But for reasons best known to those
who procured the defeat of those efforts,
no such law was passed. In 1866, how
ever, general law, comforting upon
the County Commissioners the power
to buy and sell lands, and erect build
ings, for the use Of the Poor, was en-
acted. This law is as follows:
SECTION /. Be it enacted, &C., That
in all cases where 1t poor house, or
houses, have been, or shall hereafter be
erected, in any county or counties, un-
der any law of this Commonwealth,
and the said buildings are found insult
ticient for the purpose of comfortably
Sheltering and maintaining the poor,
sick, or insane, Of the proper county, it
shall br lawful for the county commits
siOnerS to erect new, or additional,
buildings, for such purposes, or for
hospitals, to prevent the spread Of infec-
tiOuS diseases among those sent to such
institutions: PrOUided, That before
erecting any such new, or additional +,
buildings, the construction thereof shall
be recommended by the directors of the
poor, a grand jury, and the court of
quarter sessions of the proper county.
S :CTIoN 2. Where the land connect
ed with any poor house, within the
State, shall be deemed insufficient for
the comfortable and profitable main
tenance and occupation Of the poor, or
where the land connected Herewith
shall be found to be useless, unneceS-
sary, or Improbable, it shall be lawful,
in the first-named instance, for the
county commissioners, on the recon-
mendation of the directors of the poor,
a grand Jury, and the court of quarter
sessions Of the proper county, to pur.
chase such additional quantity of land,
not exceeding two hundred acres, and
to take deed, or deeds therefor, in the
name of the county, as shall be thought
necessary, and in the second-named in
stance, on like recommendation to sell
at public sale, after due notice, such
parts of the land held, as shall be
thought unnecessary and improbable
to be held, and execute deed, or deeds
therefor, to the purchaser.
This is carefully guarded law, ant
in our opinion, in every respect a goot
one. Whilst it gives the commission
ers the power to buy and sell Poo
house lands and to construct Poor house
buildings, it permits them to exercise
that power only after the Directors o
the Poor, Grand Jury and the Cour
of Quarter Sessions shall have recon
mended them to buy, sell or build
This safeguard is eminently proper.
Now, the Grand Jury have declared
the present Poor House building
nuisance. We understand the Cour
of Quarter Sessions hold the same o
pinion. That the board of Poor Direc
tors will coincide in that view, Their
ean he no dO1ht Hence If is reason