Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1869-05-15
Al Model County House.

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views upon the institution aud its man
accment These are not such as to dis
turb very much the cquanimity or com
placency of the Board Of Directors or
the Superintendent of the establishment
They arc as follows:
visited the county house." called in
this part of the West by the soft and
inofehsivo name of "Iniirmary." My
host, Mr.. Eastman, has been for many
years a Director of, this Institution, and
he invited me to visit It, II is located
in the town Of Kipgsville, about mile
distant from the village, and handsomely
situated on ;arin of 1870 acres of sandy
loan. The building is of brick, and
large enough to accommodate about $50
persons. 1t is a building whose apart
ments are sufficiently spacious for the
convenience of the inmates. found the
basement stored with abundant prov-
sions for winter use; the Kitchen far
nished with the best apparatus for cook
ing; the sitting-rooms and bedrooms
clean and tidy-and there was nothing
OF the poor-huuse odor--nothihg Of the
poyerty-stricken air which reminds a
visitor Of want anC woe and work house
afilction. The man and woman-man
and wiie-in charge wore cheerful faces
aud we're very popular with their
"guests." The Ashtabulians have the
good taste to hide from their poor the
fact that the dependent poor arc obliged
TO lean upon them for support. They
call this clearinghouse for the un'ortu-
nate poor the "lniirmary," the occupants
not paupers, but inmates" The hospi-
tai for the incurablc insane is a separate
building, few steps from the Iniirmary
proper. 1t is II model structure, about 40
feet long and so feet wide, and has
is chGerlully lighted, abundantly supplied
with water, well ventilated, and made
perfectly secure, without State Prison
bolts aud bars. The foois and rooms
are kept clean, and the unfortunate occu-
paLts have the advantages Of good ven
tilation, cleanliness, light and pleasant
surroundings. Their comfortable quar-
tiers are iii striking contrast with the
cells So common in our county houses.
Even the incur.hle patients seemed to
have an appreciation of this improve
ment in their condition, for they were
quiet aud comparatively amiaLle, and
they certainly gave those who take care
of them less trouble and anxiety than
chronic patients do under the old regime.
This building, with its modern improve
mcmts, cost only So 900, and its accom-
modations are equal to the best in the
frst-class asylums for that class OF the
insane. There is nothing of the sort to
,,.;,h :, - 81 - .
and doubt if there be one equal to it
elsewhere IN AUaerica
THE INMATES.
Poor-houses usually have the same I'M
pleasant variety Of inmates. Old persons
Of both sexes, idiotic aud insane people
and halfwitted children, with here and
there victim Of sickness, accident and
msadyenturcs i'll business. There is in
this Iufirmary an old negro-ll6 years
OF age-who said he had been q 6ody
servant Of Washington when he (the
negro) was only twelve years of age.
He is IN intelligent old man, and has
been known hercabouts for half n cen
tury, and he was an old man when he
first came. Several white haired old
men and women rested on their beds, or
lounged in chairs, or hobbled about on
crutches, aud few who wero able to
work, made themselves useful in various
ways, bringing in wood, sweeping floors,
washing dishes, etc. a gray headed old
woman, who had killed her husband,
made herself busy knitting. She has
been in the institution thirty years. In
one room was an old man of eighty
seven and his daughter, sixty-sevcn; they
seemed to be satisfied with their lot in
life. .... ....
One of the insane men, a case of
chronic insanity, had formerly been
largely engaged in the music business
in La Crosse, and if l am not misir-
formed, was ut one time i'll partnership
with Bradbury, of New York, in the
piano-lorte trade. lie was lying on the
floor, aud refused to get up to crafty
his visitors. lie is considered danger
GUS man; indeed, his eyes, and voice. and
speech gave abundant proof that he
would rather do mischief than not, and
that assault and battery would be de
lighttul pastime, and murder a fine art
he would be willing to practice tor his
personal entertainment. When he was
Informed that | was a resident of New
York, he wished to know if the street
cars were running over the tops of the
houses yet told him they were not.
81 invented that mode Of conveyance"
said he. .a. I... .......l,
"llave the cars commenced running
on the underground road YETI" he in
quired. ff..
told him that the underground road
was not yet constructed.
81 invented that" he continued.
''ls Horace Greeley alive yet?" he
asked. ..
l informed him that he was alive and
ACTIVE, and the most useful man OF his
craft. He was anxious to know how he
looked, and asked questions of the color
of his eyes and hair, etc. Now, this
man has heeu an inmate Of this institu-
tlon for eight or ten years, much of the
time rNving maniac, tearing his clothes
IRON his person, and threatening the life
LET tl1an L.. A 4