The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1874-12-23

For THE RECORD,
PHILADELPHIA HOUSE or C0RREC
TIOy.

Sergeant, Ex-MayoF Mcdowell, A. w. Taylor,
j. v. Robbins, M D., G. Fl. Huff, and the un-
dersigned, started on the 6o'clock down train
on Friday morning, to Holmesburg Junction,
where the House Of Correction is situated.
We found carriage waiting for us, and
we were soon conveyed to our destination, and
received ;si;o inc presence of the
Superintendent, Mr.. s, w. CatteIl, and Assist
ant Mr. Bulkley,to whom we were introduced
by Mr.. A. w. Taylor. After exchanging
words Of grceting,we laid away our overcoats,
and Mr.. Cattell was in readiness to accompany
us through the House. Here, let me say that
1t will be impossible for me to give complete
description of the House In the short article
which am permitted, through your kindness,
to present to the public, but will merely touch
upon some Of the most important points which
came under our observation, although every
facility was offered us, by the Superintendent,
to inspect the building. The many little acts
of kindness and attention shown us by him
win not soon be forgotten. While we were in
the parlors we had delightful view up and
down the Delaware, and far over into New
Jersey. Mr. Cattell humorously remarked
That they often saw them trading farms ov-
err in Jersey, when the wind was blowing
hard The Managers room, which is a large
and we'll adapted one, was the next place to
visit. A large table in the centre of the room,
and chair for each of the Managers, was
about the only furniture it contained. We
then passed into what is called the Social
Parlor," which is a large, well-ventilated,
well-furnished and well-lighted room. Here
the officers, guards, matrons, nurses, &C.,
spend their leisure hours in the evenings--in
reading, playing amusing games, thus occu-
plying their spare time in sensible as we'll as
entertaining manner. AS we passed through
the Matron's Room, we were impressed with
the remarkable taste displayed in selecting
and arranging the numerous pictures which
decorate the walls, and we were anxious to
meet the Matron, to see if the impression was
correct which we had thus formed of her.
AT this point we met our old friend DR.. John
Hulinagle who is resident physician, and who
had just finished his morning calls. He join
ed our party and we started for the DISPENSE
ny, over the door of which is the Latin express
sion " Nom Sibi- Omnibus" which all can
plainly see, but few understand. Our friend,
DR.. Robbins, was particularly interested in
this department, and concluded that they
knew how to arrange a drug store. We pass
out into the Male Hospital, and are glad tc
find only very few sick; only four or five con-
fined to their beds. DIR. Hendrie, the visiting
physician, was here introduced, and from him
we received valuable information regarding
the health of the House. Only nine deaths
have occurred since the opening of the doors
for inmates, three of them by accident, the
others from diseases contracted before enter
ing three thousand commitments have been
made during that period, thus speaking well
of the locality. There are, at present., 1000
inmates, 100 of which areafemales. When
the wings are completed it will accommodate
over 1000 persons, providing each with COM
Portable room and bed. We then passed to
the Female Hospital and found that tie re-
port of health was the same in both hospitals
yet the resident physician has enough to do
in preparing his own prescriptions for all those
under his charge-sick for slight causes. We
then pass through the Nurses and Guards
rooms out into the Chapel, very large and
commodious room in the upper part of the
main building, capable of seating 1900 persons
comfortably In front Of the pulpit we're two
notices, "God bless our Home and " Let
all Things be done Decently and in Order"
SO far as the services are concerned the Super
intendent informed us that he never in all his
life had seen better attention than that given
by the inmates on Sunday, during servioes.-
The singing is done by tho inmates, under the
Of Mr.. Buckley. The servic-
es are not sectarian. The pulpit is supplied
each Sunday by clergymcn of different denom-
nations Back of this is the School Room
and Library, which are not completed yet. We
were next directed to the Sewing Room, and
here we met Mrs. Caroline III. Albertson, the
Matron, whose welcome shake of the hand
and pleasant smile wins your confidence at
the start, and you realize that she is the prop
err person in the proper position. Having
served as Matron 90 years in the Blockley
Almshouse to say that SHE understands her
business thoroughly, is but small compli-
ment. All speak of her kindness to them, and
the great patience she has with them and their
faults. In this room there are eight sewing
machines running steadily, and about twenty
or thirty women at work sewing and making
garments for the inmates to wear Miss G.
L. Albertson, daughter of the Matron, is As
sistant Matron, and is much like her parent
in manner We then passed hurriedly through
Shoe Shops, Tailor departments, Store rooms,
and Armory, down into the Kitchen, and find
out what they live on. Friday is always cod
fish day. and it was amusing to hear the gen.
tlemen of our party say they did not object to
the smell of goldfish, when all the morning
before their noses, had been turned mp on &C
count Of the peculiar odor which peryaded
the building. Each inmate receives at. Of
coffee and one 10, of bread for breakfast -
Dinner, bread, ID. meat and one qt. of soup
or stew. Supper / qt. Of tea with bread
Sundays they have pot-pie for dinner and
Dutchscske for tea, yet they all get fat on
such living, and are willing to stay and work
after being discharged. We then passed
through the Washing and Ironing rooms,