National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-12-08

On the Goth day of June the number OF
prisoners confined in the wOrkhOusc was Il;
receive since, 75S; in all $50; discharged dur
ing the same period, COG, escaped, 4; died, l.;
total, 704. Number now in wOrkhousc, rs.
Of the 7jS prisoners admitted since juno 20
525 were male, "a female; 42j were cOlOred
and S33 white.
OF the 75S, 20j were EOrn in Virginia, l9S
District of Columbia, 1j3 Maryland, % Penn
sylvania, IL New York, 10 Massachusetts,, )
Georgia, 6 New Jersey, Maine, ( Ohio, I
Delaware, ) Kentucky, ; Florida, 3 Connect
cut, , North Carolina, > West Virginia, ,
Tennessee, l Indiana, South Carolina,
Mississippi, l Michigan, II Ireland, II Ger
many, Scotland, England, ) France and ,
South America.
OfthesC T5S, rs were thirteen years of age
and under, 20 were 10 years and under, 81 were
Is years and under, 13l were 2l years and
under; that is, out of I5S prisoners 81 were 81
years of age and under.
Number of patients treated in hospital de-
partment 1G6; of these 20 were discharged, 81
died, and Sc remain. The accompanying re-
port of the physician gives details Of the hos
pital department.
tenance Of the institution from June 20 to date
amounts to Sl1 ,222.72. The annexed state
ment gives these expenses in detail.
The report of the intcndant, which inclOse,
calls attention to the necessity that exists for
proper wash and bath house. He also recOm-
mends that the inmates Of the almshOuse be
uniformed and asks attention to other needs
of the institution. The first recommendation
should be adopted without delay. My only
surprise is how such an actual necessity for
health and cleanliness should have been so
long neglected. AS to UnifOrming the inmates,
this, think, can be deferred for little while,
for the reason that believe a reorganization of
the whole system of charity and the care of the
poor in this District is such an important ne
eessity that it cannot much longer be deferred.
The first step towards such reorganization Is
to provide separate buildings for an almshouse
and hospital.
Under present circumstances the poor and
the prisoners are under one roof, and while
believe every effort is made by the officers of
the institution to keep the inmates separate
the very nature and construction of things as
they now are tend towards a eOmmingling.
Aside from this, the present building Is not well
adapted to the proper care Of the poor and
feeble, either by its locality, its furniture or
culinary arrangements; that is to say, If we
form Judgment Of what we see here in pri-
vate and charitable institutions and elsewhere
in public ones, these remarks will also apply
in part to the workhouse, and no favorable
can to-day be made between this !
institution and that of like character in other /
cities.
Attention is specially called to the large |
number Of young persons confined from time /
TO time in this institution, for instance, during
the period that the report covers, viz: Five /
months, there were los prisoners, whose aver
age age was thirteen aud one half years, 127 4
averaging eighteen years, and l2l averaging 1
twenty years.
Docs not the law that consigns these youths, /
IF both sexes (thc majority Of whom are ar
rested for petty olfences) to the company Of I
Did and hardened characters need amending! /
The truth is the present system of furnishing
rhine puts the young offender on a pathway,
he end Of which is inclosed by penitentiary
vail.
] respectfully suggest that on the eomplctiOn
II the new jail, arrangements be made 70 send
III prisoners there, the District paying is por-
ion OF the expense, the present building known
Is the Washington Asylum to be disposed OF
o the General Government for the purpose
uggested in the last report Of the Supervising
architect of the Treasury, viz: A house OF
efoTmation for fallen women. Such an institu-
ion is much needed, and would raise up those
oor creatures who are now cast of by the
majority OF their own sex and despised by the
Their.
ouse and hospital be built at some central
oint in the District; such an institution that {
MI be ereditable to the capital and its people,
be management Of which should be by law
laced in the hands ofcitizens, whose time and
leans would permit them TO give the matter |
{ poor reliefthe attention 1t so much needs. !
The estimates for salaries and contingent {
expenses from December l, 1874, to June 80,