, 1874-02-22

corner road groggezy, where the drinking n
aoytnin8 Ioss strong than whisky is looxed
fasslng oEer sucl country and through gucI
eccpeb as theEe, ut about D. m. the rna.n1
Asylum and its near neighbor, tho poor-Honso
showed ti:ctnteires upon the outstretchea
posing and graceful ope but
| THE COUNTY HOUSE,
oefng the mosaic work OF quarter Of ccntur7
I oI commissioners and Superiutendeuts. ia .
shambling, helter-Akelter series OF wooden buili.
33nGs, hidden behind decent brick front,
face OF ragged newsboy. It looks out toward
the passer-by on the country rond with all the
nrazen lmpudenco OF long success.
Il ~ j. = Deception, but, upon Investigation,
Is az once discovered that it is altogether too
much after the fashion of the apples Of tho Dead
Sea. and that all il rotten inside the articio o1
| brick. '@'e "a AAe'' VI
Back OF the smart fncing extend the wings and
| onthuiidlngs, which are built OF wood, aud are
noI unAke tho nhantles Of fire days, except that
1hey are covered With thin veneering OF white-
| formity. ''406 40
The facade Of the main building extends about
1oo feet. 1t ,s used as the wo1nen's quarters,
11 ana "1A oecently accommodate about $50 persons
The 1ear part is Of wood. Immediately back Of
TINS, as night wing shabby frame, wo..Btories
nigh extends III sort OF helf-square; unattached.
ou1 10 the right OF this, is long, low shed which
Is no used Tor hospital. It would sell for about
$500, and possibly cost $1,000 IN war times.
Que hundred and seventy patients lay inside it's
paper "alls Clnging around these central OBJ
Jects are other ahantlea Of the eame general ap-
pearance and character, all OF them, with tue ex-
ceptlon OF the main front and nides,-nnd these
are hko an oTercoat with no back,-beng of
balloon construction, and offering a. little re-
sistRnco to the prairie winds as pine ctApboards
usually do; indeed, not 80 much, for decay has
worn upon thom for years.
Back OF the quarters about 50 rods Is located
the Potter's Field, or burJipg- ground, dotted
over with wooden headboards, and atfording
cheerful aud suggestive offering OF release for
the unfortunate to contemplate whom they can
walk out OF look from the hospital windows.
TIE JAN.
Into these various buildings which vou1d
aheltez-not modate--something like $50
persons, arc crowded and herded together
like sheep in the shambles. or hogs in
the slaushtering- pens at Bridgeport, near
reduced from 1000 By the discharge Of soma
who might earn living outside). Among these
nre Ito patients In the hospital, all that can be
crowded in, snd. to the shame Of humanity be it
sald, fifty OF si1tJ moro, suffering from diseases
and complaints that require attention, arg OBJ
Iged to herd with tho main mass and spread
their eontasion among the unfortunate healthy
ones.
THE SCENE At N1oHT.
This nest presents scene at night which
beggars description. Entering the department
known IL the womans ward, aud passing through
successfully the division set aside for ly1ng-in
room aud that used BY the very old women, Of
whom there are twenty or more, the main female
department IL entered a narrow hall forms
part OF it, and of from this hall are number OF
chambers with grated DOORS similar to Those to
b seen in the old County jail The sicti1ns OF
poverty are spared the indiguity OF being locked
in these cells, however, and the explanation Of
their being there ls that this building was for
merly used for the ineane, and tia dangerous
we're locked in these dens. Being in the central
part of the building, aud having no opening but
the door, there is absolutely no ventilation.
TIE woMEs's CELLS.
Still they are luxurious u compared to some
OF the Chambers and i've OF eix women find them
to be excellent sleeping-apartments q Ittle close
Perhaps but better than tho bleak fleIds with
out,-nltogether better. In size they are possibly
feet by 10. and arc fitted up with rude cots, on
which straw mattresses are thrown. Fortunate
IT, it is warm enough inside them not to require
bed clothing. Human feeh generates almost as
much heat az bed-quilt, it it il packed COM
pactly enough
TIE CHILDREN.
This corrodor leads into the main room, in
which, with tho outlying halls ana other con-
nected apartments, but mostly in 111is one room,
400 women and eighty children find lodging
place. For the accommodation and use Of this
throng, there Is = Bathroom, in ore corner, to
which water may be brought by hand, and once
III 1QuI OF uFe Weeks TIC tu1ury or q WASH may
bo indulged in. If the woman is not too fral and
feeble to assert her rights This room is rough
II estimated to be about fifty by thirty feet. Tho
beds are piled on the floor and along the walls,
aomewhat unfortunately, SO ~ to use all the
space. Running about the apartment, half
dressed or entirely naked. were the eighty little
ones in the various pursuits to which children
are addicted, crying, playing, or screaming with
laughter The women were seated upon the
floor, in deep detection, and chewing the cud Of
bitter thought, or else gathered IN knots OF two
or three, hugging their knees and clatte1ng IN
doleful sympathy. There was no joy among
them, but the common EoTrow seemed all the
more marked By the mirth and carefessness OF
tbs children. There we're no smiles Is the At
tendants passed along, but only blank stare OF
surprise or scowl as OF dread rather thsn ox-
poctation ras inspired by the sight Of strange
face.
tsate the crowded and shameful condition Of the
female department better than any words can
do. A. woman complained Of being sick, but,
there being no bed for her in the hospital, she
Was allowed TO Lie on cot in one Of the ~nIds,
aud here, in the presence OF number OF other |
women, who were making quilts, sewing, AMI |
doing other work, while children and female ut
tendants we're running in and ont, child Was
born to her, the physician in attendance dis |
charging his duties while the others we're in tho
room, there being no place to send them, aud no
place in which to secure decent privacy for the
mother.
THE MALE PAUPER5. 4
Paaaing out Of this apartment and standing |
rid the lunsn and clothing Of the sickening at- !
Of the place, the Superintendent, who |
had shown every courtesy and apparently COM |
the condition Of his charge in the !
deepest degree, suggested that the visitor should
next visit the guartera OF the male paupers, who
would b found up stairs.
TWAS then about o'clock, and the bell wns
ringing which eignaled all to prepare for bed.