Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-01-27
HUNTINGTON'S,
COUNTY COURT.
Election Of Commissioners for the
Poor and Action in Regard TO the
County Asylum for the POOr-A
New Asylum 70 be Erected.

Poor and Action in Regard TO the
County Asylum for the POOr-A
New Asylum 70 be Erected.
The County Court met in adjourned
session yesterday at 10 A. NJ, tifty-fve
members present.
The following report of the Special Com
Inittee Oh the Asylum fer the Poor was
read and received:
To the Honorable County Court of
Davidson county:-In accordance with the
Instructions, we, the undersigned, visited
said institution and found il
in good general condition. We
found about rs inmates rs paupers
of various ageS-SOme. of them
being more than 100 years old. They
seem 70 be satisfied with their condition.
The institution embraces, in all, ten rooms
for the whites and five for the colored.
There are about FIVE persons to each room
two rooms only containing one each. /
There are about thirty bedSteads having
complete bedding, except sheets and pillow
slips. A few more sheets, pillOw-cases,
chairs, tables, etc, are needed, and could
be furnished az small expense. We think
mattresses, which could be bought for
small sum, should take the place of the
straw beds. The department for the col
ored people is not what it should be, though
il has been somewhat improved within the
last few weeks. Further Improvements are
needed for both departments.
We found there stock. and other person.
atty belonging 10 the County, as follows:
One wagon, one cart, one yoke of oxen,
two mules, three cows, six yeaTlings, thirty
hogs, four sets Of harness, ard six plOws.
Also on the farm, not belonging 20 the
county, three COWS. one colt, and one mare.
Raised last year $500 pounds Of pork, lbs
barrels of corn, 1000 sheayes of oats, $500
binds of fodder. 100 bushels of wheat, FIVE
tons of hay. and 4 variety Of vegetables.
The excess of corn, oats, etc, above the
amount required for the stock should be
sold.
We are Of the opinion that the suggestion
of DR.. j. II. Calender, Superintendent Of
the State Asylum, should command the
grave attention of the COIIt, as being very
important both to tie taxpayers and the
patients. But he says in his report that
only two could properly become alms-hOuse
patients. (See Dr.. Callender'S report
Therefore. We DO not think it necessary to
make other provision for that class at pre-
sent. But we are of the opinion that, IN
I'll poverty becomes q crime, the poor of
NOuL EOtNA4AN cllOlAu 1C AAGatttAA hAAAA4l sAAtl
humanely, inasmUch as the taxpayers are
willing TO provide for their comfort. We
believe the present grounds Of the asylum
are inadequate, not well located and not
the sort OF a place TO expend money upon.
We recommend that the Court consider the
pFopriety Of appointing a committee to Sc
lect and report suitable site for such an
institution; and also that the Commission
- Vrrfaa aud
regulations, governing the institution and
see that said rules are strictly adhered to.
We were instructed to estimate the cost Of
the keeper and family, including salary.
4 keeper with a smaller family than
that of the one who IS now in charge, could
be emnlOyed at a much less cost. We
think that the County Asylum for the poor
SHOULD be at least creditable. Ii should be
aplaee where none would refuse to stop
who are dependent upon charity; for, in the
language of the great poet, ''There is none
so rich he cannot die, and none so poor he
cannot find a grave"
Signed, W. F. Meaeham, r. b. Cheatham,
p. Walsh, Jos. Haynie, Isaac Paul, Jas. I.
Patterson. 5. A. Duling, c. Powers and
,JnO. II. Davidson. ...
The court proceeded next to the election
Oh COMMISSIONERS VI kllC ONis OOAAh
Tor, T. L. Saunders and d. a. Phelan were
elected on the first ballot, receiving re-
spectively "a, So and 20 votes
The following resolution was introduced
by Justice Baskette: q,
Be it ordered by the County Court Of
Davidson, that a special committee Ofthree
be appointed by this court, to be styled the
Building Committee for the Asylum for the
poor, orphans ndinsane dependent upOnthe
court, the court TO act IN conjunction
with the Asylum Commissioners; and that
said committee is hereby empowered to en-
ter into contract for the purchase and build
ing of an asylum for the poor, etc; and the
sum of fifty thousand dollars in county
warrants be appropriated for this purpose.
said warrants to be made payable in one,
two and three years, bearing interest from
date of Issuance, full stock; and that said
committee be continued until all of said
buildings are completed, reporting their
action to the quarterly terms Of this court.
Be it further ordered, that said commit
tee be directed to take and solicit subscrip-
tions for this purpose, payable in six, twelve
and eighteen months to chairman OF said
committee.
BE it further ordered, that said commit
tee be invested with full power to carry out
the objects herein specified, and that this
court hereby ratify and confirm the action
of said committee and pledge the county
for the contracts Of said committee.
In the discussion which was had upon
the resolution, Justice Claiborne strongly
urred its adoption. He said that since
April, 1871, the average allowance made
paupers each year by the County Court is
S14O55. and the average allowance made
the County Asylum since April, ISL, IS
Sc, f2G per annum.
The resolution was adopted and justices
Baskette, Maxey and Cheatham were ap-
pointed as the committee:
Jnstice Wyatt offered the following reso-
linton. which was adopted:
BE 4 ordered by the County Court OF
Davidson county, that the Committee on
Comfy WorkbOuse, in conjunction with the
Judge OF this Court, be authorised to lease
or purchase suitable ground, and have
erected thereon suitable sheds or buildings
TO be used for the working ofthe WOrkhoUse
hands.
Adjourned till the April term.
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