The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1874-03-06

ed with cold, while in the presence of he,
visitors; the thermometer standing at the
time several degrees below the freezing
, point.
Opposite to the cell which we have
very family described was another The
short day bad already faded into dusk and
as the light was thrown through a little
aperture IN She door, it fell upon two
wretched women, both of whom were ab-
soiuteiy without single garment 10 cover
I them. One Of the poor creatures sat
/ crouching in the corner with a small blan-
ket drawn across her shoulders while the
! othor WAS Crawling on all fours on the floor.
7 "Ithout even TINS poor apology of any rem
hant OF human decency! There was not
q particle OF furniture in the cell and
therej on this wintry March njpht. in an
atmosphere which the witnesses declare to
nave been utterly horrible, were these two
human beings, brought down far below the
level OF our domestic bIutes
IN an adjoining cell the visitors found
q man lying on an old mattress, he ONLY
sign OF furniture which they saw in either
OF the rooms inspected. They were in
formed that the inmate was q woman biz.
upon one of the gentlemen calling to him
he sat up, and it was seen that it WIS a
man. The attendant, with some confusion
explained that he must have been brought
IN while he was away.
~
IN a shocking condition so bad that If
would be impossible to give description
vi the place on paper. In some cells there
were Two or more women confined soma
without any clothing, lying on the floor,
without mattress, carpet or ANYTHING else .
except an Old government blanket The
place had horrible putrid odor.
we examined one woman who vas
quite young. | was afraid to 90 near her.
as she seemed covered with ve~rriu. We
were an much shocked by the visit, and |
'hlhk L SHAH remember it as long as live,
Are suchrcpOr,sa as these In harmony
with that enlightened civilization of
which we make such frequent boast
Many will be moved by these toucb-
iiS ta!es OF human misery and woe to t
Nhom they will be new revelations. {
out The facts are not unfamiliar to Our {
legislators who have read them from a
ear TO year in official reports and have ;
$ yet provided no adequate means of t
deviation. The board find the de- Ii
ense SCI up by the management of the o
harrisburg hospital to be wholly nm II
atistactory Excellent resolutions s
nrPcses, and reports avail nothing in "
leir opinion against the confessed p
-ct that those who can be helped bv Il
ielr own means or the means of /
lends have been provided for from v;
he pubic resources, while the Indecent IS
sane have been turned away with the Fl
lcu2e that there is no room. The CT
oard recommend that the poor and ct
lenaless who cannot pay should have rraa
ecedence Of the rich who can pay N
ID that among the poor recent cases Y
oUld have precedence of those of
hg standing, until all shall be Droyi-
d for They believe that such is the La
al intent Of the laws as tLev now o'l
md; but if that is not the case and ac
the policy hitherto pursued by the pa
ate Hospitals, and particularly of
hat at Harrisburg" has been in ac- vi
rdance with existing laws, "as al t"r nu
eyed by interested parties" then cuI u
Ay ask that the laws be Forthwith SO pa
as to secure the Inauguration DIR
a policy more just and more in con- Al
ormIty with the plain duty and pro- III" ma
er junction of the state" In addi- ito,
to the many excellent suggestions tive
their valua bic report the recon- Of
ndatlon OF change in the mana"e- the
nj OF one or more Of these institu- E-
rs would have been most opportune ME,