The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-10-26
SNAKE HrLL's PAUPERs.
Living on Cabbage and Sour Brcad-Gr"nd
Jurors Discovering Abuses.

Tho Grand Jury of Hudson county, New
Jersey. has inspected tho county institutions at
Snake Hill. On Wednesday morning they
went unhoraldcd to Snake Hill. each at his
own expense. and without having given any
notice OF the visit. At noon eighteen OF thcm
met before the almshouse, which they had aus
pocted Of being mismanaged. and quietly en-
tered the childrcn's dining room. Tho War
den. Patrick Warren. was absent. and they wit
messed in all OF their wrctchcdn ess. the every
day workings of tho institution.
In the dining room were about eighty uncloan.
unkempt children. OF 4 to IL years Of age. eating
their dinner. They were seated around long.
rough board tables and before each was tin
basin filled with plain boiled cabbage unsea-
soncd and tastclcss. and half slice Of sour
black bread. This. and nothing more. COM
posed their dinner. Tho cabbage they picked
from the basins with their fingers no forks or
spoons being provided. Two women were in
attendance. one of whom. when she saw the
visitors, began to slyly distribute among the
children grent iron table spoons. When Mr. Mer-
ccin asked her II SPOONS were not iurnlsl, Il at
twice week" The children all looked pale,
puny, and sicky,
Proceeding Ia tho dining rooms Of the adults.
the visitors found exactly tho, same dinner
served to all. from the children of four years to
tn. old women OF ninety. There was nothing
different. or better. furnished even to the sick.
| For breakfast and supper tho nhNarying Ilct II
| sour, black bread and tea. II Is called tea,
said one OF the Jurymrn;" but Tor the whole f1O
| inmates hut slN pounds oi tho cheapest tea IL
| furnished for each meal
The condition of the children under four
| years Of agv j. even worse than that Df the Vth-
| ers Each woman having infants. bc they one
| or more. il Turn shed With "A pint Ol thln mix
| for them in the morning. and another pint 81
| the same at night Not another morScl 81 ipod
| can these poor infants huvc during the day
There have been many instances where moth
crs have attempted 10 take fragments ~ thrit
own wrrt fhrd fare to- their little ones; hut IN
VHriably the att cndunt- have snatrhed or struck
the food from their hands. The poor little once
| cry continually. and tho mortality among them
II fearful.
Tho entire building is uncean. and the at
| muSphcro pcrNHding II u ivul IN the rNtr' me
All Of the offices of the institution. in"ludin.
the water closets for the 100 inmates. nr" under
one roof. and the stem N IT, -ickculng. li' sicl
are crowded into the same rooms WITH IN" wei
! and 50 limited l. the medical att udinrc tlla
| one very III woman said that the doctor had me-
| visited her for five duJ-. Her statement Mt'
corrohoratcd by many ot tho inmates. The
| doctor says that u" l. uV"rMurk"d ANA cahnu
pay proper attention io ihcsr pauprr patients
| There are at least 500 able bodied paut't~ -
| tho aln-huu-' who. ii st o. work. could ca~ill
keep the whole place neat and clean. lut tAcr
| il NJ effort made in this direction.
The visitors found the penitrntiary an
! lunatic asylum in excellent order and the ia
mates provided with au nbundhnce ui nuuri-li
| ing food. which !, varied each day. Tho iuon"
npproprluti. for the nlm-houSo are the sam
ia proportion % IT, requirements "a, Tor th"-
Institutions The members of the Grand Jur
who uado the 1; are Oitl.r in th.ir cond.mna
tion IF Warden warren. Onr OF them said lH-
evening. Why. sir. tho-o haiir- ars h'ing Kill
ed hy IN 'ne7, and their condition Is di~grac
! % our civilizations.