Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-07-11
GRAND R Y REPORT.
The County Institutions - Official
Bends and the Social EviI-COn.
ditiOn OF the Pest-HOuse,
Superintendent, Etc.

have had before us 1913 presentments,
from which we have found 1876 rue bills.
The greater part OF these were for minor
ofenses. We visited the various county
institutious--the jail, poor house, work
house and pest-house. Found tho ssui-
tary condition of all Of them very good,
and have no complaint to make of the
management of any of them. The jail,
we think, is in the care of a very efficient
superintendent, vigilant and watchful.
We found in that institution sixty.Gve
prisoners of the following classes:
White males, 20; white females, 2; black
males, IS; black females, 8. At the
poor.heuse we found ITO, classed as fol.
lows: Sane white males, %; white fe-
males, II; sane black males, l6; black
females, 10; sane inmates, &C; insane
white males, IA; white females, l6; in
sane black males, 8; black females, 6;
total insane, A. Amsng the insane
class we found some that ought to be in
some lunatic asylum, and think it an
outrage that our State does not make
suitable provision for the proper care
and treatment Of such poor unfor
Inmates. We believe DR.. Duncan,
who, by the way, we regard as
an excellent gentleman, the right mar
10 the right place, does and will do every
thing possible with the means afforded
him for these people, but it is impossible
10 give them the attention necessary else
where than in some institution specially
designed and fitted for this special pur.
pose. The doctor culinary department
is admirable. The inmates are we'll fed,
with good and wholesome diet, well
clothed, and yet everything Is conducted
with an eye to economy.
At Presidents Island we found 1875
prisoners of all kinds; males, black,
100; females, black, 81; males, white, Is;
females, white, /; general health good,
and seemed to be well cared for by Cap
tain Forrest and his assistants.
AT the pest.house there was but two
inmates, Esquire Hoegel and his accom-.
plished caterer. They both seemed TO
be we'll cared for. The former appeared
to have Just recovered from the small
pox, however. We would suggest the
propriety of some improvement being
made to protect the citizens at that place
from encroachments being made by the
rats, which should be done very soon to
prevent serious damage to the cistern.
At present the outlay would be small
We think it would bU economy to make
it.
Tho bonds of county officers were
rigidly examined and found satisfactory
We heard complaints of the condition
Of some Of our public roads, but upon a
thorough investigation W believe that
the main trouble is the want of bridging
rather than negligence of the overseers.
We would, in this connection, suggest
that a commissioner be sent out on
Union avenue aud see what bridge work
is necessary to be done to put that rsad
in good order. We would also suggest
the propriety Of a change in our road
law. The present mode Of working the
roads by appointment Of hands for each
road is defective as well as impracticable
A large proportion of these hands are
very poor and are neither able nor will
ing to give their time or labor for this
purpose. We are clearly of the opinion
that a tax levied for the purpose of baild.
ing and keeping roads in repair would
prove more satisfactory to the public and
give us better roads than the present
mode of working them; besides, we
think it would be more equitable and
just. A public road is a public beDe6',
and should be kept up by the public.
But this is a matter for the consideration
of our legislative %solons, and to their
better judgment we will leave it.
We now approach q subject, one that
is more difficult of solution thau any
other perhaps that has ever tortured the
brain of our legislative fathers, the social
evil, or as it is sometimes termed the
necessary evil. Howto abate this evil has
occupied the serious consideration of the
: jury; that it can be suppressed we do moi
believe. Then it seems to be the part Of
/, wisdom to devise some means by which
it may be shorn Of at least some Of It's
most odious features. This we think
could be done, not by the methods now
. used, to.wit, that. of indicting them
three or four times a year and i'm
posing fines and penalties, but by
judicous legislation drive them from the
main thoroughfares of the city, force
, them to locate in the suburbs in some
particular locality, restrict them to thai
locality, and instead of paying fines re
quire them to pay a tax. If in order tC
do this a change in out constitution is
necessary, 1t ought to be changed. Il
this is not practicable, then our legisls
ture might enact a more stringent Law
against parties whO'rent houses used fol
: this purpose, except it be in the precise
district assigned to them, where the in
stitution is tolerated. We object to the
system Of fiues; it is oppressive, and &C
complishes no good.
! In closing our report, the grand jury
g tender their thanks to his honor and the
, officers of the ceurt for cOurtesies shown
during our term of service.
TB Haynes, Foreman,
j A Shane, A Il Mills,
James Sweeny, r II Norris,
, W II johnson, L Faulkenberg,
James Richarts, j S Hall,
John 1ngals, ID G Harbert,
N Stain, A B Hill.
Memphis, July II, 1878.
CHEW
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