The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1878-02-08

At the January session OF the Board Of Su-
pervisors the Committee on County Poor sub
mltted the Following report which, on motion
OF supervisor Grant, was accepted and adopted:
TO the Honorable Board OF Supervisors Of
Van Buren County:
Your COMMITTEES on County Poor beg leave
to submit the following report
That on the I4th day OF November 1877 we
visited the County House and found the build
lngs at the County Farm altogether Inadequate
Tor the accommodation Of the paupers then at
said county farm. there being from thirty to
forty constantly there, while there is only SIT
ting room Tor about thirty i've, and dining and
other rooms FOR only about twenty persons, and
as there were forty five permanent paupers
supported outside OF county house for the last
year, and as there will be an increase OF pau
perlsm IN proportion TO the increase OF popula-
ton IT appears to your committee that there
must be, at a low estimate, seventy five pau
pers 10 be supported by the county constantly,
not considering the necessary increase IN pau
persm in the county
IL does further appear that il there were suf-
nclent room at the county house for the accom-
modation OF the entire number OF permanent
paupers that they could be cared for much
cheaper and better than they are at present.
We find Overseer Cook doing all in his power
for the comfort OF those in his charge with the
facilities at his command. We find men and
women compelled TO accupy the same sitting
rooms-young boys and girls occupying ronms
IN connection with old, degraded pGupers, whose
wees have brought them there. and whose IN
h1ence must be demorahZiDG. We caEnot bet
ter express our we've than by the Gdage q. Just
as the twlg IS bent the trees inclined"
! In our judgment, We allow OF assoc aaons at
! the county house that ought 70 be prOhibted
and are actually ralslng up another generation
or paupers TO curse themselves aug TO be
constant expense 10 the county they lnEabit.-
! We think II is not the end OF justice 10 the
poor that they are merely fed and clothed ut
the least possible expense, but that they should
be praperly cared for with the least possible
money; or, iu other words, We believe II Is the
duty OF the county TO give the deserving poor
good, comfortable clothing, with prOper food
and care and from the following facts and fg
ures we think 70 show concuslyelg 10 your
Honorable Board tina. the entire n1mber OF
permanent paupers could be supported at the
county house at an expense enough less than
they are supported at present 70 variant the
building OF the necessary building for tneir ac-
commodaton.
We find, frat, at the county house, an aver
age OF thirty two paurers Tor tue las, year, at
an expense OF -2.39l oil, aud the Cse of the
farm or an expense Of Il 40 per week esch,
which amount includes salary OF Ovsrsesr, Ia
DOR on the farm and help IN tue house and doc
tors bills, which amount would not be increased
save the help IN the house aud the expense OF
doctOnng, and those expenses would Dct pe
increased more than -lU0 % for doctors blils
and tue wages ~ Que grl IL tue house. The
total increase of expenditures would not exceed
S2JJif there were seventy five paupers 10 the
county hOuse. Aud as these at the county
house are tuOe tnat would cost the most per
week If they weto hired kept. aud az forty uve
panpers outside of the county house cost
S3,SS1 ~ PEI year, or az au expense OF - 45
per week eacl, provided the time was i1li,
which Is rot correct, from tbe fact that many
were supported only portion OF the year
Now. add to this the EXPENSE OF doc,Os.nS 6lls
class OF paupors. we have al expense ~ - u0
mar az p A VI
"A $50 90.
If there wero seven.y i've paupe.s at The
county house, tue amouat OF expense conio De
eBsilS re0uced TO Il % per week eacn- which
would aggregate Il. s75. now costing -j.4I2 g7
making a net saving OF II. 60l s. which amount
could be easily sNelled to -4.2l0 % 10y the
asaoant that could be -aved on the sum eN-
pended FOR temporary relief 10 tue a.fereLt
townships BIZ the supervisors. winch amount
was S52Gs l5 for the past wear. Our estimate
! based on the hypothesis that 9ae haI o. tue
amount corld be saved Uy giving persons ap-
plving for relief their choice OF going 20 the
Poor House or working ont thelr own salvation.
As we have shown a saving OF sl,tOt J3 ln me
support of the permanent paur ers, aud Doctor
ing not at the county hOute, and - 63l " on
Temporary relief IN the dfferent towDshlps,a
total saving OF s4,2il s5 per yesr, i there were
suitable buildings on the county faru 'or the
accommodation Of seventy ave p-up.fs or
more.
Therefore YOUR committee recommends the
raising OF sufficient sum OF money to bulld
such bulldogs az will accommodate The hoor or
this county tor the future upon the poor farm.
In our judgment itrequres the sum 81 S5,OoO-
In view Of the above facts. therefore lie ;.
ResOlred. That the Clerk OF this Board ne IN
strueted to prepare the proper notices aud see
that the same are published; and also send It
TO the Clerks OF the several townships also 20
have the proper ballots prepared ard sent TO
the several townships. az required iu such case
IL, ar,H And
building shall not cost 10 exceed $4,000 outside
OF what NAV be procured from the couHty farm
IN stone. lumber, &c.
II. II. Howard,
J. II. DARLING, Committee.
NJ. HINCKLEY.