The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1878-04-11
'CHAPLAIN BYERs'' ON THE MUS
KINGUM COUNTY INFIRMARY

"CHAPLAIN BYEHS'' ON Itth MUS"
KINGUM COUNTY INFIRMARY
AND JAIL.
The Secretary of the State Board OF
Charities, Rev. A. G. Byers, generally
known as chaplain Byers," in his an
nual reports, is always disposed to be
critical in his remarks on the Infrmary
and Jail of this county. Unless his in
dividual notions of what the plans and
management of such institutions should
be are adopted, his censorship is exer-
cised and set forth in his official reports
In his report for 1876, he declared the
new Jail of this county "but little i'm"
provement upon the DID," because "ad-
vanCed IDEAS" including "Cells OF good
size, we'll lighted, thoroughly ventilated,
supplied with water and bathing taclll'
ties, and comfortably heated" were not
adopted in its construction. Cells with
all these "modern conveniences," for the
separate confinement of criminal Offend
ers is one of Chaplain Byers's hobbies,
and county or state prison that is want
ing in these accommodations is, in his
opinion, an outrage upon humanity. MI.
Byers's advanced ideas Of jail structure
are not likely to be generally adopted
very soon in this or any other State.
Secretary Byers's report for 1877 (just
issued) refers to our dilapidated mfr.
mary in manner that would go far to
prove his unftness for the duties OF an
intelligent and impartial official visitant'
He says:
"The Muskingum County Intirmary,
for many years among the best institu-
tions of the kind in the State, has, in re"
cent years, for some inexpliCable cause,
been allowed to run into shameful neg
leCt. The buildings are going to rack; in
almost every room the plastering is off;
bare and dirty lath grin at one in every
direction. The roof no longer turns rain;
water pipes are disordered, and general
disorder prevails. A small frame chapel
building, erected few years ago, and
paid for by the frugal management and
thoughtful care of matron, who, for
brief period, had charge of the institu-
tion, is now about the only comfortable
apartment"
If Mr. Byers's powers of observation
and inquiry had been properly used, he
might have learned that the "ineXplic
able cause of the present condition OF
the Infrmary buildings is the length of
time they have been in constant occu-
patton, and their constant wear and tear,
by hundreds and thousands of untortu.
nate w.beings of all sorts, sane and
insane, including many vicious and de-
structive beings. The poor house was
built in 1910. The bullying out of walls,
falling away of plastering, the cracks and
the leaks, and general discomfort and
disorder" are thus easily accounted for
The Infrmary Directors and the County
Commissioners have been far better aC'
uuainted with the dilapidated condition
of the Infrmary buildings than Mr.. By
ers, and they have addressed themselves
as we'll as they could to the task of rem
edying it. This county now expendt
over $4,000 year, through the Intir'
mary Directors, for Infrmary inmates
and out-poor. The Infrmary building
can not be repaired 80 as to be safe anC
comfortable" They must be taker
: down and rebuilt anew as any and ev
cry person will admit upon inspection
7 And this will be done as soon as posi-
t BILE, according to law.
: As to the "small frame chapel" Thi
l was built in 1857, at cost of $1,000, pai(
1 out of the county treasury. Chaplain
} Byers's statement of the means of it
construction is an ignorant and ridiculou
t blunder, which in his official position
he ought not to have committed ant
t published.
, Mr.. Byers's concluding observation
,, that "this kind of neglect cannot be with
out purpose" is gratuitous and imper
, tinent assumption. If so knowinga per
son would practically inform the official
J in charge Of the Infrmary how to pireve,n
{; the decay of buildings and materials b
age, and wear and tear, they would b
( extremely glad to learn and profit by. h
h advice. In this way he might possibl
e earn his salary from the state.-Zanesv'
Signal.