, 1879-02-04
THE POOlt-llOUSE.

n ulAXBluCenS opportunity Tor n flf6tsElaNA
Cremation.
The recent burning Of tho Lousyllle Aims
House, with the loss Of eleven lives, and the
numerous other fires Of similar character Within
the last few months, have awakened dcep feel
ing Of interest regarding ous eounty buildings
In Jefferson, consisting of the Insane Asylum
md the poor-l1ousc, with adjacent buildings and
outhollses. Remarks hare been made on the
strCct-cofuers about tic county frc-trapa,
nnl the probable number OF ruabted
human beings In CuSe OF Gre
hps been, In tho county circles,
considered in sono degree. In talk with one
OF tho County Commissioners, the gentleman
aald that II u fire onre started in the Jefferson
buildings II would prove = purGators for half
tho Inmates, but tho Hospital was are-prooi.
Tie Hospital was visited few days ago. 1t
showed the careful ideas OF tile architect In the
iron staircase II the cud, und the ltttle wool
used In tho finishing ot ttt building, while the
numerous stalld-fipes nnd hose-pumps. ctc.,
cTicuccl q desire TO prevent all fires.
Subsequently the reporter Visited the lns1uc
Asylum III thu Town OF Jefferson. 1t Is huge
brick structure, 420 feet lung, with an l. 1lu
The os,tsitic of the building. with tts(hcavY iron
winduw-Eratings, looks solid enough, hut inside
urc to DC found only light pine lloors, castings,
building are thu offices; going up BY mans
turns III the light stairs thc officers rooms ure
reached. On tlH: tup story il tile amusement
hall. I'm raftt t'rcr at tllu north snl urs ,Ac
wards, With their only. exit IezdIng from The
&,an hall or the stairs at that end South
| OF the uiccs nre double wards With one small
stairs at the south end, md into tlrsc stairs
ntll lpt'ammabso exits ti'c patients ara expected
to march IN solemn procession Ia caso OF IN
| n.aru VI fire.
The basement ia the worst place in tue estao-
lishmc,lt. with its sewing and cook.rooIns, bak-
cry, wasll,uE-rootns, carI"nter-shoo: and c'e-
vuiors going to the different wArtls, all pine
| tlutated, With steain-pipes running near the
| wood. Quo In particular, fous-!nch pipe,
yacrs Tas about s sn ppa se' xss s to soo oass so
tal the visitor did not caro- to keep his hand on
1t. There is q steaul-puulp counected with
tistcr OF &c, co.. gallons cattactty, supplied BY NJ,
nrteslan wcll, which Ia gratua1y giving out. A
hose is connected with the sa.c .cr-ptpe. lu! It Is
rotten as br, and luo abort for a,iy good
There ia q large force Of employees. bit, With the
exception Ut Or. Sprays hnttcs thirty six IN
one half OF ihr latter under osdets, tn case Ut
! q lire, 10 get the patte,4 out xrAl the
remainder TO aasiss aee WaEdsn's force; Il h
! duty Ut getting ont twtaty.thrte inmates
each, many Ut WHOM are ~ald, and others sdiole,
| In case Ut al emergency caused by = sudden
fire. Theirs may b. soMc ladders. but nono
wrre seen, ind even u fIry BE- there. bow could
| thG lnMatES w E0tlGH t"'oAkA u%!e atA .oCIes
| uparti There hare beet several slight hfes In
| tic usy!u,n during iis past few months. but,
| fortunately for III concerned, tile tlaInes were
| cxtugutsAed teforc nlly material damages was
| done. -..
! lew Remedies rOud bc suggested. the best
Of wh!ci, woula be 10 trar the. building dnWn
md tU Replace u ny u nCe"psoof one. However.
xttle thu prcseHt building IL In use, thers should
De, tlr1t, al, organized t0rcs who would Know
| exactly What each mau WIS expected u cu;
scs,u.,a, the xteani-pln.p should .bu connected
| With inside md with outsnia stand-plpe NH!
ladders; plenty " lose should ~ OIL each Hour;
tl,c varpcnttr-rl..,n taken from tlIe basement
and tllr slcunl.tpcs covered The window t,urA
should bn 30 constructed thnt they could bt
alarms should eh p'aSeu throughout