The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1879-02-20
FROM COLUMBUS.
The xenIa Fire Discussed

Columbus Feb 17--ThIs morning proceedings
IN both houses consisted Of discussion as to the
burning OF the buildings at the So deH and Sal
lors Orphans Home. The Home is carried on on
the cottage plan, and all the building consist Of
some % brick cottages, fine school house a
p hitting house, and the buildings which were
burned These buildings were occupied by the
teachers, officers and employees OF the institution
and contained the ding halls and cooking estab
lshments for the whole institution. The chill
dren live entirely in the cottages, whicn, as they
are detached from the main building, escaped
uniujured.
This morning, when the resolution pointing to
an investigation and appropriation, was offered,
all except two Mr.. Cough of Butler and Mr..
Wright Of Hamilton, voted for 1t, and many OF
them spoke in favor Of a large appropriate n.
Mr.. Wright (DemocraD, however, said that this
main building was used rather as hotel than
anything efe, and that he considered II a bless
| ing that 1t was burned up. He thought the State
should not be put TO the expense Of rebuilding It,
He had voted under protest for the reorganization
of the home, and he thought that the way II was
run at present was disgrace to the State OF ONO
| He also obj -cted to the members going away 10
spend Sunday at the State institutions saying
that if few more institutions would burn up II
might leave the House without quorum.
Mr.. Alexander of Belmont here took the floor
and said he was not at all satisfied with the way
the institution had been run. It was rather To-
cal than State institution. Many Of the coun'
lies of the State could not get their legal number
of children entered because the adjoining couu
ties had poured in many more than they now
/ b, bod hT1u cd
ers out. Onethird of the children there he said
were not the children Of soldiers, but those oi
manners. and they should rather he in their own
county infrmares. He further sid he intended
| to Introduce q bill making the Home local "a
| stitution and compelling each county TO pay ioI
its own children when they are at the Home,
| Doctor Norton wanted the 1ustitutlOn 10 Delong
of our Stale institutions az said II the countle
were not rightly represented 1t was matter t4i
| them to attend to, There was law Oh the EuD
ject, and they could appeal to that, -, ~,
Alter the adoption Of this resolution M M MDal
zell introduced his bill appropdating To,OOO ior
new building and $1,000 for the teachers who ios
all their property. Ii will be acted upon within
few days and from the feeling that prevails
now II is probable that 1t will be adopted
Ii will be noticed that prOmiHent clause Of
the resolution tended toward the investigation o.
the cause of the fire and that the committee were
directed to make a careful investigation. Inc
fact that the watchman was fast asleep ana INA
ne had built large fire in the engine in order
that he might not be disturbed is suspicious Cir
cumstanCe, to say the least
The children all escaped unframed, stront
argument in favor Of the cottage system. Hac
the Home been built on the same plan as the ma
iority of the asyums and other institutions OF the
state over six hundred children might have me
with terrible fate.
| THE TRUSTEES
of the Soldiers and Sailors Orphans Home Wert
summoned to Xenia to.day to investigate ant
| ,,,. = 80 .ho Ara Tbey ara Rurns n