Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1881-01-05
The Poor House Question.

In accordance with the call published
in the county papers the week previ-
ous, quite number of the citizens oi
the county met in the Arbitration
room of the Court House on Wednes-
day afternoon of last week to consider
the Poor-house question.
The following towns and townships
were represented at the meeting: Bra.
dy, Clav, Fairview township, Frank
lin, Oakland, Clearfeld, Centre. Penn.
Jefferson, Middl sex, Fairview bor.
ough and Prospect, one each; Parker,
9; Concord, 4; Donegal, 81 Como
quenessing, 2; Butler township, 3;
Summit, 4 !; Forward 2; Winfield. 2;
Cranberry, 2; Clinton. 3 Millerstown,
3 :; Petrola, 2; Butler borough, 3.
Hon. A. L. Campbell of Petrolia
| was elected President of the meeting.
and JOS B. Bredin, Esq, Secretary.
The first thing in order was the read
ing of sections l, and of the Act of
Assembly, approved June 4, 1879,
which creates each county in the Com
mon wealth poor district, and empow-
ers the County Commissioners to buy
real estate, erect buildings, ETC., pro-
vided the people of the county decide
upon having a poor-house. To reach
this decision the act provides that the
Court of Quarter Sessions of the coun-
ty shall, upon the petition and recon-
nlendation of two-tbirds of the Over
seers of the Poor of the county, then
in Office, order an election, submitting
the question to the people either at the
usual February or November elections,
or at special election ordered for the
purpose, sixty days notice to be given.
After the reading of the Act several
warm speeches were made, for ard
against having a poor-house. Some
contending that the paupers of the
county were well enough taken care of
at present; that the present system
was by odds the most economical, and
that a poor-house would be a burden
and curse to the county others that
the poor were not well enough taken
care of rs it is that it was often hard
and sometimes impossible to find any
body in the town or township who
would take them in; that having
poor farm was the most economical
way of providing for the poor, and
that poor farm properly established
and managed would be almost, if not
entirely sel.-sustaining. Those present
holding the latter views seemed to be
in the majority for the following mo-
tion was put, seconded and carried:
ResolUed, That this meeting recon-
mend the Overseers of the Poor of the
several poor districts to petition the
Court at once to authorize an election
for the purpose of allowing the citizens
of the county an opportunity to vote
for or against the purchase of poor
farm.
Some more discussion on the ad-
vantages and disadvantages of poor
! houses followed the adoption of the
resolution. The only poor-house report
in the meeting was one of the Alleghe-
ny county poor-house for 1879, which
states that the maintenance of each
pauper provided for at the institution
cost the county but $7l.30 for the
year The average number of inmates
for the year is stated at 285; the bills
for groceries, dry goods, salaries, med.
icines, tobacco, etc, aggregate $2l,-
749 II; but the bills for other things,
new buildings, repairs, etc, and in
Guiding a Hospital bill of Sl4,879 "a,
aggregate $32, lO5 80, making S53, $685..
90 in all.
1t seemed to be the desire of some OF
those present who favored having q
poor-house or farm, that the election
should be held with the coming Feb
ruary election, but as the act provides
that at least sixty days notice of the
election shall be given, it cannot bt
held at any regular election prior tt
that or next November, but if two
thirds of the Overs GERS favor having {
poor-house, and SO express Themselves
Immediately, and ask for an election as
soon as possible, under the act the
Court might order special election.
These expressions for the roject car
be sent to the Secretary of the meet
ing, j b. Bredin, Esq, of this place
and if the number equals two-thirds o
the whole number Of Overseers of thu
county he will make the fact known tt
the Court.