Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1882-11-09

THk following statement OF the revolt.
ing management of the Philadelphia
Almshouse under Phipps and the brutal
board Of stalwart thieving directors is
given in q speech delivered b. Thomas
w. Barlow, council for the committee
of one hundred.
Developments showing thefts of pub.
lie money, the speaker continued, ~
regard as the least important factor in
the case, aud therefore | will consider
it frat. The report for 1881 of the
Board of Guardians of the Philadelphia
Almshouse has been published and cir.
culated since the report Of the investiga.
ton co.lmittee OF Councils. 1t is the
same which was so repeatedly called for
by the members of the committee for
personal examination and was carefully
concealed.
DECEPTIVE REFoRT.
"on pages sixteen aud seventeen OF
the report a table is given, showing the
consumption and cost OF maintainin z
the four departments, to wit, hospital.
insane, children's asylum and out wards.
The total cost of maintaining each de
partment is given, as follows;
Hospital 1882, ,543,l3; insane. S2j,.
455,f7; children's asylum, $l4Gj2 OG
out wards, $3.50. .264.s4. making a total OF
720l5.50. Then follows the average
population during the year Hospital,
600; insane, 635; children's asylum, lO7;
out wards, 1858 average population in
the entire Almshouse, 2,502.
"The compiler Of the report then
graVely deduces from the above figures
the average weekly cost Of each patient
in each department to be ns follows /:
Hospital, $l.93; insane, $l52! chill.
dren's asylum. Sl.39; out wards, Sill (;
average weekly cost, $l.6i.
"a careful analysis OF the above table
aud proper arithmetical computation
thereof will show that the deductions
are false and deceptive in every particu.
lar, the correct cost for the weekly
maintenance OF each patient being as
follows: Hospital, 1854 insane, - Sc;
children's asylum, t263; out wards,
e2l7 average cost Of each patient,
S2.S6.
soCAJoR ESGESDERiS0 DISEASE.
"In introducing the causes which have
in . greater or less degree affected the
health Of the Almshouse inmates posi-.
tlvely assert that the records show a rate
of death in 1851 larger than that OF sn 9
other institution of like character in this
country. At no time during the year
1881 were the inmates properly sup
piled with either food, clothing, beding
or heat, and this may be added the
poorest means of preparing what sup
plies were obtained after plundering
officials and contractors devoured their
spoil. Seven hundred and sixty ak
thousand ak hundred and thirteen
pounds Of different kinds were paid for
by the city, yet the food was poor and
insufficient. In some instances but
twenty per cent. of the amount contrac.
ted and paid for was really furnished
But the stealing in the straw contrac,
reveals chapter 30 revolving that were
the testimony less strong than it is
should hesitate to believe it. II is prop
er to explain that straw il used in this
institution for bedding purposes, and in
1881 1900 pounds we're billed to the
Guardians and paid for. although less
than Eve per cent. OF the amount ever
reached the Almshouse. The result
was = state OF affairs too dreadful for
minute description. For nearly year
the entire institution was without mean.
Of securing clean and healthy resting q
places for the inmates. In the epilep
tic ward, in the insane department. the
beds became 80 foul and moistened and
the air so alarminRly pestilental that
they were burned and the patients com
PEELED 70 lie upon the floor, protected
By whatever slight covering could bt
secured, the physicians in charge pre-
feFriDg q risk upon the floor to certain
death upon the bed. One inmate be
coming alarmed 1T the state Of affair
emptied his bed and pillow tick and re
filled II with shaviugs picked up in the
undeFiaker's shop. Another shameful
cause for grave results has been the EN-
ployment Of brutal aud inexperienced
nurses, who have mercilessly clubbec
and beaten the inmates upon little ol
no provocation. One poor dsmenteC
creature had three Of his ribs broker
and his head hammered open by nuFs,
who had taken offense at his chattering
The principal qualification Of . mar
nurse al the Almshouse has been gene
rally his ability 10 carry his division.
"The bad sewerage Of the Almshous'
has In itself been a serious cause 10
complaint. One physician, noting NJ
alarming increase of over 300 per cent
in the death rate In his department. In
vestIeated the cause and found, direct
y beneath, : cellar containing putri'