Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-09-26
SOME FACTS.


OAsAAS AASAOs
ABOUT THE COUNTY INSTITUTIONS.
Superintendent Spurrier's Report Upon tho
Operations OF tho Aimshouse, Hos
pital and Insane Asylum.
At the meeting Of poor directors Of the
state at Somerset, on Sept. 10 and 20. Di-
rectOrs Kreider, Musser and Shultz, of
our board, and Superintendent Spurrier
and Solicitor Bricker were present. Mr..
Spurrier presented and read before the
meeting detailed account of the work
ings Of our institutions for the last five
years. He was highly cOmplimented by
those present and the statement is given
in full below
/ The Lancaster county institution cor.
sists Of an almshouse, hospital and insane
asylum. Tho farm contains 100 acres, 13j
of which are regularly farmed. 49,.
The almshOuso is four st0ried brick
building 22S feet long and GO feet wide,
with a centre wing IS feet long and 60
feet wide, two. stories high above the
basement the almshOnse contains many
cOnveniences which add to the comfort Of
the inmates. Tho sexes occupy tho east
and west portion of the building respect
lively and arc separated by closed doors.
The basement of tho centre wing is Occu-
pied as kitchen, the first story for male
and female diningrooms, and the second
story is tho chapel where the Rev. John
Swenk, the moral instructor, breaches
every Sunday. The cooking and the
heating of the building is done by steam.
Tho hospital is the old almshOuse build
ing which was remodeled several years
ago. 1t is 146 feet long and 40 feet wide,
and two stories high above the basement.
This building is we'll arranged for the pur-
poses for which it is intended. 1t is
heated by hot air furnaces, six Of which
are located in the basement The males
occupy tho first floor, and the females,
together with the family of the superin-
teDdent, occupy the second floor. In this
building about fifty patients can be ac
commodated. We also have an old STONE
building about two hundred yards from
the main hospital, capable Of holding
fifteen or twenty persons, and is occupied
by those who are afflicted with lOathsOme
Or contagious diseases. Four physicians
| ale elected annually, each Of whom servo
| visit, or Ottener, when required. A weekly
prayermeeting is maintained in tho hOSpi.
tai for the benefit of those who are unable
to attend the religious services at tie
chapel. In case Of death, the remains are
buried with religious services.
Tho insane asylum (Which was destrOyt d
by fire on Sunday, August 13th), cor- =
sisted of main building, 12G feet long
(east and west) and 33 feet wide, ami
three stories high above tho basement.
This building was erected in 1866. and
contained comfortable rooms intended for
one occupant. The mild cases Of insanity
occupied this building, tho males ON the
first story, aud the females on ths second
and third stories. The south wing, which
was $50 feet long and AZ feet wide. had two
stories and attic above the basement. This
building was also heated with hot air fur
naces placed in tho basement. This part
Of the building had less comforts than the
main building the ventilation was de-
fective, and the heating arrangement i'm
perfect. In this part of the asylum our
worst cases Of insanity were confined.
TIE fire originated above tho attic. 1t
| and the second story were almost wholly
destroyed, together with tho second and
third stories of tho main building. At the
time of tho fire there wero liz insane
mates in these buildings all of whom were
rescued and secured without tho loss of a
single life.
On Saturday, tho 10Th of August, We
| were again visited with the destroying
hand of an incendiary in the destruction OF
our barn, by which we lost all our summer
crops, together with many farming imple-
mcnts. We lost /, 100 bushels of wheat.
10 bushels of rye, 800 bushels of oats, 70
bushels of corn, 90 tons OF straw, so tons
of hay, which with tho cost of the barn,
caused loss of over ,OOO-partly
covered by insurance.
I EXPENDITURES DURING TIE YEAR 1881.
Cash paid for meat. flour, feed. groce.
| rieS, drugs and medicines, store
goods. clothing, fuel. light, sula ries
and incidental expenses. $SS ,22Ssi g.
Paid for the relief of l37 outdoor
Total amount paid out. $40, ,4'9 !:
Products of tho farm for 1881.
About 40 tons of hay, $50 bushels Oi
wheat, 975 bushels of corn, 225 bushels OF
| oats, IA bushels of soup beans, $40 bushels
of potatoes, $50 bushels Of turnips, Is
bushels of broomcOrn seed.
Farm Stock.
Eight horses, II cows, heifers,5 calves,
1 bull, breeding sOws, boar, 90 shOats.
Tho number of regular inmates Of this
institution the last day of each mouth dur.
ing the year 1881, was as follows: Janu-
ary, 4s7; February. 42S; March, 4O7 ;
April, 395; May, 3S4 June. $50 July,
3Gl Angus, 404 September, 383; OctC-
Der. 40; November, Ali December,
41S.
The daily average Of regular inmates
was 40G
The daily average Of tramps during tho
year was 10; making daily average Of
| ali of 41G.
Average cost Of maintenance per capita
during the year was s91.83; weekly,
$1.76.
The average number Of insane inmates
was 135.
In the institution during the year 1881,
| were born white male children and one
colored male child, 5 white female chill
dren and 1 cOlored female child, and
still born whole number of births IL.