Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-10-04
The WOrkheltSe.

ST. PAUL, Oct. 3, 1883.
To Peter Berkey, foreman, and the mem
bers OF the Ramsey county grand jury
now in session:
Gentlemeu:-Your committee who were
assigned the duty of visiting the st. Pau
workhouse and Ramsey county almshouso
desire to present the following report:
We first visited the workhouse; although
this public enterprise is in its infancy, it is
far enough advanced to show the benefits
which it is calculated to give to the city.
It has only one building completed, de
signed for the detention of prisoners. Az
other, wing, is now in course of construc-
ton. We found thirty-four prisoners, al!
of whom, except two invalids, were engag-
ed in some useful occupation. The pres
ent building is model IN its way; is pro-
vided with thirty wrought iron cells, rooms
for sick prisoners, bath rooms with hotand
cold water, with a larger assembly
room in the third story, occupied during
week days as barber, tailor and shoe
shop, and on Sunday as a place of wor-
ship. Only male prisoners are now admit
ted here, as there is no ward, thus far,
built for the detention of females. The
premises are we'll lighted, ventilated AID
heated, and are model of neatness, reflect
ing great credit to the workhouse manager
We next visited the county almshouse.
Mr.. Mills, having just taken charge as
superintendent, conld not afford as much
information as he will probably be able to
after a longer residence in charge of this
important public charity.
The building now occupied as an aims
house is not we'll calculated for the pur-
pose for which it is used. 1t is old, badly
out of repair, one chimney in particular
being so badly cracked as to endanger the
building from fire. The rooms are few in
number, so large that many of the inmates
are placed in a single room, which ought
not to be. Thare is no separate ward for
females, and your committee particularly
desire to protest against the pernicious
association OF the sexes in this public
almshouse.
The only bath room provided can only
be used by bringing water in pals, the
tank in the attic, put in for the purpose of
supplying water for baths and other pur-
poses, being out of repair and the pump
broken, there is no provision for hot
water.
Although the prisoners are oleanly kept
the building is without any proper means
the confined air was unbearable to those
not accustomed to it, and must be very
deleterious to the health and comfort of
those who are so unfortunate as to be in
mates.
The heating apparatus is far from being
adequate to make the building c0mforta-
ble.
We found the new superintendent with
fr1 70 ot-a Con
comfortable, the old superintendent hav-
ing furnished his. own living rooms, and
his family having taken the furniture
which belonged to them at his death with
them upon their removal. The furniture
used by the inmates is not in good repair
and is too small in quantity for comfort.
We found the quantity of provisions on
hand very small, but apparently of good
quality.
The farm buildings were found in good
repair and we'll kept.
Your committee desire to call attention
to the necessity that the county Of Ramsey
should provide in the near future a moro
suitable building in which the poor of the
county can be properly taken care of.
Your committee would respectfully
recommend the Immediate repair of the
present building; the providing of proper
ventilation and of sufficient heating ap-
paratus; also good comfortable furniture
for the use of the superintendent, with
good strong furniture, as much as is need
ed for the use and comfort of the inmates.
Your committee desire to call particu-
lar attention to two rooms in the attic
called dangerous" in which violent or
dangerous inmates are sometimes placed.
They are without means of being warmed.
The only means of access and egress
thereto is through a narrow stairway
leading to the attic, and in case of the
happening of fire it would be almost
impossible to release any one who might
be confined therein. If dangerous rooms
are necessary, of which there is no doubt,
at times, they should be provided in some
more accessible portion of the building.
There are now about thirty-fve inmates
who are made as comfortable as the cir