Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1884-12-03

| The deductions made were from Alpena city, 3d.
200 Wilson, sia.22O Additions were made to os-
sinekc, s6,sSi; Long Rapids, $685. Green s20lS.
The report was accepted and adopted,
Supervisor Kelly voting nay.
j. L. Bostwick, superintendent OF the
poor, reported as follows:
Your subscriber one Of the members of the
perntendents of The poor respectfully begs leave TO
| present his views to your honorable body as TO the
! management o the poor and the poor house and
/ farm for the ensuing year.
First you will see by the report file, that for
the past year II has cost the county TO maintain the
poor at the poor house the sum of 90 1905, and
| this amount divided by the total number OF weeks
that board was furnished, makes the cost trihe
over 60 20 per week for each pauper taken care OF
| at the expense of the county on the poor farm.
In my opinion there arc several ways TO reduce
this expense. One of which would be 10 advertise
| for some one TO take the poor tarm and board the
| poor at a certain price per week Another would
be 10 reduce the salary OF $3.50 per year. In consider
alton that servant girl is kept TO do the work OF
the house and that board is furnished himself wife
and children, is in my opinion, excessive Also do
away with the present system of purchasing everN-
/ thing at a retail price. some arrangement should
| be made 20 purchase all or nearly all the articles
used NJ the poor house at wholesale price. As TO
carrying ON the farm at the present system, 1
would recommend that il be discontinued, as the
produce can be purchased for less money than It
now costs 60 raise IL
Another feature of economy which should DO in
augurated, would be 10 receive bids from physicians
TO furnish medicine and medical attendance for the
county poor.
The order system, as at present conducted, I
think extravagant and IL some system could be in
troduced whereby the bills could come before the
full board TO he audited or II they should have one
half day in each week TO meet, at which time only
the orders should be issued If one cf your body
was made member 10 approve accounts, or II re-
qure the signatures OF the three before the treas
urer should pay the orders issued would be check
on an over issue. / would recommend that your
body pass resolution instructing the treasurer not
10 pay orders IN excess OF the amount provided
for by you in the appropriation. IL some or all Of
these provisions be inaugurated in my opinion, an
appropriation Of 1900 will be sufficient to give re-
lief and for all the deserving poor Of our coun-
In conclusion, cannot fail to draw attention to
the need IL the poor house is to DO kept up, Of
new building, and think $500 will build as good
and comfortable house Ms is needed.
The Committee on Poor reported as fol-
lows:
Your Committee on Poor, TO whom the report OF
the Superntendents the OF Poor-with their
count books vouchers etc, was referred beg leave
TO report ms follows:
We found from their report true account OF
their transactions which Were verified by an in
vestigation Of books vouchers etc, referred TO
for the fiscal year ending Oct. l. 1884.
We have also visited the poor house and farm,
and after a careful examination OF the same find
that the house and farm are kept in middling fair
condition. We further find that the root house,
recommended to be bIilt by your honorable body,
at the annual meeting OF 1888 is partially built,
and Is very necessary for the storing OF roots etc.
As regarding the poor house building. we con-
slider that the present building is adequate for all
poor purposes for this county for time to come,
anl recommend that no change be made in the
building for the present.
AS regards the appropriation for poor purposes
for the ensuing year. we would recommend that
four thousand five hundred dollars be raised for
that purpose.
We also think that the cost Of maintaining the
poor mt cost OF GEO per week, as per communion
ton Of J. T. Bosiwck, is altogether too high. and
think that it could he done for less and we rec
ommend that the Superntendents of the Poor adj
yertise for bids for the furnishing IF provisions,
clothing, ect., for said poor house and fam, and
the contract TO be awarded to the parties CIV
ing the greatest discount
We further recommend that the erintendents
OF the Poor received bids from physicians furnish
me icine an. medical attendance, with power 10
reject any all bids. # they consider the bidders
not responsible competent, and after due consd-
Grafton we further recommend that the keeper Of
the poor house ard farm should not be paid more
than $3.50 per year for all services, and that he
should pay all his extra help for farm and house
Gu. of his salary OF $3.50. We herewith attach the
report of the Superintendents Of the Poor. and
recommend that 1t be spread at length on the Jour-
mai.