Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-06-28
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A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE INSTITUTION ON THE
EASTERN BRANcH-How THE INMATES ARE
CARED FoR-vAGRANTs BURDENED WITH PROP
ERTY-sOME OF THE PECULIAR CHARACTERS
AMONG THE INNATES-AUNT BETSEY SMITH
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES GRAVE CLOTHES READY
| FOR UsE-A COLONY OF = AGED COIoRED MEN,
ETC.
In the eastern end of the city, fronting on 10Th
street and extending to the Congressional Gene
terry on the south; the United States Jail enclo-
sure on the north and eastward to the Anacostia
or Eastern Branch. is the Washington asylum.
| This embraces three departments-the aims
house. the workhouse, and the asylum hospital
and in the division of the work of the District
Commissionersis one of the institutions of which
Commissioner West has the supervision. Under
the old regime of the corporation the almshouse
| and workhOuse We're consolidated April ID, 1921.
under the present name-the Washington asy-
| lum. The inmates ofthe workhOuse were known
in the corporate records as penitents-a term
which experience has proved has not been an
! appropriate one.
THE OLD PoOR-HOUsE.
! Prior to May 10th. 1913. the asylum was located
on street, between 9th and 9TH northwest.
and the square extending toN street was known
! as the poorhOuse farm or garden, the potter s
| field being about the northeast corner Of the
| square. Four years prior to this date it became
| apparent that the asylum was getting too small
| to accommodate the inmates. 1t also stood in
| the way OF the Improvements which were then
extending northward. The city councils petit
toned Congress in that year for the public res
ervation where the asylum is now located, and,
| the building having been erected. the inmates
were removed by the intendant. Mr.. Isaac Butt.
This building was destroyed by fire March I'd,
| 1857, and new one erected in its place, which
was occupied January 9th, 1859. This is now
used exclusively as the alms-hOuse. and is a
four-story brick building of 1l6 by so feet, with
/ q front building A feet square. The paupers
are here housed. the males on the north side
and the females On the south side So far as
possible. separate sleeping apartments are as
signed to the white and to the colOred inmates,
each room being furnished with sleeping cots.
THE wORK-HOUsE BUILDING
is erected near the end OF street SOUTH and
as in the almshouse the males are Quartered in
one side and the females in the other Between
these buildings the residence of the intendant
and commissioner, Mre Stoutenburg. and the
Asylum hospital. are located In the almshouse
| department there are now 1874 inmates-75
white and SO cOlored. Twenty-siX old coored
men are lodged in one OF the magazine build
lngs which Congress gave the District few
years ago. Those of the inmates who are able
do what work they can as watchmen or por
tiers. feeding hogs, &c. Many of them are too
old for active work. Among them are num-
Der of Old soldiers, formerly in the soldiers
home, but who having forfeited theirrights there
have sought and obtained refuge here Some
of the women help in the kitchen. and help to
take care OF their less fortunate companions
| In the WOrkhouse there are now 1S5 inmates
IS white and 102 colored. There are 20 rooms
in this building, and. while the furniture is SIM
ple it all is kept neat and clean.
THE HOSPITAL
consists Of six wards, capable Of accommodating
so patients, and there are now 60 cases under
! treatment. This department is in charge Of Dr.
| W. p. c. Hazen, with DR.. b. X. Shute resident
physician, and R. t. Danforth and c. w. Raw
| lngs, resident students. Commissioner West
has taken great interest in this department, and
last 1al one OF the frame school houses given up
/ by the trustees of schools was, on his sugges-
! ton. moved to the enclosure and made one of
the wards of the hospital. Gen. West also takes
| especial interest in the old people. For those
| whose only fault is that nature has prolonged
their lives after they have been unable to earn
their living. he has supplied easy chairs and
other articles not heretofore allowed and also
| ordered them supply of milk.
| The work house men turn out from 50 to 20
men III the chain gang forwork upon the streets.
| THE SCHOOL. ~. .-rf
| All the children in the institution between
five and fourteen years of age are required to go
to school, and there are about twenty now ac-
quiring the rudiments of an education in a
school room in the workhouse building. Miss
Christine Hillfnger is the teacher There are in
| the place several babies, one Of them cofored
founding that was picked up last winter nearly
| frozen to death but has now grown to be
strong h althy child, though its sufferings re-
suited in the total loss OF sight
THE BlLL-OFFARE.
All the inmates who are able rise when the
whistle blows at 5 o'clock At 6 O'Clock break
fast is served. This consists OF bread coffee.
fish and potatoes. Dinner. at noon, is of meat,
soup vegetables and bread, and supper. at $50
O'Clock, Of tea. bread with butter or stewed
| fruit. The number at present in the work ouse
is higher than usual at this season. Thus far
with two more days to hear from, the commit
nents for the year exceed 2 300 over 200 in eX-
cess OF last year. The tact that the number of
inmates keeps up Is attributable to the COmfrisi
sOners having been more careful than formerly
III granting pardons.
PECULIAR CHARACTERS AMONG TIE INMATES
Every grade of society Is represented. as we'll
as every age. from the infant to the centenarian
Among the inmates is an old gentleman whose
besetting sin is intemperancc. He occupies his
time in reading and corresponding with some of,
the leading scientists of the day. Another has
done good work for the press. and his sin when
out is drunkenness. An English c0urle-an
aged man and woman named Nichols-who have
been to New Orleans, St. Louis and Chicago in
search of friends, are here waiting to hear
through the English minister from their friends
in England. The Queen of America, Mrs Luz
cinda Ben1ield. who attempted to take the
throne of state in the White House, and who
threatens. as soon as she gets out, to coniiscate
President Arthnrs clothes, is waiting to hear
from her relatives at Louisville Ky. An in
mate sent down Tor va9rancy few days ago
subsequently received an offer from lawyer in
West Virginia to lease her farm there for the
oil, &c. On being questioned about it she said
that she had good farm there. which was val
liable in minerals and she would sell but not
lease it.
AUNT BETSY SMITH.
The oldest inhabitant of the instit ution is an
! old white woman named Aunt Betsy Smith, who
has been one Of the fixtures since 1917, during
the intendancy of B. f. Cuttings John r. Queen.
Josias Adams, Vim. Dixon, J. R. Queen. Joseph
S. Martin, S. E. Douglass, j. F. Hodgson, E. F.
NJ. Faehtz and G. A. Caswell. She states that
she was little girl of twelve years of age when
the British burned the Capitol, which would
| make her now elghty-twO years of age She
says that she came from Prince Georges county.
Md, where she has relatives living and that
| she first entered the place on ticket of admis-
| sion by DIR. A. Med. Davis then a commissioner
1t is said that when she entered she said: snow
| am here, and I'll never leave you again." and
she has lived here ever since. She enjoys ex-
! cellent health, only suffering with little rheu-