The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1884-01-26

Baltimore County's Alms-House-De-
| plorable Condition of Affairs. The Grand
Jury visited the county aims honse on Thursday
of last week, and the stories some of the members
tell of tho deplorable condition of that institution
are serious reflection upon the good name OF
| Baltimore county. Those stories having reached
the ears of some of the Baltimore reporters, 1he
Day sent representative to "Upland Homo" on
Sunday. He made a thorough inspection of the
| building and its surroundings, and after stating
that Mr.. Charles o. Kemp, the former superln-
tendent, was superseded only few weeks ago by
Mr. w. II. Fl. Reed. ne proceeds as follows:
"Undcr the law the superintendent Is empower
ed to make all necessary purchases of supplies for
the institution. He cannot make repairs or order
| an outlay of money for any such work. The build
| ing was erected in 1872, and since then repairs
have been made, so that by this time the interior
is in a sad state of neglect and diapidation.
"'The sanitary condition of the building is not
good said Mr.. Reed. He spoke guardedly, and
an Investigation showed that ne put it mildly, in
| deed. The interior of the building, with the
| ception of the rooms occupied by Mr. Reeds fam
| lily, have evidently been stranger to whitewash
or paint. The spouting at the ontside is broken
| and useless, and this causes the walls at the cor
| ners to become damp when it rains that the
| place is a very unhealthy habitation. The water
closets are in bad condition, the atmosphere
in many parts of the building is redolent of
ous and sickening odors. All this indicates that
the building is but little short of death trap, and
the excessive death rate of the institution, which
will be alluded to further on, with reason be
largely attributed to this state of affairs unless
this is remedied,' said Mr.. Reed, shall not stay
here. Why, at any time pestence may break
out at the aims house which will kill every one
living here
"There are at present 13S paupers in the build
ing. Of these there are thirty eight females. and
all are adults. Over twenty of the inmates
insane, most Of them being women. The quarters
of the paupers ON the three upper floors, and
the sexes are kept separate. The cooking is done
in the basement, the kitchens being very clean.
and the meals served in dining rooms, one of
which is on each floor. Nocomplant can be made
that the inmates do not receive proper food or
clothing. All of them express satisfaction. The
cots on which the paupers sleep are OF iron, but
have seen their best days. Many of them - ,oJ
broken down, and some of them are compeiea>lsSSa
sleep the floor. Thes mattresses are some
what decayed and infested with vermin, which,
Mr.. Reed says the closest care on the part of the
Overseers cannot prevent. The bed ticking and
clothing frequently washed and the straw re
newed On each floor one of the paupers is de
tailed to see that the inmates clearly in their
habits, and by rigid care the condition of things
is prevented from becoming any worse than 1T is.
"The majority of the inmates arewell advanced
in years. Just at this time there is very little
sickness. Only one man is dangerously ill, and
he is an old colored man who came to the aims
house with his face and hands badly burned
Nearly all the children were born out of wedlock,
and one little fellow, the child of a young white
woman, by his dark skin and crisp curly hair,
plainly shows his African paternity.
"In view of the shocking sanitary condition of
the building, it is not surprising that the mortali
ty among the paupers should be great. But SO
large has it been of late to great surprise
Los fortv siy n the ed
learned that this is nearly 80 per cent Of the in
mates. Of course arrivals supply the deple
ton thus made, and many of the paupers, who
survive the deadly atmosphere of the alms-hou
during the winter, take their leave (until driven
back by the frosts of autumn) with the approach
of bamy spring. The medical care of the patients
is of the best, and this fact renders the large
death-rate even more startling, and shows that the
mortality is due to other causes than neglect or
old age alone. The pest house, which stands back
from the alms-house, on the opposite side of ra-
vine, has rather unwisely been used for the negro
paupers, and should small pOx epidemic break
out in the county the patients would have place
to go to for care
"0ne of the worst features about the establish
ment is the lack of proper accommodations for the
lunatics. There are twenty of these, as has al
ready been stated. They are kept by themselves
in the upper story, and do not have constant
overseer. Some of the crazed inmates are very
room in the cellar of the building This room is
as bad as the veriest dungeon in old French cas-
ties. 1t is damp and dark and the floor is the
rough earth. There is no night Waterman about
the building and there is constant danger of some
of the insane escaping.
"Within the past year two or three Of the in
sane patients have sprung from upper story win
dows, and not long ago one of them took the leap
and was picked up mangled and lifeless. Much
of the unwholesome nature of the building is due
to the violence of the insane paupers. One Of
them, q German, takes great delight in pulling
out the registers and breaking the water closets
Although close medical attention is given to these
unortunates, the aims house possesses neither the
requisite accommodation nor proper means for the
treatment of such cases, so that whatever chances
might otherwise axist rh4irreer eTzes1 et,.
guests are the most uninviting and inhumane
imaginable. The room assigned TO them is in the
basement. The place is dark and gloomy and I'M
heated. The floor is filthy with dirt and the room
has not single chair or bed in it, Those who
ask for lodging are compelled either to sleep on
the floor in this cold room or GO somewhere else'
Commercial and Farmers National
Bank of Baltimore-Where the County
keeps It's Funds.-This bank was chartered
as State bank in 1910, converted into national
bank in 1864 The early records show many in
teresting facts connected with the finances of the
city and loans to the city and general government
growing out of the war of 1872. In May, 1873
the funds of the bank were removed to Frederick
Town, Md, in consequence of the threatened at
tack of the enemy" In August, 1914, the cashier
was directed to hire cart, and hold it in readi
ness to remove the remainder of the specie, books
&C., to York Pa. In 1885, at the request of the
inhabitants of Westminster, Nd, the bank opened
an Office of discount and deposit in that town. Of
the early directors there are still three des end
ants in the present board-Mr. Slingluf, great
grandson of Charles Bohn Mr.. Rieman, great
grandson of Daniel Rieman; Mr.. Albert, son OF
Jacob Albert There have been nine presidents
and three cashiers. The present board consists
of Joseph H. Rieman, presidents Augustus S. AL
bert, G. A. Won Lingen, VIM. L. Walters, DR.. f.
Singluf VIM. Carmichael, Basil Wagner, with
John D. Early, cashier. comfortable apart
ment has been set aside for the treasurer of Balti
more county, where he receives the county taxes
on stated days. The bank building is located on
the corner of Howard and German streets.
Sleighing Parties and Accidents.-On
Tuesday night last about twenty-five young per
sons from this place went to Reisterstown
in sleighs, for frolic. On their way home, about
o'clock the next morning, while descending the
hill at Hunts church, near Sherwood, one of the
runners of the large sled gave way and about ff-
teen of the party were obliged to trudge home
through the snow, distance of over two miles.
This little episode had the effect of taking much
of the sweetness out Of the pleasure.
On the same evening party of young folks
from Towsontown, drawn by two horses in large
sled, started to attend party in Dulanys VAL
ley. In descending the hill on the north side of