The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1886-12-16
REPORT OF THE VISIT
ING C0MiITTEE,
To the Honorable Court of Common Pleas
| of Hook iru Comfy.

To the Honorable Court of Common Plea
of Hooking County:
Your committee appointed a
the May term of Court, 1886, a:
). provided by statute, 10 act as {
Visiting Committee.to the Char
8 liable and Correctional Instltu
), tions Of this County. would beg
d leave to report as follows:
: We have visited and inspected
p the charitable and correctional
institutions of this county, con
2 sisting Of the Infrmary and Chill,
dren's Home, together with The
: Hooking County Jail and the
Prison of the Village of Logan.
In discussing the merits and
r dement's of these institutions, we
have taken them in the order
named above, and the suggestions
and criticisms we make are based
alone upon our observations dur
ing our visit to them.
The Inflrmary is a two story
building that was constructed
about fifteen years ago. 1t is
plain and unobtrusive in style,
and lacks those ornate effects that
would have doubtless been given
had it been the conception of
an architect of this day.
| Fortunately adornment is not
essential to comfort in any build
ing, but as there seems to have
been in Its construction a lack of
knowledge or disregard of what
was most needed in a building of
that kind, we would deem it wise
and expedient to correct, SO far
as possible. 1.-The errors Of the
builder.
In the basement story of the
building we found the kitchen
and dining room for. the use of
the Superintendent and his fam
lily. Adjacent 10 them is The
apartments set aside. for like use
by the inmates. Stored away in
other apartments was coal, pota
toes. cabbage, fruits. -four, meal.
dc. On the north and west side
of the building the level Of the
yard is at least six feet above the
floor of the basement, and, in
consequence, the walls are always
damp. While in the Superin-
tendents room we found the
walls SO wet that the water could
be raked from them with the
hand. This is an evi, that can
and should be eradicated at as
early a day as possible.
If a space four OR fire feet wide
could be opened up around the
outside Of the walls it would be
the most radical cure. A system
of tiles around the building would
have q good effect. Until some
thing is done to shut out the wa
ter, the basement story cannot
be wholesome place and the
poison that must necessarily en-
enate from it.sinslduous as it may
be now, will increase with years,
and as there is no provisions
made for ventilation, will find its
way to all parts Of the house.
The danger Of such contamina-
tion is evident and calls for no
further comment.
In several of the rooms Of the
first story the floor needs repair
ing. The.breaks admit the damp
air from the basement. A notice
able feature of the wards On this
llocr is lack of ventilation .
This was especially true of The {
sick ward. Means should be de-
sised to bring plenty Of fresh air
INTO this ward, and at The same
ime keep it comfortable. The 5
wards = in the second story c
also need ventilation. In this @
particular the building is painful
y inadequate. Above the doors :
iividing The different wards are a
ransoms, and if these were kept C
,pen il would insure free cIrcu !
alton of air alcng the corridors 8
Ind lend that much to the health .
" the inmates. lie
In case of a FIRE the lnfrmary a
would simply be at the mercy Of g
he flames, unless they were !;
peedily extinguished. No pro- q
'isions have been made to meet a
nch danger. Even an organ !
zed force would be powerless 10 y
ight fire with the present water d
upply and the means at hand TO r
Sc what little there is. At least n
NO good fire extinguishers should IL
e kept upon the first and second 81
oors Of the building and always IL
eady for instant use. The lives ., .
t the inmates and the safety OF if
ublic property gives a proni- in
ence to this suggestion that can W
OF be overlooked, and precau- "
onary measures TO guard against f ffr
Ich calamity taken at once. hl
The house, from the basement le
} the second story, we found u
can, plainly showing the care III I'll
Il supervision of a competent 70
ousewife. The bedding and beds on
ere examined and found clean
I'd IN good condition. The in III
afas aDDeored comfort abIy clad vi