Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-11-26
THEPAUPER PROBLEM
Homestead Would Like to See the
City Poor House Taken Away.
OTHER SITES ARE SUGGESTED.
Inmates Could Be Employed Cultivsting
New Farming Lands.
A BONUS OF $s5O,OOO FOR THE CITY


being lost apparently, at least on unsym-
pathetic ears, regarding the grievance of
making the rural districts support a county
poorhouse almost exclusively for the bene-
fit of Braddock, McKeesport and Verona,
there is some argument being addressed to
the supporters of the City Home
that would probably be effective,
if urged more vigorously and
brought home to taxpayers intelli-
gently, as it is the argumentum pecuni@. 1t
is none other than the one in support of q
and its appurtenances, and locate another
where land is cheap. It is estimated that
the change could be made and the city bene-
fited to such an extent thereby that the
cost of maintaining its paupers for many
years would be almost nominal, and if it is
to be done it were well that it be done quick
iy, while the boom is on, and manufacturers
want sites.
1t is said the present site could be sold for
Sc, 500 an acre, and that the city could find
better location, and more than duplicate
the present buildings and still have $3.50, 900
remaining. In fact it is argued that land
could be secured for an almost nominal sum
that would answer the purpose almost as
isn't necessary that it be good land, for
pauper farming doesn't pay anyhow.
The rear ends Of the lots in
the Thirty-second and Thirty-third wards
which run to Grandview avenue in the
Thirty-second ward, would answer the pur-
pose as well as any other place. The male
inmates who are able to work might be set
first to building an immense retaining wall
along the Panhandle Railway, and the rail-
way company would doubtless donate few
thousand dollars toward it for its own bene-
fit, possibly would haul the stone necessary
gratis. Then the Harold Skimpoles who
Spend THEIR WINTERS
in the Home could be made build the wall
under the guidance of few practical
mechanics, and when it was finished the
hill might be terraced, and made thing of
beauty and joy forever, instead of pre-
senting the appearance of having been
blasted and SCARED bv the wrath of heaven
as at present 1t could also be made into a
vineyard, and the product would pay as
we'll as poorhouse agriculture does at
present. Of course the first thing necessary
to be done would be the erection of the
necessary buildings. The advantages of
this plan would be first, nearness to the
center of the city, and the reclamation or
large quantity of waste land. Its present
crop oEelderberries is scarce worth gather
ing. A station might be made about half
way up the freight incline plane railway, at
which inmates could be loaded or unloaded.
Another proposition made is to select some
sterile site along the line of some railway,
far enough out so there would be no likeli-
hood of the city ever growing out to it, put
the buildings up and let the inmates labor
be made profitable in the improvement of
the land. There is very little land on the
bottoms of Allegheny county equal to that
of some once sterile knobs on the SUBMITS of
the Alleghenies, and pauper labor is just
the kind needed for such work, as it costs
nothing but coarse food and clothing. If,
as claimed, intelligent grain farming does
not pay on land worth 5000 an acre in the
United States, how can pauper farming be
expected to pay on land worth 321z times
that amount? It would yield better return,
however, on $40 land, plenty Of which can
be secured
There is another advantage In having the
Home located far from the city-bummers
would not appreciate its advantagesso much
as at present, as they do not like to be where
they cannot be near the conveniences of life,
as, though they get transportation to the
Home, they cannot get it from 1t.
WORK FOR THE PAUPERS.
It should not be understood that any in
telligent person suggests the subduing of
any forest BY pauper labor-better set |
paupers to planting trees-but there are |
tracts OF land so stony that private enter |
prise will not utilize them for centuries, ana |
it might be proftably done by pauper labor. |
Were the Poor Farm sold two thriving |
towns would become one, and the farm |
would soon be covered with buildings. In |
deed, Homestead might be willing to give |
something toward affecting the removal of'a |
nuisance. Doubtless the people who Sc
cured the present farm never even in their
dreams expected to see the city approach
within a few yards of it, but it is there, and
the institution has become an eyesore, and
while it is an accommodation to bummers,
the worthy poor are entitled to residence
where their nerves will not be destroyed by
the shrieks of steam whistles, rumbling of
railway trains and the conclusion of enor-
nous trip hammers.
The amount saved the city in interest
alone by change of base would be sufficient
to provide for the wants OF 200 or more
and were the farm farther away
and plenty of stonepicking and hauling pro-
vided for male inmates, there are scores of
loafers who spend their times in
poorhouses who would not patroniZe ''home
industry" The backwoods counties that
maintain poorhouses are not bothered by
tramps in degree relative to city patron
age in this respect.
1t seems to be a matter Of dollars and
cents mainly, for while the same argument
applies, though in less degree. in favor of
the County Home, Mr.. A. J. Nc
Qnitty says the people in the vicinity evince
lo>dislike to it, and are well satisfied with
t. 1t is to be presumed that as it is nom
it affords home market, and it
s only the taxpayer who is not benefited
rhose ox Is cored