Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-01-28
WENT TO THE WORK HOUSE.
Some Interesting Points from the Re.
ports Of the Visitors.

" A<ANA NJ "Onn
Some Interesting Points from the Re.
ports Of the Visitors.
REV. MR.. PARsoN THINKS LITTLE GOOD BRRAl
WOULD BE BETTER THAN MUCH BAD BREAD
TOO MANY MEN FOR THE BUNKs-vARIori
CHANGES REcoMMExpHp.
The Commissioners have received the re
ports OF members Of the board of visitors o.
the Washington asylum and work house wht
made an examination of those institution
January 10. Mr. F. L. Moore in his report statei
that in the two buildings occupied as the col
ored male aims house they found the beds ant
bedding in a very dirty condition, consequent
upon the inadequate facilities for washing, there
being but nine wash tubs on the premises to dc
the washing for over $50 people. They recon-
mended an increase in tho laundry facilities
also that there should be some one in authority
placed in charge of the aged colored mems
quarters and that they no longer be left tc
manage their own affairs as best they can.
In the male work house, Mr.. Moore's report
says. they found bad state of things owing to
the great crowding of the prisoners as many az
sixteen being put into one room not over 16x2C
feet, and in other smaller rooms from nine to
twelve. The committee are of opinion that a
separate cell should be provided for each
prisoner as soon as possible.
THINKS THEY SHOULD BE SEPARATE.
Rev. W. E. Parson, in his report, urges the
desrability of making the aims house and
work house more distinct and separate. III
that cannot be done SO far as location is con.
cerned, he writes, lit ought to be done with
respect to organization and mode of govern
ment There are frequent instances of cross
purpose and conflict owing to their proximity.
The classes included in the two institutions
are wholly distinct, one being criminal and the
dependent.
The best thing that could be done here,
says MIR. Parson, referring to the female work
house, would be to devise some way by which
10 make this an actual work house for the
inmates. The committee took steps to give
employment to more of the women and girls
by recommending that additional tubs be
placed in the laundry. They also found the
sheets and pillows in the old mems quarters in
such filthy condition that they ordered a
change more frequently. In this way the clean
Illness OF the place will be promoted and the
work increased"
GREAT WASTE OF BREAD.
complaint was made, and justly, as to the
quality OF the bread served Evidently the
inmates do not eat the bread. 1t was scattered
about the building. On the roof of the ad-
Joining building l counted twenty-five or thirty
large pieces, Notwithstanding tie notice in the
regulations: 'Eatables left over are to be
placed In boxes for removal The attention of
the lntendant and of the baker was called to
the matter. 1t would seem that much smaller
amount OF good, sweet bread which could
be eaten, would be better than such
large, quantities of kind that is
In my judgment, and from the testimony of
some OF the employees, nearly one-third the
wheat bread and one-half the corn bread is
now wasted. The -four was examined and
seemed to be clean and sweet so that there is
no reason why the bread should not be light
ana nourlshlng. The distlnce of this building
from the general cook house is one of the
points OF disadvantage in combining the two
institutions. In the nature of things it is i'm
possible to serve the food hot The dinner
was hauled down i'll an open cart while we were
there. The soup, carried in bulk, was still
warm and OF good quality, but the meat and
potatoes had grown cold.
sPoNGINa ON THE DISTRICT.
"one custom among those who come to this
place." Mr.. Parson remarks, fought to be
broken up, viz, the sponging from the institu-
ton OF as much wearing apparel as possible.
woman comes III for fifteen days with
a falrly decent pair of shoes. She
olscaros them, and at the end of fifteen
days Is provided with a new pair. Some of the
friends OF those arrested will go to the
Pohce Court and take away their shoes.
so that they come here barefooted in the
van. All such tricks are soon learned by the
vagrant and ought to be broken up by compel
ling the short-termed occupants, who have had
no chance to wear out their clothing in work.
to go out about as they came in Certainly the
city cannot afford to clothe these people.
They might AZ well try to fill a sieve. One
woman We saw was out one day with good
IT q haGo and Al
nothing on to speak Of
III the slngle-cell system could be adopted.
80 as TO break up the sociability of the place
and the opportunity for tattle and scandal if
more work could be provided, SO as to give the
women constant employment with fixed hours,
and III little while the picnic feature of the
place would disappear 1t would be less Joke
IN the city to be up for sixty"
SIXTEEN MEN IN TWELVE BUNKs.
referring to the mems work house, Rev. Mr..
farson says: las at present occupied. it is a
proper subject of investigation for the humane
society. The rooms are small, and instead of
the IDEAL arrangement. already referred to. one
person III each cell. for good morals and good
there are crowded into one
small room SIX, nine. twelve. and, in one case.
sixteen men. 1t Is a blot on the city and a
shame to our civilization. Only twelve
hunks and sixteen men to occupy them,
The hunks are in three tiers, and
the attendants say they try never to double mn
on the top tier, as the air would be too fouI
The men occupy these hunks chiefly at night.
and yet in the middle of the day we found
groups of eight and ten lying about on the
beds in one cell, smoking, reading. talking
and comparing notes of former experiences
One cell with nine hunks had in it eleven
men. One with nine hunks had ten men
One with twelve hunks had sixteen men. The
crying wrong is not only in the overcrowdinp
beyond the apparent bunk accommodation.
but IN the fatal mistake of the first plan, which
proposes only a room that you can reach across
with hands outstretched for the sleepinp ac
commodation of twelve men. As one of the
attendants remarked the air in the morning
is enough to knock you down as you come to
the door, l noticed that in recent yisita.
ton to the work house made by the grand
july they call attention to the same fact i'm
very strong terms. would recommend good
man to be placed i'll charge of this work house.
with powers and duties similar to those of Mr.
Graham Ill the female work house."
MIR. Parson urges the appointment of a gen.
eral overseer for the male work house and that
provision be made elsewhere for the work
house, leaving the present establishment en-
tirely to the dependent poor.
THE RAILROAD PROBLEM.