Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-12-06
ALLEGHENY PAUPERS
Have Only 81 Acres, but Do Not Com.
plain for Want of Space.
EXPERIENCE WORKS DIFFERENTLY
Allegheny Gets Less Land, While Chief
Elliot Wants More.
A COMPARISON THAT MAY BE ODIoUs

Just about four miles down the Alle-
gheny from the Alexander farm, on the op-
posite side of the river, 251 paupers from
the city of Allegheny live in peace and
plenty on 81 acres of land and have never
yet been heard to complain for want of
work. Only rs acres of the land is tillable,
the rest being rough woodland. The farm
adjoins the Workhouse and is recognized
throughout the State as being well con-
Quoted both in economy for the city and the
care of the inmates. The farm used previous to
the purchase of the present one was
situated where Millvale borough now is,
and contained 1863 acres. 1t was purchased
in 1874 for $12, 900, and was sold in lots in
1872 and '73. In the latter year the present
farm was bought.
As will be noticed, it is smaller than the
one vacated, but experience unlike that Of
Pittsburg's Chief, taught the officials inAlle-
gheny that it was not necessary to furnish
each pauper with little farm of his own. The
price paid for the land was 5000 per acre,
but it is especially valuable on account of
its fertility and close proximity to the city.
Major Hunker is the Superintendent. In
speaking of the manner in which the farm
is conducted, he said:
Good Results From Small Farm.
''The insane inmates are the only ones
that are usually able to work. We have
113 of them, So of whom are men. They are
divided into two classes, the regular insane
and the intermediate. The majority are
violent at times and the others are not re-
quired to work all the day, so that there are
rarely more than Is on duty at once They
do all the work on the farm, build fence and
make repairs in winter and are never out of
employment. We are not required to buy
any farm products except grain, We
have IA cows and five horses.
About 1900 bushels of potatoes
are raised each year and nearly 1900
heads of cabbage. The buildings and i'm
provements are estimated as being worth
$500, ,000 the greater part of the work on
which was done by the inmates. If had
some of the soil each year. As 1t is, only
about five acres can be rested each year. I
would like to have about so acres more. In
the East they claim that an acre is needed
for each pauper"
Thomas Wightman, a member of the
Board of Directors of the Reform School at
Morganza, does not think it necessary for
Pittsburg to have a big Poor Farm, but
says it would be very convenient. At Nor
ganza. he says, they have 500 acres and
usually about 500 inmates 1t would be
better, he thought, to be located on the
river bank, but not a necessity.
Brunots Island the Latest Site.
The last Poor Farm site suggested, but
not by the Department of Public Charities
though, is Brunot Island. 1t has the river
front stipulated. In fact the river extends
all around the island and at the lower end
the depth of the water is greater than re-
quired by any vessel ever known, not ex-
cepting Noah's Ark.
Whether the fact that the island being a
part of Allegheny City would be fatal or
otherwise to the project does not appear to
have been discussed or taken into consider
alton, but the cost Of the island would
probably be an insuperable objection. Then,
too, it is larger than needed. Some have
suggested part of Neville Island and
others again think that Davis Island would
be about the thing. The objections to it are
that it is below the dam and there is no
bridge connecting it with the main land,
also that at 34-foot stage of water the
boundaries of the island are rather circum.
scribed.