The record-union., 1891-11-06
THEY WILL TALK BACK.
The Ladies of the Orphan Asylum
Defend Themselves.
Mrs. Irvine Says the Managers Have
Done Their Best-The Board of
Health Criticised.

At a meeting of the City Board of
Health on Monday evening a resolution
was adopted (and published in the REC
ORD UNION to the effect that, whereas
the lady Managers of the Protestant Or
han Asylum had not corrected the sani-
tary condition of the so-called ''old
building" as they had been notified to
do, the Health Officer be directed to en-
force the recommendations of the Board
of Health, and if they were not immedi-
ately complied with, that he be instructed
to prohibit the further use of the build
ing as an asylum for children and arrest
the trustees for violating the sanitary or
dinances of the city.
Mrs. r. G. Irvine, Secretary of the
Board of Managers of the asylum, said to
REcoRD-uNIoN reporter yesterday, in
reference to the action of the Board of
Health:
These resolutions do the managers of
the asylum great injustice, and are calcu-
lated TO place them in false light before
the public. The facts of the case are
these: At the request of the managers of
the asylum, the Health officer, DIR. Mich
OILS, inspected the 'old building on Octo-
Der 9th last, and at that time notified them
that the building must be condemned and
the children removed.
AT meeting of the managers held on
that date, it was decided to tear down the
old building (in which, however, the
plumbing had some months before, un-
der the direction of DR.. Nichols, been en-
tirely disconnected and replace it with a
new one. Plans were prepared and sub
mltted, but at a special meeting held on
october 18th it was ascertained that the
cost OF the proposed improvements would
not be less than $1,000 or Sl2,0 600. The
board being without any reserve fund,
and being unwilling to mortgage the asy-
lum property for sum so greatly in ex-
cess OF even their most energetic and un-
tlrlng ehorts to repay, and which would
entail so great monthly outlay for in
terest, reluctantly abandoned the idea of
building anything except a kitchen, and
ordered the children removed to the new
building, thus Tacating the condemned
structure.
"A committee appointed at the same
meeting, to assist the matron III the re-
moval OF children, reported at the next
regular meeting as follows: 'We, the
committee appointed to have the nursery
children removed from the old building,
and TO make other necessary changes in
the household management, beg leave to
submit the following: The nursery chill
Y.
as directed, on October 10Th, and made as
comfortable as the limited space will
allow. We find that many of the beds in
the dormitories devoted to the older chill
dren have two occupants, to which fact
we desire to call the attention of the
board Signed by Mrs. A. c. Tufts, Mrs
c. w. Clarke and Mrs. T. L. Orcutt, COM
mittee.
'As will be seen by the foregoing, the
children were removed on October 10Th,
nearly two weeks before the passing of
the resolution Of the Board of Health.
The Office of DIR. Nichols was repeatedly
visited by both the President and Vice
President of the Board of Managers to
notify him of the compliance with his
instructions, but without being sue
cessful in finding him.
1T is greatly to be regretted that the
gentlemen in the Board of Health did not
take steps TO verify their information be-
fore passing resolutions condemning
those in charge of the Asylum. The Man
ayers of the Asylum labor untiringly,
and do their best with the limited means
at their disposal; and, while not ambi-
tious of public appreciation, feel that they
should at least not be unjustly accused"