Telegram-herald., 1891-03-06
POWDER MAGAZINE
STOCK BETTER HOUSED rHn MEN
The fress Representatives Wait sss rsss
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The weather MAS very nns. and the
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lhe eratlef ~As vefy Uhes ana TIE
trap pleasant oae-
AZ le:So .. IA. yesterday, at The lnvlt-
alton of the County Building Commit
tee, there assembled at the cesniy
superintendent II she poor's oaiee
representatives Of the tive daily papers,
the Workman and the Germans, for
tue purpose of making q trip 10 the
county poor house and farm. Three
carriages were IN waiting, anc besides
the seven newspaper men Supervisors
Benlamin and sohermerhorn, OF the
Building Committee. and saprrlntend-
eats OF the Poor Meach and Lspkssler
made up the party
As nearly everyone hereabouts is
well aware. the poor farm is situated
about seyen miles southeast OF the
city. The drive occupied nearly or
quite sn hoar, hence when the party
arrived II wac nearly noon.
The Inmates Were Seen al Dinner
And a curious sight i was 20 those TN
accustomed 10 such scenes, There was
plenty Of wholesome food for everyone.
although no particular regularity about
''the courses" Was observed. There
was soup 10 commence with, bean
soup-snd plenty Of crackers. potatoes,
meat, good bread, cut Ia liberal slices.
and boiled rice for desert. No inmate
would have been charged with any
crime either against the established
rules Of etiquette or otherwise. did that
individual choose 10 eat desert before
soup or vice versa, but there was food
for all, ana plenty of IL.
For fancy linen was substituted OIL
cloth coverings on the tables, but every
thing seemed clean and neat, and was
partaken OF with apparent relish.
In the residence part of the house
the party was soon invited TO dinner.
This Was soon ever and a tour of IN
spection started. The building was
evidently once farm house OF not
large dimensions snd additions from
time 10 time nave been made until new
the building Is
Fun OF L-obynsthian ways
tha, would easily confuse . stranger.
An effort is made TO keep the male and
female departments separate from each
other but the construction of the build
ing j. such that this cannot be done as
II should be.
moi handsome, does not present bad
sa~
is easily discernihle but the numerous
additions that have been made gives
the pile a hideous appearance, relieved
somewhat by good covering Of paint.
IL is tins coat o. paint that deceIves the
eye and makes the farmer think az he
drives by, 'that house ~ as good as
mine and I'll not help build o new
house for the county's poor until / can
build one for myself." A closer er-
animation on the lnside would con-
vince that same farmer or any other
person that Kent county 10 In sore need
The walks, windows, doors and peti-
tons are in bad shape. The floors are
unsteady and the press men were IN
formed that the
siiis md sieepers Were Ro,ted Away,
So that repairs were next 10 impossible
without great expense. The building u
heated WITH wood stoves throughout,
and the pipes 60 through floors and
walls IN a way that would make super
intendent Lemon very nervous
In the danger Of FIRE laws the greatest
need OF action. There are now fifty
seven inmates, weak minded and old
people for the most part, who IN case Of
fire would fall easy victims 20 bolo-
caust. The place would burn Ike
powder magazine. Ia tis old, dry and
rotten. There have been IN recent
years too many victims OF fre IN poor
houses OF the State: Kent county should
be warned in time and not add another
TO the iist. Evefything about the place
Is kept in az good shape g. possible, but
IL is not easy TO avert all danger. Mr..
and Mrs Mckrtbnr. who have charge cf
the farm and iBmstes.
Deserve Much Credit for Their Good Care
OF everything and uniform kindness
10 all. After inspecting the house tae
party was invited 10 the barn 10 view
the buildings and the stock. Ia th.s
t1-f tbf t't@-t AtfeA AffN II
served for the lsst. ] be barn bears n
large figures 1856, s3d u n good buid-
Ing n good condition. Horses, cattle
and hogs looked fat. sleek and healthy.
and 4 was indeed a relief 70 look upon
these animals n comfort and content
msBt after passing an hour or more
with the human beings kept there.
There are two spans Of e1csileDt horses.
biooded cattle and srioe that any
thrifty farmer might envy. These
animals were oertsInly hsDdsoroef 10
look upon than the inmates of the
house. but II all men are brethren the
hearts or pockets OF the voters OF Kent
comfy should f,e touched. The stock
on the poor farm hardly ought to have
better quarters than the inmates. Yet
without FIRE the house would certainly
be less comfortable than the tarn.
supervisor benjamin furnished the
party figures showing TIE amount each
fsr-psyer woffld hsve t. besf Of the
proposed 81. 900. ysruned Of technical
terfns regarding valuation, per cent,
etc. A farmer whose property ~ as-
sessed ~ 9 .eDo would psv towards the
proposed new county houss II eents.
on ~ 90. = certs. and or other sssess-
1Bents n proportion. The question q
- bs susrnftse6 y popular vote st