Waterbury evening Democrat., 1892-04-29
vIsIT To TtE AIMS HoUsE.

VISIT 70 TIE ALMs HOUSE. Keeper Thonpson Enavnng Everythlng ii. .aood order Tor His sueeesssr Tho
 Position Is Not sinecare.
 A reporter onlnews intent yesterday | afternoon droveeout to the Waterbury | almshouse. Superintendent Thompson | was found at home. FirEt trip was taken around the country roads, which | the superintendent is supposed to keep in repair. They were all found in ex- cellent condition and stone larger than an egg could not be seen on the surface. The roads are to-day in better condition than ever before.
 Arriving back at the home the work of inspecting the quarters was com menced. It is not necessary to enter into a description of each nook and corner in the old building. Suffice it to say that from the clothes room, with its neatly arranged wearing apparel of the inmates, to the attic and back again to, the cellar, everything was found in good order.
 Why it is the position of superin- tendent is so much sought for is hard to understand. If the many claimants would first pay the place visit and examine carefully the work to be done, the position would go begging.
 Superintendent Thompson and his family were engaged removing their furniture to the city when the reporter Il arrived, and here was another surprise.
 The keeper has to furnish his own apartments in the house with carpets,
 bedding and whatever else he
 may need. He is compelled to act as doctor, and nurse, and some times the latter position is a trying one. | One practice that should be stopped is l the removal of sick patients to the
 almshouse. The hospital is the place
 for them. True, it may cost the town
 more money, but it will be saving in
 the end by preventing the spread of diseases.
 There have been some cases at the
 almshouse which should have been
 handled with great care. There have
 been diseases there, the names of which alone would cause even a physician to
 fear. Why is it, then, that a superln-
 tendent is compelled when he accepts
 that position to attend to these cases? What feeling takes possession of
 one, as passing through the various
 rooms he gazes upon the gray hairs and
 days are almost numbered. Perhaps
 they are the parents of a once happy
 family. Even now their children
 may be enjoying themselves, while
 they are left to die in the poorhouse Oh, if these relatives could but see the looks of despair, the wretched surround.
 ings, the humble cot on which these
 poor unfortunates are passing away
 their few days, they would soon change
 from feelings of contempt to those oi pity.
 There are to-day in the house eighty
 five inmates. This is a falling off oi
 about forty. Generally during thG winter months the average is about 125 To accommodate this number, bedf have to be placed in every conceivable nook and corner. Even the cells have are now five men and four women
 The man, Barry, who had his foo crushed few days ago, is among thu number. He is slowly recovering. Among the women is Mrs Corrigan Here is one of the saddest family his tories in Waterbury. At one time since the mother has been i'll, the who'll family were prisoners in the towl , house; one son for drunkenness; ano , ther suffering from delirium tremens; , daughter as street walker, and tn father for drunkenness. The father wa . put in charge of the son and acted a
 guard in his cell, where the son wa
 raging in the horrors.
 Another case which calls for investi
 gation is that of Mrs Begley. While tn 9 reporter was there a child of tn
 woman's, five months old, died. Tn t mother is slovenly, absolute womal @ other children. The husband is an able y bodied man and is said to be workin ,. every day.
 n Among the inmates are many wh
 have made the almshouse their hom B for ten years and more. There ar }, fifteen such peOble in the house now e There are two who have lived there fo
 thirty years, man and woman. Tn g man is now in his second childhood an is bids fair from his looks to live fev e more years. The woman is Elizabet l, Marigold, said to be an aunt of prom 'r nent official in a neighboring city. Sh
 entered the institution on March { IT 1862. She is now probably 62 years ol > and is an imbecile.
 l. A few in the house who are nea z, clean and trustworthy are allowed key 3, for their own rooms. Arthur Honor if is another inmate of the house, who hs A been there off and on for twelve years.
 A glance over the records of tn @ Ipresent superintendent shows that 31 n prisoners have been received since h d assumed charge. Of this number th h majority have served out their sentencC
 few have run away and the balanC B have had their fines paid or have dieC y The number of deaths in the past yes t has been thirty-six and of births twenty ,r The out buildings and farm are keT IT in good order, which speaks well for tt a retiring superintendent. Many in a provements have been made under h
 supervision, which were greatly needed l. Already four acres and one-hah al B. planted with potatoes and other veg al tables. A walk over the rye farl r. showed the site for the new buildin, 3 No better place could be selected an 7- when the cruciform building is erecte W and the grading complete there will | Ir no better town house in the state.
 st While passing through the lower pa " of the old building, Joe Northrop, tE d crazy colored man, was seen in one
 the cells. He is indeed demented an