Los Angeles herald., 1892-06-14
HOMES or UNFORTUNkTES,
The County Hospital and Poor
Farm.
A Trip of the Supervisors to Inspect
the Places.
Personnel of the Party-Improvements
ut the County Hospital-Every-
thing at the Poor Farm
Satisfactory.

Satisfactory.
Yesterday the supervisors and con-
tingent of newspaper men made tour
of inspection of the county hospital
and the Los Angeles county farm. In
the party were Supervisors Cook, Davis,
Perry and Forester; Editor Gardner Of
the Pasadena Star, Editor Harvey of
the Monrovia Messenger, Editor Jeffrey
of the Azusa Pomotropic, Editor Taylor
Of the Covina Argus, and Editor Wasson
of the Pomona Times; County Clerk
Ward, Clerk Knapp of the board OF
supervisors, General Rollins, DIR.
Brainerd and Recorder Kelly also went
along.
The party was driven to the county
hospital, which was inspected through
out. There is now plenty of room. an
additional ward having been recently
built at q cost of 10000. The hot
water capacity has been increased from
15O to 600 gallons. Gas has been put
in the three wards, which was q neces-
sary improvement, as there have been
several incipient fires due to lamps.
Seven reels of hose have been scat
tered around for protection from
fire. The dining room has also
been enlarged. The old trees
have been taken out from in front of the
new ward and a park has been COM
menced. An operating room has also
been fixed up. This is much-needed
improvement and one that is highly ap-
preciated by DR.. Brainerd. The CROWN
ing improvement Of all is the fixing up
of four rooms for insane people. Here
tof0re these unfortunates have been
carted all over the city, owing to a con-
hict between the city and county OFF,
cials, and it is notorious fact that they
never have had proper treatment, prin-
cipally because there was no fit place
for them at either the city prison or
county iail. It will be different in the
future, and all persons afflicted with
insanity will be taken to the county hos
pital pending examination.
Supervisor Cook 10 chairman OF the
hospital committee, and much has been
accomplished by that committee in the
way of necessary improvements. The
expenses per diem of each patient 10 66
cents. There are now lao patients ct
the hospital. .a as w f .ss
The party was next driven to the
Terminal depot where there was train
in waiting to take them to the Los An
geles county poor farm. The Terminal
road touches the farm on the southeast
corner, which is two miles south OF
Downey. Supervisor Davis is chairman
of the county farm board and he did the
konors. There are liz acres in the
farm, seventy of which is first-class
land. Three thousand orange trees
have been planted, thirty-fve acres be-
ing devoted to the citrus fruit. Twenty
five acres have been put in alfalfa, ten
in deciduous fruit and eight in vegeta-
bles. An inspection was made OF the
entire place. There are four brick build
ings. two brick dormitories. The Kitchen
and dining room are one-story brick.
All these buildings are 4Ox6O feet. The
three-story brick building is used
for a pharmacy, Office and res
idence of the superintendent.
All these buildings front on an
open court about 100 feet square in the
center of which is fountain which is
surrounded with bluegrass and flowers.
A plaza has been laid out in front. The
lawn is az we'll kept az any in Los An
geles. Quite number of ornamental
trees have been set out, and the visitors
were we'll pleased with what they saw.
There is also large cattle barn, capable
OF storing seventy-five tons of hay, and
a horse barn. Both these are well kept.
The buildings are painted red, trimmed
with white, and present very neat ap-
pearance. At the present there are 100
hogs on the farm. and seven head of
horses. The chicken yard covers two
acres. There are 400 fowls of the best
breeds. There is lusty growth of
cyprus trees, and eucalyptus trees have
been set all around to act as q wind
break.
There are now 12O men, principally
old men and cripples. They do pretty
much all the work done, although
there are quite number who are not
able to do much work. The paid men
at the farm are: Superintendent and
physician, 5000 per month; book-keeper
and steward, $50 per month; cook, $50
per month, and head farmer, $50 per
month. The cost to the county for each
man at the farm lie 36 cents day. 1t is
anticipated that the farm will be self
sustaining in three years.
D. - = --- NJ