Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-01-11
IN THE NEW HOME
aY SUPERVISORS AND GUESTS
Pleasant Meeting Held In the New
County Homs-Rspors OF the Com
msffee and Mr. Maynasd's Poem.

Yesterday ths new county home was
formally dedicated. The board Of
supervisors and the invited guests
drove out to the building in the morn
ing. Slehol ID. Emmons, chairman OF
the poor-house building COMMITTEES.
had the party in charge. Mr.. and Mrs
Macarthur we're waiting to receive the
guesrs. and everything about the build
ing shone. The new home Was thor
oughly inspected by the board OF
supervisors and the guests, after which
Mr.. and Mrs Macarthur rendered them
. banquet. The board then held an in
formal session, ~ which Chairman
Paige presided. Mr.. Emmons present
ed the following report to the board:
Report OF Commistes.
Mr.. Chairman and Gentlemen Of the
Board Of Supervisors: Your committee
on poor house building has invited you
out here today to look over the work
that your committee has had IN charge.
Perhaps snort review of the labor
that your committee nas done will not
TO out Of place At this time. Your
committee was appointed at session
Of the board In April, 1891. Ii held It's
first meeting May 4, 1891, At the county
superintendent OF the poor's Office IN
the old county building. At that meet
ing u decided 10 VISIT some of the in
situations OF this state. IL visited the
poor houses of Kalamazoo, Ann Arbor,
Wayne and Monroe, when at tnar
time were called the best in this state
On It's return 10 Grand Rapids the
question Was asked: "WhaI shall We
dos' Dir. Kinney replied that we
should have TO ask the people of Kent
county 10 give US $4,000 or $50. 900
more money. Giving as his reasons
that from what the committee had
learned IN the last four days IT could
never build sucn building as was
needed to supply the needs or demands
of Kent county for the appropriation
OF $4,000. The committee advertised
for preliminary plans for building to
cost go, COO and 10 accommodate 200
inmates. At the June session of the
board N 1891. the committee submitted
the plans prepared by A. w. Rush &
Sons, which were adopted By the board.
The board gave the committee the
privilege To make MINOR changee.
also requiring II TO put on slate roof
instead OF shingles, and your commit
tee Was authorized to advertise for
bids to erect the building. Bids were
received from several contractors and
builders, which were all above the
amount OF the appropriation by the
people. The board at the October ses-
sion, 1891, authorized your committee
10 proceed with the building, either by
contract or otherwise, rs II deemed best.
il spent several days figuring with con-
tractors and succeeded in letting the
contract to Jacob Barth & Sons to DO
the carpenter work and Mr.. Keepeta
g. do the mason work, the county TO
furnish the brick.
The excavating was done by DAY
work. IN the fall of 1891. Tue contract
for the erection aad completion of the
building were all made 30 that the
work OF building could be commenced
the tirst of April, 1892. The work has
been pushed forward as rapidly as pos
sihie under the circumstances.
Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen: Your
are today IN the best home for the
poor and unfortunates in the state of
Michigan. You have building that
II y u had delayed SIX months longer
before you built. 10 would nave cost the
taxpayer OF this eounty$l0, OO0Or 81 900
more tnan this building has cost. Your
home for the poor - the best arranged,
the most commodi0us.t the best equipped
Tor me purpose for which il was built
Of any OF its elass IN the state. BAR.
CHAIRMAN aud Gentlemen: We are IN
dehted To the architects. \. III. Rush &
sons, for their care IN the drawings OF
the plans tor this huilding Your COM
inlttee nss found hum always ready and
wiling TO assis. IN their work. 1t mas
found him TO be an architect VINO
knows what should De done and now
Ia do 10. Mr.. Rush, the committee
would here thank you for your cur
te-y and counsel during the work of
building tins buud ing. To YOU the
PEG " OF this county may well be
ths NIX oil. that you drew the plaus and
speeIEcatoDs so we'll.
Mr.. Hogadone aud Mr. kinney. my
associates on this committee, are men
of honesty and integrity. They have
been always ready to do what IN their
judgment they thought was for the
best interest of the county. Your COM
ulittee has worked IN harmony through
siif bHlsutHE VI tEt- buituluS- III there
are any mistakes made, we are equally
10 blame, for we have eacn of US tried
to DO our work well and to the best of
our ability and judgment. The result
of our labor you see in this building,
which We have chrIstened the Kent
County Home.
other Exercises
After the close OF Mr.. Emmons' brief
address. X. A. Maynard read q poem
written Tor the OCCASION. Short speechs 3
were made by the following: John T..
Gould, r b. Looms. l.. A. Solomon,
Freeman LatnrOp. William Moerdyke,
T. Macarthur. .. I. Watkins. II. A.
Maynard, +. C. Woodwork, John
Aesdisy, Mr.. Munshaw, William ID.
Frost, Fremont Sseels, John Rumey.
Charles Hogsdone, George T.. Cogshall,
e. y. Hyde, Charles stebbins, NJ. J.
Jirlch, Mr. Warner aud A. w. Mech
All Of them psid high tribute to the
committee. and the Older members ex-
pressed due thanks that they bad been
able 81 i've 20 see Kent county IN pos
Session OF modern, thoroughly
equipped county house. A vote OF
thanks vas rendered to Mr.. and Mrs.
MeArtnar, and the party returned t.
tne city.
Other invited guests present are A.
follows: Mr.. and Mrs. Lyman McGrath.
Miss styles, Mr.. and Mrs. J. Fiannerv
xf.s.sr~tt L.