Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1894-11-16

work that IS being done by the
Board of Public Charities for this
county. The following corstl
tute the members Of this board:
W. B. Shepard, g. L. Evans, and
DR.. K. billiard, the auxiliary
members are Mrs. Edward Wood,
and Mrs. w. D. Pruden.
"GENTELMEN:-I come before
you to-day in my official capacity
as a visitor Of the board OF Public
Charities for Chowau County. l
have recently made & visit of
inspection to the County Home,
the houses are clean, and in fair
condition to protect the inmates
against the hardshipa Of the win
ter, the drinking water is excel
lent, and the provision for wood
seems ample, but the sleeping
accommodations are mean and
insufficient, there IS not a bed
stead at the Home, the inmates
lying upon mattresses on the
bare floors, with ragged covering.
Permit me to respectfully offer
the following suggestions, viz.
Ist. That you order at once
one doz., iron single bed-steads,
similar to those used elsewhere
in hospitals, and charitable insti-
tutions. They will cost deliver
ed here about $500 each, they
are strong, durable,neat, sanitary,
and are not apt to be infested
with Vcrrnin.
end. That the home be sup
piled this winter with a nurse,
every inmate being at present. i'll
a helpless condition. During my
visit | met DR.. Winborne, the
physician OF the Home, and we
successfully amputated at the
knee joint the left leg of Major
Burke; he is now, and will be
for some time confined TO the
bed, and OH his account especial
1y will a nurse be necessary,
3rd. That the contract for
furnishing supplies to the Home
be let out to the lowest bidder by
the year, sealed bids only being
received. In this way much
could be economical. This is the
method adopted by the Z. S.
Government in its Homes and
. Institutions.
4tb. That a regular diet table
be made out, and the keeper be
made to conform to it as i'll other
institutions, and that the keeper
be required to furnish the in.
mates With some canned Veget-
able or dried fruit at least once &
; week during the winter season.
Gentlemen, the poor at ou1
County Home are not cared fO1
III manner consistent with the
progress of the age. Public char
tiles, and all institutions for the
relief of the distressed, are the
peculiar Outgrowth and offspring
of Christianity, 10 other system
Of religion has originated them
they are the very capstones &c
our national character.
The driving of a single tear has more
Of honest fame, than shedding seas O
. gore
III my recent tour through the
North and West, | was struck
with the number and beauty O
their charitable institutions, anc
the completeness of their system
of public charities. North Caro-
, lima has not been i'll touch will
> the progress Of her sister state!
in this respect, but We are be
ginning to realize this, and til,
+ organization of the Board O
: Public Charities, virtually super
visors of the poor, was the frs
f great step i'll this direction
There has always been. and no
without reason, great Odium at
} taChed to the wOrd"Poor House,
and the unfortunateS, whom ne
cessity had driven to take refuge
there accepted ita5 a sort Of pena
serVitude, and degradation, the
inevitable heritage of misfortune
Gentlemen this should hot be so
a charity which inficts sucl
notifications, and discomfOrts
is worse than no charity at all
We should endeaVOr to make Oul
County Home at least comfort
able, and III a measure homelike
make it an asylum where the
worthy poor, the afflicted, and
the friendless can retreat, when
friends prove false, and the
world is under black eclipse.
there let them sigh out the even
| ing of life i'll comparative ease
and comfort.
While we are the 50 called
! Supervisors Of the poor, we have
not Within our reach the neces-
sary funds, the remedy therefore
for their relief comes only
through the channel OF your
magnanilnity and generosity.
The Holy Scriptures are full OF
fbeatitudes and promises to those
| who administer to the wants OF
| the poor and needy, l therefore
| admonish, and beg you in the
name of charity. as GOOD Citize,,c