The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-10-28
How the County Cares for Its
Unfortunates.
THE NEW ALmsHousE BUILDING.
Solid Yireproof Structure Providing for
All Seeds-Ths Farm Almost
self-sastaining-

% CULTIVATION and by continuance OF the
present careful management IL is hoped
that in time the proceeds OF the farm viii
make the almshouse sufficiently selfsns-
tanning that the taxpayers wih scarcely
notice the small expenditure necessary 70
meet raining expenses As IL now
stands the farm produces all its own
vegetables, meat, etc. and leaves margin
for the sale of milk. butter, eggs,
all kinds of fruit from a large or
chard, hay. alfalfa and vegetables.
Since the present management has taken
charge the produetiveness of the farm has
been materially increased and many econ
onlies have been instituted never before
thought Of or practiced. The unfortunate
patients are accorded all the care and at
tention possible and the institution is
more like frss-class hospital than an
aImshouss, the only suggestion 10 the con-
trary being the name and the knowledge
that II is maintained at the expense Of
the taxpayers.
The building of the present almshouss
became necessary owing 10 the over
crowded condition of the old building. A
year ago there was an average of about
seventy patients in the hospital and the
accommodations were so meager that some
OF the unfortunate beings were housed in
outhouses and il was impossible TO keep
the male and female inmates IN separate
quarters. The old hospital being con-
structed of wood and as dry as finder
box, was continually in imminent danger
OF being burned, anu in such an event the
loss of life would necessarily have been
great: the blind. lame and sick would have
been cremated in their rooms with abso-
iussly no hope of escape These aud many
other causes led the commissioners to the
wise conclusion that large. freproof
building was necessary, and one was built
which is credit 10 the county and the
board of commissioners.
The present almshouse Is of brick and
steel, three stories high. contains seventy
five rooms and Is capable OF properly hous-
ing 200 or more patients. The wards are
SO arranged that the consumptivs patients
are kept apart. In the surgical ward are
kept only such as are suffering from acct
dents necesstating amputation, etc. The
old, the blind and the crippled are also
separated from those suffering from other
ailments TO which flesh is heir. Besides
the wards are other rooms, all twelve feet
high, capable of holding from two 10 five
beds, each patient sleeping alone. The
women are separated from the men, their
ward being in distant part of
the hospital. Special care has been
taken TO have the hospital thoroughly
ventilated. The building is heated by
steam, and steam also forces the foul air
from the wards TO the roof by q system of
fues, while in each ward is q large fire.
place intended for use in case anything
should happen to the steam-heating plant.
which materially aids proper ventilation.
All of the bedsteads In the wards where
contagious diseases are treated are of
iron, thus giving no Judgment for germs.
The building is freproof. the floors are of
of cement, the stairways OF iron. the walls
of thing. plsstered; the roof of thing, and
instead of rafters there are steel girders.
The doors and window sills only are
wood. and so small are the chances of fire
gaining Roadway that IL has been deemed
entirely safe 10 carry no insurance on the
premises.
In admitting patients 10 the hospital
great care is exercised that none but worthy
persons receive the benefits OF the instiiu-
ton. As might be expected, the general
run of the applicants for charity are
unclean when they arrive at the hospital,
and the frat treatment is n heroic one
the patient is required 10 take bath.
This year there are not as many patients
as a year ago for the last nine months the
the average number OF patients being
sixty-seven and two-ninths. According
to the system adopted By DR.. Whiting.
the physician and superintendent in
charge, as soon as a patient is GONZALES
cent he is expected to do such work for his
maintenance as he is able. The GONZALES
cent is turned over to Assistant Superln-
tendent A. A. Osborn, who assigns him to
certain work, either about the hospital or
on the farm, in the latter case the
patient being given WORK under the
instructions of Outside Foreman A w.
Parkhurst. In this manner nearly
all the ordinary, everyday work about
the place is done by the patients at little
or no expense TO the county. One of the
patients saws ana splits ali the wood nee
essary for use. Others dig potatoes, harvest
the grain erop. pick apples. pears and
other fruit, look after the horses. cattle
etc One man who at one time WAS
patient 10 now employed as engineer, look
ing after the steam-heating apparatus,
pumps, etc. 81 a salary OF SO per month.
Another ex-patisnt is employed as fore
man OF the dairy az Ike salary. and both
accepiably iii positions that would other
wise cost the county $50 or $50 each A
good many men Who, though in health,
are out of work and need money with
which TO support their families, are gwen
employment on the farm, receiving pay at
the rate OF 81 per day; thus they are not
heiped bat give the county value re-
eeived.
A good many Of the patients arrive az
the hospital physical wrecks. but under
the intelligent treatment Of Dr. Whiting.
and careful nursing from = corps OF EN-
eaeat nurses. they regain thelE health,
and. While convalexciag paw for their a.
sention BIZ such manual or clerical labor
IS they are able TO perform. IL wiil be in
tsresuag 10 know that Il now costs less
than s. per month psr patient nc.ating
medicine, board and clothing. Wnen a
patient arrives his clothes are eleansed
and mended, and. If he dies, they are
saved and given 20 others In this war.
and by donations, ths superintendent has
collected large amount Of clothing
which, being huaR up in the store rooms.
gives the plGes the appearance OF . tailor
shop. Amoag ths n&ay economical re-
forms inSaguratea BY the preseat manage
fnens nav bs mentioned ihe system Of
huying meat Heretofore 1t has been the
custorn 30 sell To the butchers the beef
produced and then. By g contract arrange
fuent. bay from other batehsFs the nseas
supplies Dr. Waiting now keeps the
besf GA TIE farm, has the Strengthening
done for the hide and off4!, and thus saves
80 the county from SO 20 SIS on each besf
Ii there are mere 5esvss than can he ussd,
then. 81 course. they are sold And the