Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1895-10-11
THE COUNTY POOR FARM
A Model OF Neatness and Order.

representative of this paper visited tn,
county poor farm recently IN company
with the superintendents OF the poor. The
farm Is one of the model farms of the county
ana as 10 it, fertility the reader can Judge
from the fact that this year the soil yielded
$50 bushels of wheat, 200 bushels of oats
80 bushels of potatoes. 1000 bushels OF
roots, 800 bushels Of corn lin the ear. lOO
bushels of mammoth onions Il ON seed,
100 bushels of beets, 300 bushels of carrots
and large yield of hay.
The farm consists of 100 acres, situated
one and one half miles south of Ithaca, and
Is IN charge of Jerry Davis, who with his ex-
cellent wife has looked after the unfortu-
mates of the county for the past twelve years
There are on the farm three horses (belong-
Ing to Mr.. Davis, IL head OF cattle, 33 nogs,
10 sheep and six milch cows, Besides these,
Mr.. Davis has this year raised 100 turkeys
and POO chickens. All the pork. beef and
mutton needed for the inmates cat present
numbering 81 Is raised on the farm: the
butter Il all made IN the dairy under Mrs.
Davis careful supervision, and the many
eggs needed for so large a family are fur
nished by the fowls raised by Mrs. Davis.
There have been expended for improve
ments the past year something over 800.
These improvements include a substantial
stone wall under the wooden part of the
house, cistern holding 100 barrels, a new
furnace OF the most approved manufacture.
a new ice house IL "a. erected at cost of
500, capable of holding 1875 tons of ice, and
having refrigerator in connection. Mr.
DAVIS says that the ice house and refrigera-
tor have more than paid for themselves In
the past year. Beside the improvements
named ne| drains have been put in, at a cost
of about 800, and wire fencing placed, at |
cost of s5i. There have been five acres of |
swat cleaned up, and eight acres of new /
ground cleared and cropped
The entire farm is in most excellent con-
dition. portion of the farm few years
ago was under water, but has been drained
and cared for by Mr.. Davis, until now it is
he most productive part of the farm. The
barns and other out buildings are all in ex-
'ellent repair.
In the house, under the careful supervision
IF Mrs. Davis, order and cleanliness are no.
lceable IN every room. rhe rooms are COM
ortably warmed by the new furnace. The
Iormltorles for the women are plainly but
furnished and scrupulously
lean. The inmates display an innate love
or the beautiful and ornameutation, and the
walls are covered with prints, paper, flowers,
tc., that speak silently and pathetically of
appier days.
The women all seem quietly content with
heir surroundings. and their appearance
hows the matronly care bestowed upon
hem by Mrs. Davis. Among the women is
Old Maggie" colored woman ninety
ears old, who has been an inmate of the
ouse for 22 years. She is cheerful, and will
-ep out on the floor and dance jig or a
with the agility of girl of 10.
18th one exception the women are remark
bly, well. This one exception is woman,
OF old, who has been there for II years, and
slowly dying of consumption. Another
innate of the woman's ward is a dwarf, ~ Il
ears, but despite her dminunve stature is
,ry active and almost Indispensable about V
e kitchen.
visit to the dairy, in which Mrs. Davis h
kes such commendahle pride, was not the 81
asst enjoyable part Of the visit Here are
Tvs on rows of shining pans of milk and q
cam and lars of golden butter, besides a,
Irrels of pickles, POO cans of fruit and
asses of Jelly and preserves
In the mems ward the same order and i
eanllness are noticeable. The domitories m
. well Kept, and providing the necessarle-
he mon, like the women, are comfortably
"a ceanly clad. One or two of the men m
G not well, but the rest seem to enjoy life ~
much a. II l. possible for persons so in
rtunate TO do. One man i. and mas been , ,
years, mildly insane. At intervals he be- Ol
mes unruly, and for a time il i necessary "
put shackles on him, and he was IN this
ndition when seen by the writer.
imong the inmates there are three, two w.
y and little girl, who properly belong VI
the school for feeble minded at Lapeer
lie of the boys Il about % years old, and la
Z other about 10 years of age The girl is 49,,
Is about four years old, and in the same al
rd with her i woman. an epileptc
Mr.. ana Davis are the right persons in the 20
ht place. Both have cheerful and happy ma
positions, ana win and keep the confidence
love OF their charges. Kind and gentle
manner, they are at the same time thor EN
5h dlsclpl'narians, and for this reason oil
re l. never any trouble among the in
ties. The supervisors of the county acted
ely when they selected Mr.. and Mrs. en-
Wis a. manager aud matron, and the best 10
crest OF the county As well a. the welfare
the unfortunates, demand thatthey be
aimed IN their positions rs long as they tor
remain. WI