The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-04-18
TO BOARD At POOR HOUSE
Novel Arrangement Made BY Nest
Side Beneficial Society.
PREVENTS HIS BEING APAUPER
Many Cases Of Suffering Resulting from
Desertion Como Before the Poor
Board-An Old Darkey's Pa
thetic Appeal for Aid.


a paid inmate at the poor house. He
was admitted yesterday by order of the
poor board on motion of President
Langstaff, who explained that the man
who Is aged and feeble has no relatives
to care for him and Is dependent upon
West Side beneficial society for sub
sistence. The society was willing to
provide for him. but the old man
thought 1t was too much to expect ana
concluded to go to the poor house. The
society was not willing that one of Its
members should be a common pauper
and offered to pay for his keeping at
the farm. This Is the only instance
known to any Of the directors or Of
ficers. where a persons board and keep
ing has been paid for at a poor house.
The price Of board was fixed at $l.75
per week.
Desertion was the cause of nearly all
the poverty that had to be relieved at
yesterdays meeting. There were two
women who were deserted by their hus-
bands one mother who could not find
the father of her three-months-old
babe. and one child whose father ran
away and left her after his wife died.
The little one was brought before the
board by her grand parents, Mr.. and
Mrs. Leonard Simerson, of Providence.
Their daughter was the mother of the
little girl and when the mother died
they took the little one under their
care. The father whose name was
Shear, was never any too good to the
child. and when a few. months ago he
deserted her the grandparents were
Overjoyed for this gave them what they
had long sought for. the full care and
training of their little grand daughter.
Yesterday when the story was relat-
ed to the board there was no hesitency
on the part Of the members in indentur-
ing the child to the grand parents. The
old couple walked out of the meeting
room leading their little charge be-
tween them and wearing happy smiles.
RELIC OF WAR.
The sentiments of the pathetic
"Suawnee River" We're brought to
mind by an old darkey who came be-
fore the board asking for money to
take him back to South Carolina, that
he might die in his old home. He
owns small patch of ground and a
little cottage near Thoma svile in Dav
idson county. where his old father, now
| a nOnogenerian, still ives, and when
all his folks gathered and settled af-
| ter being set free. He has seven broth
ers and five sisters buried there and
as the doctors here tell him that his
days are few 1t Is his wish that he
might get home before he dies so that
he may be buried with them.
He came north about four years ago
with a contractor named Conway, who
was then building a section of the
| Wilkes Barre and Eastern railroad in
the vicinity Of Avoca. His health
broke down and he had to give up the
1 h nrI fn Nft ttn
a time he secured work with Dunn
Bros. and later with the Asphalt COM
pany, with whom he worked until last
| December, when he was stricken with
pneumonia and had to be sent to the
Lackawanna hospital. He was dis
charged few days ago cured of pneu-
monla, but marked for a consumptive's
grave. He was told that he had not
long to live end resolved to make an
effort to get back to his home before the
end came. The board partly through
sympathy for the poor darkey and
partly because 1t will be cheaper to pay
his way home than to bury him voted
to give him transportation. Director
Fuller bought the ticket for him, and
today he will start for Dixie.
The home committee was authorized
to engage landscape gardener to lay
out the Hillside grounds. and was also
directed to advertise for proposals for
an electric plant at the farm.
PRICE OF PRESCRIPTIONS.
Mr.. Shotten. after calling attention
to the wide difference In the price of
prescriptions and the abuse of the privi-
lege Of having a prescription refilled,
introduced resolution making it obli-
gatory for druggists doing business
with the district to write the price of
the medicine on the original prescrip-
ton and forbidding them from refilling
the prescription without written order
from the outdoor physicians.
The two Ellis children, whose par
ents parted last summer and left them
at the Home for the Friendless were ac-
cepted as charges on the district and
will be indentured If homes can be
found for them, their parents having
ceased to pay for their support. The
father of the children sat. In the rear of
the room during this proceeding.
John Mickus, aged II, and Charles
Mickus, aged 3. children of the man
who was murdered March II, We're in
dentured to st. Patrick's orphan
| aSylum.