Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-02-11
BOOKS IN BAD SHAPE.
CITY Accountant Makes Suggestion as 10
the System at The AlmshOuse.
NY RECORDS DESTROYED
IN Interesting session Of the COM
mittcc on Relief of the Po"r--'"
tracts for the Next auarter-'he
Coal Contract

Relief Of the Poor was heii az w.
almshouse last night. Present w.
Chairman Mcdowell and Messfs' biaNe'
nrock Donicayy. Ferriter, Noble se"S'
and sncad. Superintendent carter pre-
scented his report for the month Oh '"'"-
arv which showed that on the nrst OF
the vear there were 2iS inmates In the
.t,osho,,s. During the month there were
received q white men, ii white women
white chidren-totsl, q; coiored men,
~. coiored women. Z. colored children :.
,rotsl "a There were discharged during
that period 80 white and "A colored per-
ION. Deaths occurred at the institution
during January as follows: White men,
!, white women, L. colored men, 4 coiored
women. s: oolored children 1. Total lS
The total number OF inmates In the aims
house January 81, 1896, was 2IS, as com
Dared TO Isl on January 81, 1926.
Bills amounting TO sl,i9s.S on account
II the two almshouses. and H.2S15S on ac-
count of the outdoor poor were approved.
The committee then opened bids for
furnishing the department with supplies
for the next three months, and contracts
were awarded as follows:
TO A. Eichel. beef and lamb; TO {. W.
Antrim & Sons. lard 10 Kingan * Co.
bacon: 10 George r. King. -four. subject
10 the approval OF the Superintendent
10 q. ". Antrim & Sons rice; TO {. W.
Antrim d Sons, coffee; TO V. Hechlef
Brother vinegar: 10 r.. Garcin * W.
-sa2; TO X. +. Williams q Coz salt' 10
Savage. Beverage & Co. corn 10 lIN il
L. sutherland, oats, straw, browilseuia'
and shpstuff; TO Savage, Beverage
Co, hay; to w. T.. Seymour irish pota-
toes and butter; 10 w. II. Philips Co.,
shoes.
Messrs. Noble and Donleavy and Chair
man Mcdowell were appointed SUB
committee to advertise for bids Tor sup
plving the inmates OF the almshouses
with the clothing needed and TO award
The contracts for the same.
CAN GET COAL NOW.
Tho clerk read the resolution from the
CIV Council appropriating N,W0 TO be
expcnded by the Committee on Relief OF
the Poor in the purchase OF coal for the
moor of the city. Mr.. Noble called the
attention OF the body TO the fact that
tho chairman had made two efforts 10
have a called meeting Of the committed
10 sxpend this money, saying that ne had
received no notice Of either one of these
meetings. Neither call resulted In
quorum. A subcommittee. consisting OF
Nessrs. Soay, Snead, and Chairman Nc
bowel. were appointed to award the coal
contract
AR. Noble said that he had received
complaints from four men who haul WOOD
for the city. who stated that they inva~
riably got long ''hauls." Other drivers
,ppeared 20 get the "short hauls." Mr..
Noble asked for an explanation OF this
matter by Superintendent Carter, who
stated that the tickets were issued with
,nt discrimination. He could bring many
drivers before the committee who would
testify that they got long hauls.'
Mr.. Noble said that as a matter OF fact
he had had mentioned TO him the names Oh
two men who appeared TO get most or
the short hauls, and tnese drivers WIZ
named Carter
The Superintendent asserted that his
son-in-law was In the country and had
done no hauling for q long while and
that his son. another driver, had shared
just NJ the others had.
AFFAIRS OF THE ALMsHoUsE.
Here this subject dropped. and the
newiy-elected city accountant Captain
Carlton Mccarthy. made an interesting
and I'm some respects surprising statement
10 the committee. He said That ne had
been looking into the condition OF the
hooks OF the almshouse, and into the
general system Of accounts there, and he
appeared before the committee not TO lay
Il complaint but 90 offer few suggestions
for the future He said in the frs' place
there should be a uniform system Of pay
rolls in all the departments, and these
rolls should be signed by the employees
and the rolls made complete when the
warrants are presented to the Auditor.
Captain Mccarthy stated that he had
been able to find no inventory OF the sup
plies Of food and clothing on hand IN thf
institution. and did not believe that one
had been made in the history OF inc
s.mshouse. He impressed upon the com
Inlttee the need for an immediate in
vcntory and the starting OF new ana
proper set Of books. lie said that many
Of the old records had been destroyed
BOOKS IN BAD CONDITION.
sneaking OF the manner in which the
books had been kept, the accountant ssiu
that II was bad. and manifested great
degree OF negligence. He could not pos
sibiy make up a detailed statement OF the
receipts and disbursements OF the IN
stituton. There we're no vouchers 10
show where Tie articles had gone, or
how they had been used. Recently he
had inaugurated system showing what
was used In the institution each day.
This would show I'm detail all the things
purchased and issued. and the balance
on hand from day 20 day.
The accountant said the present plan
Of consolidating the offices OF superin-
tendent and steward was not good
one. and urged the committee TO have a
steward. who should attend to no other
duties but his own. and who should be
held 60 a strict accountability for every
thing placed in his charge. The super
iuiendenrs duties would require the time
az one man. IL they were properly looked
after Captain Mccarthy said that there
had been no systematically-kept cash
looks al the institution, and II was i'm
possible 10 tell the amounts received by
the superintendent for supplies or from
thc graves or sections in the cemetery.
Captain Mccarthy remarked upon the
fact that FOR many months there appear
Cd upon the books OF the Auditor the item
81 So for every two months for vegeta-
bes. lie could not see how the vegetables
Of the Institution could be exactly the
taine expense to the almshouse for months
ana months He observed that In one
month there had been paid SOL TO the out
eooF poor. while in another month the
rum Of Sli69 had been expended and
charged with the same account.
me accountant next called the atten-
ZION OF the committee 10 the fact there
was no facility IN the almshouse for pre-
serving the books and papers OF the aims
iesy.
SAFE AND A STEWARD.
Ai,ef some discussion touching the re-
marks OF Captain Mccarthy, Mr.. Blake |
moved mat subcommittee be appofnted |
70 pu'cnase an iron-safe. This was agreed /
70 ana 'ne chair appointed Messrs. Blake. |
's@s' anu Noble. members OF that body 1