New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-05-18
SHELTERED FROM STORMS.
WESTCHESTER's ALMSHOUSE A MODEL
OF ITS KIND.
CLEANLINESS AND COMFORT GOOD FOOD AND
CARE SOFTEN THE RIGoRs OF POVERTY FOR
THOSE WHO HAVE FAL.TERED IN
LIFE's JOURNEY

THOSE WHO HAVE FAI.TERED IN
IIFEs JOURNEY
To nine-tenths OF the citizens OF Westchester the
location of the county a.mshouse is problem
they have never attempted to solve. To the resi-
dents of the place the institution is In evidence
we-ordered community housed in a series OF con-
neced buildings OF considerable size, around which
are rs acres OF fine farmland any In the coun-
ty kept in an excellent state of cultivation
The almshouse is situated near the station on the
New-York and Putnam Railroad known East
View. a somewhat out-of-the-way hamlet in the
Neperan Valley. about miles east OF Tarrytown.
The farm connected with the institution takes in
portion of the bottom lands OF the va-ey and Is
ntersected by the placid waters OF the Neperan, or
Saw Nj. River. In every direction the view is
rural and pleasant. we-ordered farmland or wooded
hills meeting the eye on all sides.
The a.mshouse proper consists of main build
ing built in 1884, at the time the institution was
first established here 1t Is three-sory and base
ment house of considerable size. built of dark-col-
ored native stone with no pretensons to architect
ural beauty whatever. To this building NUMBER
OF additions have been made from time to time,
each addition varying in style from the other. thus
forming an homogeneous whole that may suggest
plenty of room but certainly lacks symmetry OF de-
sign. Probably the several architects thought any
thing would do for poorhOuse Several buildings
that stand apart from the main house, especially the
laundry, built during superintendent ESSeI iiSI
term OF office 1891 exceptions to this crlt-
cism and are good and substantially DULL sruct-
ures.
In going through the institution the visitor is frst
shown the spacious offices OF the superintendent
and keeper in the Original building. Then follow
the parlor and guest chamber. The mems DOR
mltorics are shown next. where everything IS kept
SPONTANEOUSLY clean The bedsteads of iron. with
straw mattresses we'll filed; the sheets and pillows
are white muslin, clean and neat. and the spreads
are blue cotton Goth The women's dormitories
are better than the mems only In the fact that each
bedstead is painted white instead Of black, and the
beds are covered with white counterpanes In the
nurseries are a number Of children that seem plump.
llvey and healthy They all came to the place Wheh
babies and are assigned to the care OF some moth
erly inclined female inmate of the institution, from
whose charge they are removed when two years Old
and placed In public institution whose spe-
clalty Is the care of children Besides two jolly
looking little colored children. whom the visitor no.
tees at once, attention Is called particularly TO a
little girl one Of the White Plains twins, as they
were designated who were found abandoned In that
village Its sister has been adopted into family.
and the remaining child, which Is now strong ana
healthy, although slckly when first received. VIII
have TO be transferred some institution unless
disposed OF as was its sister Another child that Is
pointed out was found last December in Tarrytown,
when about ten days Old. 1t is boy. and Is doing
well In the kindly OF Nurse Fanny
The chapel is a small room, with WeH-scruooeu
floor and furnished with high-back benches. on
Sunday mornings services conducted here by the
Dominican Fathers. of Sherman Park. and In the
afternoon by the Rev. George b. Clark: Of the Ken
slco Methodist Episcopal Church Father Sheehan.
OF Tarrytown also looks after the spiritual welfare
OF the inmates.
SAMMY" AND HIS PORTRAITS
Up in the mems convalescent ward IS Sammy. an
old man. whose speciality at present seems 10 be the
production of vagu- and somewhat ghost-lke por-
trails Sammy delights in portrayng his sitters in
the blacklist Of coats and hair, with eyes OF unmis-
taxable blue and features of uncertain outline the
whole upOn background of yellow. Down In the
sheds adjoining the barns is Uncle Alexander, who
| ia something OF a musician well as mechanic and
his violin is the great curiosity OF the place, having
been whitfield on, by Alexander himself with jack
! knife the several pieces glued together, and the
whole fitted up with set of strings given him by the
kindly disposed clerk Frederick Crsfield. who has
good word for every one OF the inmates by whon ne
| r greatly liked The violin gives out good loud
sound and is great comfort TO is owner ana maker
Resides making a yrlin. Uncle Alexander has mum,
| her of models of ships that he has worked out and