West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1897-02-18

per for the walls aud paint for the
woodwork Is almost Indispensable.
The inmates quarters should be thor
o"ghly repainted, and it would add
ehesrfuluess Ia the necessarily gloomy
place. II the hall was painted white.
John Allen Fawcett was i'm charge
when the new house was built lie
succeeded hls father, who had been
Steward for years. Allen Faweett had
the contract for tive years. at 81. 80 per
week Tor each inmate. The court be-
gan grinding il down, until now tho
presaut Steward only gets si.l5 per
week, an impossible sum for properly
feeding aud clothing Preston county's
unfortunate poor. Allen Fawcett was
followed by Il. A. Conner, who was
awarded the contract at FIRST for al 80
per week, but before he was through
in 1855, IL had been considerably re-
duced. From 1855 To March. 1889, VIM.
+. Manear was Steward, having secur-
ed the contract at $3.50 per week. In
March. 1889, Joseph Jackson was
awarded the contract rs Steward at
Sl.i5 and ne withdrew. The court APP
pointed VIM. III. Brand. Mt the same
price, and Mr. Brand has continued up
until the present time. MIR. Brand
would not have been a very good officer
II his term had expired without some
criticism. IL is tho Official who does his
duty that makes people envious of him.
Mr.. Brand can have tho consciousness
lant Il. l....a =. Al
of the almshouse with success and
painstaking carefulness. lie has done
the best he could for the allowance
made. 1t is the county's fault aud not
Mr. Brands, that the allowance is too
low. The present county court in to be
commended for abolishing the system
In vogue for years of selling out the
contract for the caring of the poor of
the county. Anything is an improve
ment on the old way. The bill OF faro
as laid down by the old Board of Over
secrs in 1877, is about the same that
Mr.. Brand has, and he has endeayored
to live up to IL faithfully and well. 1t
is sufficient, II properly prepared, and
IL there is enough OF it at each meal
Here is the bill OF fare: For break
fast, meat, bread (wheat or buclxwheat
cakes), three times week, in winter.
Corn bread twice week. Butter,
molasses and coffee. For dinner, SOUP,
nneat, corn bread three times per week.
vegetables of some kind, potatoes, cab
bage or beans, butter, pastry three
times a week, and for those needing IL,
coffee or tea. For supper, light bread,
(occasiOnly corn brsad), butter and
syrup
representative of The ARGUS called
TO see Mr.. Brand at the I.irmary the
other day, quite taking him by sur
prise, but found things I'm good shane.
as far as could be expected, consider
ing that most of the inmates are inn
beetles, and necessarily not capable OF
caring for themselves and keeping
clean. There is nothing interesting To
write about these poor distressed peo-
pie. There are twenty of them now,
and but few able to work. They live
very monotonous lonely lives, and not
very delightful at the very best Mr..
Protzman was once well-to-do -man
and his case is distressing. One in.
mate has been at the Infirmary over
twenty-five years. George Goff has
been there for long time and gives
MIR. Brand "A very hattering testinon.
ial for kindness, liberal provision and
attention TO the sick. A tramp printer
named Nelson has been there all win
ter, but will probably go ION the road
again when the robins nest Young
Rose. an intelligent fellow, is also an
alien. His stay may not be permanent.
People may say what they please, but
it will be hard TO find anyone who will
do any better by the poor than Mr..
Brand has, aHd his record bears out
the statement. be has raised all the
potatoes used on the farm, and about
500 heads Of cabbage each year. Be-
sides this, and little garden truck, he
has not raised anything like crop on
the farm But few of the inmates are
able TO work.
We have list of the names OF the
inmates, but IL Is hardly of much later
est to the public. Mr.. Brand says 10 Is
necessary TO punish refractory inmates
once in q while, but he has had no
serious trouble since his time began.
He has always been careful TO keep the
two sexes separate and no trouble from