Daily Kennebec journal., 1897-12-15

amusement, which nave long been il
such successful use in otir insane asylun
and which have contributed 30 largely
to the comfort and welfare of It's
inmates. Already Mr. Robertson has ar
ranged with the pastors of our various
city churches to hold religious services
there on Sunday afternoons assisted b,
their church choirs. This worthy innova.
ton will commence next Sunday when
Rev. Mr.. Williamson of the Congrewa.
tional church. will conduct services there
| The readiness of Augusta ciergymen To
undertake this extra work speaks more
eloquently than words of their sincere
devotion to the great cause of Christian
| well-doing. There will. too be an effort
to assemble the inmates of the house in
this room for purposes of amusement.
For instance an Augusta gentleman has
| kindly volunteered to entertain them
| there some evening with his grapho-
phone. 1t will certainly be a. rare treat
| for all of them.
The dining room. too, has been mate
rally frightened up. We remember sew
eral years ago being present there OH a
Christmas day when the inmates sat
down to a generous turkey dinner that
were particularly impressed by the vari-
cgated collection of chairs-some with
backs and some without-that did duty
ur. asklns festive occasion. 1t was cer-
tantiai. SYonderful exhibit of the an
tifGREATEalas! it has vanished Today
the flANis are all of the same kind and
all I've good comfortable backs
At the present time no orders for goods
are given by the Augusta poor depart
ment: but all are furnished directly from
the supplies on hand at the aims house.
When the present management of the
aims house assumed control there were
about twenty head of cattle. All of these
were sold. Only herd of cows is now
kept. beside the horses and swine Great
care has been exercised in securing
these cows. and it would he hard to find
seven better ones. The fact has been re-
cognized that it costs no more to feed
and care for good COW than it does for
poor one. All of these new cows give
rich milk and in good quantity, and in
addition to the, large amount of milk
used. butter enough will be made from
them when all are new milk. to fully
supply the needs of the family at the
present time inmates of the aims house.
Three good strong horses two of them
the property of the city. and one owned
by Mr.. Huntey do all the work and driv-
ing of the farm, and the swine now be-
ing raised will supply a considerable
portion of the pork consumed by the in
mates of the house. In addition to this
however. considerable amount must be
given out to paupers who are in part
self supporting.
Down in the cellar II marked change
has been wrought. The old cement
through whose cracks and seams
once came various pungent odors,
and whose surface was rarely. if ever
dry. has been removed The bottom was
then filled up to considerable depth
with clean gravel and over this IA new
cement floor was laid. A coat of clean
whitewash on walls and ceiling and IA
new drain completed an excellent job.
In the wash room where water was
formerly drawn from the cistern with IL
bucket Il new pump has been placed.
the waste from which is carried away in
a drain which has been laid for that pur-
pose
The beneficial results that come from
placing responsibility in the hands of one
man and requiring him to devote his time
to and make a business of it. are fully
apparent in our aims house. Such re-
suits it would be almost impossible to Sc
cure with this responsibility divided
among three men, each pressed with 9TH
er duties This fact was clearly recog-
nized last winter when the board of trade
committee met to consider the question
of a revision of our city charter-and the
desirability of the present system of con-
Quoting the poor department was strong
ly urged by one of the then overseers of
the poor.
We cannot close this article without
touching briefly, upon one more phase of
this question. 1t is wrong for citizens to
assume that the inmates of our aims
house are there of their own volition. and
as a result of their own Incidence. Such
is not the case. They are worthy poor.
Sickness. misfortune. and the spirit of
imprOvidence that often possesses hard |
working men and women-all have been
responsible for bringing together the |
family of some twenty people now oc
cupying our city aims house. One bright |
faced old gentleman. over SO years of age. |
upon whom the burden of the passing |
years has rested lightly. referred. with |
evident pride, in conversation with the |
Journal man. to the fact that until within |
d very few years. he had been. all his
life. a hard working. self-supporting man. |
If he and his good wife had been able to
provide for the winter of age. they might T,
be passing it under their own roof instead
of at the aims house. Still their room is |
clean and pleasant, supplied largely with |
their own furniture. with the old familiar
home pictures hanging upon the walls |
and, besides. they still have each other.
and so the few remaining years will glide
serenely and quickly away.
1t is well that our citizens should feel |
an interest in the inmates of our aims |
house and anything that can be done to
better their condition, and bring new sun
shine and cheer in their lives, will con- /,
tribute to worthy cause and add to the |
good name of our city.