Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1897-12-02
Poor Districts.--Act of 1879.


l. For the purpose of furnishing re-
lief Is the poor destitute and paupers,
giving them employment, and carrying
out the provisions o. this act, each
county of this commonwealth, Is hereby
created district TO be known as, -
county poor district
The commissioners of each conn
" are authorized and empowered 10
select and purchase real estate within
said district. erect thereon buildings,
provide tools, machinery and stock, as
they in their Judgment may deem nee
essarv. proper and sufficient to carry
ont the design and purpose Of this act.
The CONVEYANCE and title for such real
estate shall he taken in the name and
for the use of the district mentioned IN
the first section of this act
3 The said county commissioners
shall not purchase for the purpose OF
this act. until recommended 10 do so by
petition and votes. as follows: That Is.
at any time after the passage OF tins
act. on petition and recommendation OF
two thirds (changed to majority by
| act of 1897 of overseers of poor then IN
office within such district, the court OF
quarter sessions of such county shall
submit the question of such purchase TO
the votes of the qualified electors OF
such district: such election shall be held
according to the direction OF said court,
at either the election for township OIL
GERS, in February, general election IN
November, or at a special election or
dered bv the court for the purpose, and
shall be held and conducted by the OH
GERS provided by law for holding cleo
IL ~,fT a frTfsf
and precincts within such districts. and
according to the laws governing muni-
cipal and general elections within this
commonwealth; at least sixty days no
tice of such election shall be given by
the sheriff of said county, by publica-
ton in two newspapers published with
in said county
4. The election offers shall, at such
election receive ballots from qualified
electors, written or printed as follows:
On the outside poor house, on the in
side either for poor house or against
poor house, at the close Of the polls the
votes shall be counted, and duplicate
certified returns of the result thereof be
made and sealed. one copy or which
shall be deposited with the commission
| ers of such county, 10 be opened by
| them. and the other with the clerk OF
| the court of quarter sessions OF the
county: at the first meeting and session
| of the court of quarter sessions thereaf-
ter. the said returns deposited with the
clerk shall be opened and counted, and
| a record made of the result OF said cleo
tiOn: If a majority of the votes cast are
| for n poor house, the county comlnis-
| sioners shall within 4 reasonable time,
at their discretion, proceed to purchase
| real estate and erect buildings, as pro
vided in this act if a majority OF the
| votes so cast are against a poor house,
no land shall be purchased, until at an
election subsequently held, not less than
| two years thereafter, in the manner as
before provided, a majority of the
| votes cast shall be in favor of a poor
| house: and the expense of such election
shall be borne by the said county,
). At any time after a vote in favor
| of poor house, the county commission
| ers are authorized to borrow money and
| issue bonds therefor, and negotiate the
| same, for the purpose of raising money
| necessary to carry out the provisions OF
| this act such bonds snail not be OF a
| denomination less than one hundred
| dollars, nor bear interest OF higher
rate than SIX per centum; they shall be
PAYABLE by the said poor district shall
not be sold below par and shall not be
| subject to taxation, except for state
| purposes
| G. The county commissioners, and
| their successors in office shall have con
| troll. management and direction of the
| property purchased as aforesaid, and
| shall provide all things necessary for
| the maintenance and employment OF
the poor of their said district, make nee
| essary repairs and improvements OF
buildings, cultivate the real estate. and
use the proceeds of labor of the poor un
der their charge in their support and
maintenance.
| Z The county commissioners shall
/ elect, on the first Monday of January in
each year, the following officers, to serve
| for one year, and fix their compenSa-
ton. that is, one person to serve in each
| of the following positions, namely; one
as superintendent of poor-hou and
| grounds, one as physician and surgeon.
| They shall also elect and fix compensa
| ton of all other necessary employees
and assistants, all of whom shall be
subject to removal by said commission
1 ers at any time.
| 8. The treasurer of such county shall
/ lgti
district; he shall receive all moneys be
longing to the district and pay out the
same on warrants drawn by the com
| missioners, who shall fix his compensa-
| ton for such service The accounts of
| the treasurer with the said district,
/ shall be audited by the auditors of said
| county, in accordance with the laws re
| lating to accounts Of county treasurer
| 8. As soon as the buildings are com
| pleted and the said colnty commission
ers are prepared to accommodate the
| poor of said district, they shall give no
| tice of the same, by personal notice NJ
on each of the overseers of poor OF elch
| township and borough within said dis
| trict, and also by publication IN at
least one newspaper publis he'd in said
| county
TO- Immediately after notice that
| the commissioners are prepared to &C
| commodate the poor of said district II
| shall be the duty of the overseers of
| poor of the respective townships and
boroughs within said district. to remove
| all poor persons entitled TO relief 10 tle
| said poor house, and deliver them to the
| custody of the director or superinteI-
! dent, and from and after such time, no
expense for help, assistance and main
| tenance Of poor persons shall be incur
| red by-such overseers sW hen by sickness
| or any other sufficient cause any poor
| person carnot be removed To said poor
house the oyerseers shall represent the
| case to the nearest Justice Of the peace,
who being satisfied that said person can
| not be removed shall certify the same
| to the commissioners, with an order di-
recting the commissioners TO maiEt ia
such poor person unll be.oT she can be
| removed, and the charge and extra ex-
ira expense Of such maintenance snail
| be paid by such commissioners
H. The said commissioners shall
from time to time, receive. maintain,
proYive for, and employ MI paupors,
poor and INDECENT persons within their
district entitled 20 relief and having
settlement therein. The duties hereto
| fore performed by oyerseers Of poor
within such districts shall be done ana
performed by said commissioners vita
the same rights and subject to the same
penalties Olders of relief and removal
shall be granted by any two Justices 5i
| the peace or aldermen. to ana upon said
| commissioners, in the same manner, and
and subject TO the same rules, ~ are
| now applicable to overseer5 Of poor
within said district Said commission
ers may, in exceptional and special
cases, grant outdoor relief to poor per
| sons. if they deem it best; but no person
shall be entitled to claim relief who re
fuses to 20 to said poor house.
/ r. a majority Of said commission
zrs shall be a quorum for the trans1c-
| tiou of b1siueSs. they shall meet nj least