Daily Kennebec journal., 1897-12-15

| kzGsA--~$A~rAo our almShOuSe
.-@@ss .-@-=@ss which ha
oeeii SHOWN by all classes OF
citizens. since. through the efforts y,
the Rev. Mr.. Cummings. public atten.
tion was drawn to the need of it This
increased interest has been manifesto !
IN various ways-in an increased mum.
Der OF visits from citizens, in many
generous contributions for the COM
iort ana enjoyment of the worthy. bu,
unfortunate poor. and in the deep seat
ed feeling that the city of Augusta
the capital of our good State of Maine
can afford to have. and ought to
nave good modern poorhouse. in
place of the ancient and dilapidated IA +
trap that now serves for that purpose.
We believe that the pressing need Of
this change is felt generally by our
citizens. If any believe otherwise thev
have certainly been exceedingly ret
icent of late in giving expression a
'NA 'io"S' "Alcii' certainly, IN the
existing state of popular sentiment.
would not tend to secure them anv
| larger place in the estimation of their
fellow citizens
We seriously question. however, if
there are any citizens. today. who
would be disposed to question the de-.
STABILITY of this improvement-thou
differences may exist as to the best
method of securing it. Certainly no
valid objection could well be made to
allowing the present management to
apply to that purpose. for a few years
to come at least. any saving it may
be able to effect from the average an
nual appropriation for poor purposes
as it has existed for some years past
1t must be borne clearly in mind by
our citizens. in the consideration CT this
question, that all efforts for the better
ment of the condition of our poor must
be handicapped by the limitations i'm
posed by the present inconvenient and
delapidated almshouse. For many
years the life of this building has wit
messed continuous patchwork pro-
cess, until, like Barney Blethens coat
it is difficult, in this day and genera
ton, to determine-on the interior at
least-just where any of the original
ho ;plo ~
lists al all.
Still within the limitations imposed
by this building a vast Improvement
has been wrought. This fact was viv-
idly impressed upon Journal reporter
| during a recent visit there-as well as
fuller appreciation of the regenerat-
ing powers of paint and soap and
water The almshouse was certainly
clean from cellar to attic, and every
room was in neat order. Mr.. and
| Mrs. Huntley were not novices in poor
farm management when they came to
this city They had served most sue
cessfully for two years in the town OF
Fairfield, and for six years in Skowhe-
gan. and had secured a repu-
tation for character and eiIl-
cheney which was well-known in
other parts of the State. They had
all the advantages that comes from Il
long and successful experience. and, In
securing them for the city of Augusta,
Overseer Robertson made no mistake.
Both enjoy excellent health and both
have the happy faculty of commanding
tho resnect and holding the good will OF
those' under their care. They KNOW
too how to inculcate and MAINTAIN
habits of neatness, a fact which Will
be evidenced to any VISITOR 10 our
almshouse, in the clean personai ap'
na,rance of the inmates and the neat
ness and order of their roms
A great factor in bringing apous
those results has been the st1nulatiils'
o,,,ono the inmates. of personai
bride in their surroundings. MI 'oo-
ertson has labOred earnestly an"
;rto,,;eently to this end WITH
Mr. and Mrs. Huntley, ana Is
,eal,y surprising how much mas oee'i
accomplished in this direction WITH
merely nominal outlay. Among '"e
iscouragements encountered by th>
new management was an array Oh olo
f,,,;ture which might-so far as ap-
noo,arces were concerned-have oeeh
,egacv from the ark. Much OF II was
euilt,ess of paint. and grimy with the
so;, and stain of several generations d
,s,.a A considerable portion u II
had been brought there oris''iai' ''
.,ners There were few ehalis lid
could he called comfortable anu e'es
49, ONO or two rockers that the '''s'''
!; .,,.;on boasted showed unmistaA"o''
..sa,ces of decrepitude. "ooue'
: ds were the erule-notwiths'aho