The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-03-17
The HUNS Have l1"d TO Go-Mr. Thos.
II. BRilcntinc Tells yxhnt He In
h1Risilouso SelE.Susrnintng = The
Farm BEING Operated by tho City.

The present almshuu:e committee, un-
der the lead Of Mr.. Thomas r. Ballen-
tine. proposes to temper the clty's Civ
ing with a mOdicum OF horse sense,
which vii render the work more satis-
factory financially, and ri tho same
time. none the less beautiful.
Mr.. Ballcntine is above all things 4
practical man. Therefore he has been
successful. He has fIrmcd for nearly
half u century, therefore he knows some
thing about the conduct OF farm, its
expenses. and the profits that should be
derived from K. He is 81 close student
or human nature, and Il doesn't take
him long to detect the difference be-
tween Il genuine article and q fake.
These and many other qualifications
make him peculiarly valuable to the
city rs Il Councilman, and especially SO
as a member OF the Almshouse Com
mitee, which should possess virtue other
than philanthropy.
y LOAFER'S PARADlSE
Shortly after being paced upon the
committee, MIR. Bullentne made Il visit
to the almshouse with 4 view to asccr-
tanning just what was needed and what
could he done.
II found" said he, "a loafers para
disc. Therc were men lying around
there sleeping. eating. and being
clothed At the city's expense. able
bodied. healthy, and possessing, so far
as could see, not a single point which
would recommend them to charity.
There were then a hundred inmates.
There are now only sixty-siX. Those
who shouldn't have been there have
been gotten rid Of There were at least
thirty or them, perfectly compete nt TO
earn their own living Those who are
there now are all proper objects of chart
ty. None OF them ate able to work or
have any means Of subsistence.
I found. too. farm with rs Or 50
| acres Of arabe land, rented out for SIS
| a year, while the city was paying for
horse feed, vegetables. and other things
| that could have easily been raised OH
the farm.
II saw in L minute that this system
was n mistake, and I told The commit
tee so. They agreed with me, and we
| induced the man who was renting the
property to turn It over to the city. We
now have control Of 1t. and I expect by
next fall to have it IL, good shape
have n man employed out there now by
! the month, doing the necessary work,
blowing. ute. There are also four ne
gtoes doing some dltching which is bad
ly needed. We purchased couple OF
mules and some implements. Clover,
red top and oats will be put In, and we
Will raise potatoes. corn and vegetables
There should be sufficient stuff raised
on the farm to enable them to send a
| cart load Of vegetables to town every
| day by some reliable person. The
money raised from the sale Of these
| should be turned III to the committee for
proper disbursement.
| SHOULD BE SELF SUPPORTING.
There is no reason why the aims
house should not be almost self support
! ing, and believe we can make 1t So
| shall require the doctor to furnish the
| keeper every morning with Il list Of
| those able to work, and they shall
| make themselves useful. I offered this
privilege to those loafers I spoke Of be-
fore letting thenS go. but they did not
want 1t. The last went last Tuesday.
| a week ago. I told him if he wanted to
stay, he would have to work for It and
| lie said he would not work unless he
| got paid for it. And yet there ne was.
a great, able bodied man, lying around
| there from morning until night living
| off the city, and not doing more than
| drawing breath from sun to sun. There
| are none Of that kind there now.
After awhile. when we get the farm
| In good order and productive, we may
have to employ some competent man
! to take charge. l don't know. Things
| Will be arranged by that time so 1t won t
cost the city anything extra. Do you
! know the city has been paying from $25
| TO $50 a. month for milk for the aims
house have shut off q large part OF
| that expense. Mr.. Hannah and myself
sent them out there to-day. We will
| produce our own milk. and raise our
| own cowfeed too, after awhile. 1t won t
| cost $25 q. month, either.
TO SERVE THE CITY.
My only object Is to serve the city,
| and in the little while left to me I want
| TO perfect certain plans which I have
| outlined III connection with the aims
| house. want to see 1t self sustaining.
The first thing to do. of course, Is to
get the farm in order. The city could
| help us q great deal by sending its
ma nure out there. It is now sold ut so
| much per load. If we have to buy it
We ought to buy 1t from the city.
There are now employed at the aims
house q keeper, assistant keeper, ma
| tron four nurses, q cook, and laundry
| man. There are siXty-six inmates. and
| the number will, Of course, naturally in
| crease with the growth Of our popula-
| ton. But while I am on the committee
| mean to see that the increase shall
| be natural. There shall be no able-bod-
| led buns, If can help it,
| Speaking OF the suggestion that has
been made that the paupers be buried
! in q lot on the almshouse property, in
stead OF being brought to Norfolk for
burial, an operation entailing expense
and loss Of time, Mr.. Ballentine eN-
| pressed himself as he earthly in favor Of
! the plan. He declares that there are a
number Of places on the farm which
| could be used for q bnry!ng lot, and
! which could certainly be made very
much more attractive than the present