Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1898-01-27
Mercer, Pa. Jan. 23nd 1893.
Charley Revises The Figures.

Sarversville, Pa, Jan. "a. 1898.
EDITOR CITIZEN: In the CITIZEN
datsd the 18th inst you published let
ter from the C1p,missioner Clerk of
Venango County Poor District. stating
that their county had supported 120
paupers at a cost of SS,500, which
would be 3qst seventy dollars pei head,
which is about the net cost of keeping
good horse for one year. Should Butler
County be unfortunate enough to elect
for Poor Farm, then we should GER
tainly have the Commissioners of We
mango County come to Butler Co. bring
thS;r clerk with them and run things
for us aw hiis.
The Commissioners of Mex can Coun-
ty make quite different showing an
average of 80 paupers cost them $l2, 516;
or two hundred and twenty seven dol
lars per head-in6fe than three times
the cost per head of Venango County S
poor.
The Commissioner Clerk of Brad
ford County states that it costs that
county S31 500 to maintain 100 paupers.
or $l97 per head, or nearly three times
as much as it costs Venango, according
to the statement of MI CLERK.
In the above statements these has
been no mention of the cost of farm! 0I
buildings, whether they were donated
or bought, or what was the cost of the
! same; but presuming they were b11ght,
did it cost anything to collect the
taxes and is the interest on the invest
meht nothing?
In last weeks CITIZEN the editor
makes very fair showing of what a
Poor Farm and its buildings should be,
bar former transactions of our public
servants lead Ice TO the conclusion that
the editors figures would need multi
plier; but for sake of argument We ad
init bis figures to be about right t=say
| SAC. 900, the collectors percentage of
which would be 50, 900; the treasurer S
percentage $500 more, total S42, 800 net,
without taking into consideration re
bates and generations. To obtain the
sl0 900 would require total levy of
| SAT-, Cos, % twenty five per cent more
| than the edit6ts conservative figures.
Now assuming the editors igares of
| $21 900 for keeping Butler Co. S poor to
be correct, where does this money go?
! According to a statement published a
| few weeks ago about 81, 600 go to the
various assylums for the ~ool. minded
and insane, the other $4,000 are paid
out TO the different townships. from
which the money has been collected,
for supporting their poor. excepting
the money paid to the asylums.
In speaking about asylums there
arises another thought. From the tone
of the editors article we are lead to
| think that the Dixmont and Warren
asyiunas are run by individual or cor
porate powers, a..ai The various coun-
ties must first secure contsa.I1 before
they can send their patients there
What does the State appropriate the mil
lion d.liIarS to those institutions for?
Has the State na Yaica IN their man
| agement?
But to return to my subject from
the various writers quoted 1T would APP
pear that the PooI Houses are peopled
| by abled bodied men and women, who
are fully able to work and earn their
own living and contribute to the we'll
| fare of others, Such is not the case in
| the various townships of Butler Co.
theif pGs4 ags AGED, infirm and crippled,
or young children wLa cannot sup
port themselves, or help to support
| others.
Bgt there is also humane side to
the question; there is an aged couple
living ~ the rematest corner OF the