Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-08-24
INSPECTION HIGHLY SATISFACTORY.
The Institutions Thoroughly Clean,
Sanitary Conditions Good, and
Management shown to De Efficient.
An Excellent Dinner.

| and other invited guests. made tour o.
inspection Of the City Almshouse yester'
day afternoon.
The entire party which went through
the institution numbered nearly one nun
bred people, and there was not one VINO
was not glad to express his pleasure al
seeing the splendid condition In when
everything is kept by Superintendent
Davis and his assistants.
The committee met at the almshouse al
| $3.50 o'clock-that is, they began assem-
| bling at that hour, but it was O'CLOCK
| before they had all arrived and Chairman
s. II. Cottrell called the members TO or
| der in the main hall. Those present be-
sides the chairman were Messrs. Clay
| Drewry. Marx Gunst, julius Hobson, n.
r. Mosby, James /. Smith, Evan Snead'
| John Teefey, and Clerk A. II. Mcdowell.
Mr.. James T. Neal. who was unavoidaoiy
| kent away. was the only member of the
| committee absent.
MANY GUESTS ON HAND.
Among the guests present were Mayor
Taylor, Chief-of-Police Howard CoIector
| Cunningham, Treasurer Phillips, Auditor
Warren. Billy Thompson. Superintendent
Of Fire Alarm: Cty-Doctors Stratton'
Crane. and Henson; Ben. 7. August
Clerk of the Council; George I. husheh'
Sergeant-at-Arms Of the Council; Coro-
nor TAYLOR. Mr.. Julius Straus, member
of the Board of Public Interest, DEM
auent-Tax- Collector Walford, ana Couh-
cilmen Camp. Drewry Gibson, winston
Whttet. Hickey, Harralson, POLLOCK, WI
liams. Woody, Ferguson. Mills, anu Wesl'
.If 4
Briggs. and Captain John "A. curtis were
present as invited guests.
In calling the meeting TO order, Chalr-
man Cottren said the object of having
the meeting was to permit the commit
tee and invited friends to see something
of the manner i'm which the city's funds
were being expended in caring for the
unfortunate poor. He stated that super
intendent Davis and Assistant LoVen-
stein would lead the way, and asked all
present TO follow them on tour through
the buildings.
THE COLORED ALMSHOUSE.
The party. which numbered but few
less than one hundred, first visited the
colored almshouse. situated about htty
Yards from the institution for whites.
Mr. Paul. who has charge Of the cOlored
institution, received the party here, ana
under his guidance and that OF Mr. DAVIS
and Mr.. Iovenstein, the kitchen, dining
hall. hospital. and sleeping rooms were
visited. The spotless cleanliness of every
thing about the building, including the |
inmates. was one of its most striking |
features The brand of soap used by |
Mr.. Paul is not made public, but the
firm which manufactures it would ma
conditions in his building a valuable adj |
oil
been employed at the institution for
several years. and presides in the mate
nity ward amused the company by some
1ld-fashioned dancing, displaying an
agility, despite her 20 years. that was lit
lie short of wonderful.
WHERE THE WHITES STAY.
Probably half an hour was spent at the
,oIored institution, and then the inspect
ng PARTY returned TO the home for
whites. This building was gone through,
-oom by room, from cellar to garrett.
First. the bakery was visited, then the
office, the store
ooms, sleeping-rooms, hospitals, ope-
'ating-rooms- every portion
IF the building was visited, and minutely
inspected An object of interest were the
,ells for refractory women, in one of
which Mrs. Hicks hanged herself about
/ year ago. 1t speaks exceedingly well
or the management of Mr.. Davis that
lot a single woman has been confined in
me of these cells since his incumbency,
nearly two years.
The conditions of cleanliness existing
It the colored institution were duplicated
It that for whites. The perfectly spot
esq condition Of everything excited the
of every one. Spck and span
Gems hardly the proper words TO use in
his connection, yet none other describes
t so we'll. This, combined with the or
erly manner in which the institution Is {
un under the management Of Mr.. Davis, | s
xcited the admiration of every visitor.
EFFICIENT AMBULANCE SERVICE. |
An illustration of the efficiency of the
mbulance service of the almshOuse was |
furnished Just after the visitors had in |
pected the stables. As they were re-
lrnng across the courtyard an am
ulance call was sounded, and while the
ell was still changing it seemed the
ehicle dashed out through the stable
cor, the horse having been harnessed
nd attached and the driver seated and
way in a little less than one minute
he surgeon had run across the yard
nd swung himself to his place beside the
|
)rmed him that the alarm was false.
he surgeon climbed down and the am
ulance had just reached the stable
DOR, when the bell again sounded, the
mbulance swung around again, the sur
con sprang to his seat as il Whirled by
i'm, and they galloped out into the |
treet and away. 1t was a genuine call.
GIVEN AN ELEGANT DINNER.
After the inspection of the building
uperintendent Davis invited his guests
own 10 the dining-room 70 partake Of
a little lunch" as he termed it, 1t was
l fact an elegant dinner, which Mrs.
avis had prepared for the visitors. The
lenu embraced about everything which
ould be suggested and the guests did
mple justice TO that which was set be-
IRE them. A band consisting of cor
ct, violin, and harp. played at intervals
lring the meal. 1t was nearly dark !
hen Superintendent Davis was hidden
bobby, and received the hearty thanks |
the visitors for an enjoyable evening. ,
nd the congratulations of every one on
lie excellent manner in which they had :
en him discharge the duties of his Of d
e. Mrs. Davis also received thanks Il
r her hospitality enjoyed none the less n
cause of being unexpected. a
The inmates of the institution had good T,
use TO remember the visit, for when | II
e guests had gone they were seated S
the tables, and the officials Of the in r,
tuition served them with the substan- a
ils and the delicacies of the fine bill
fare.