The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-05-11
THE CARE OF ORPHANS
DISCOVERY THAT A NEW LAW CUTS
OFF SUPPORT FROM THE COUNTY.
The Asylums VIII Soon BE Made Coun-
ty Institutions-E. II. MartindaIe
Explains the Situation.

1t has been brought to the attention of
the County Commissioners-and the county
attorney. w. T. Brown, has verified the
discovery-that the county reform law cuts
off the three orphan asylums of the city
from financial aid from the county treasury
unless the orphan asylurns become county
Institutions. Section % of the law pro-
Eibits commissioners from making ap-
rropriations out of the county treasury for
the relief or support of any poor person
or pauper, or any person liable to become a
pauper, If such person be not an inmate
of some county institution"
The women in control of the orphan
asylums became greatly distressed when
they heard of the discovery, for they feared
tina 1t meant the closing Of the institutions
and the consequent turning Of fatherless
and motherless children out on the mercy
Of the public. There are three orphan
asylumS in the city-the Indianapolis Or
plan Asylum, the German Protestant Or
phan Asylum and the Indianapolis Colored
Orphan Asylum-and together they have
nearly 400 inmates. Elijah B. Martindale
has been for years a member Of the ad-
visory board of the indianapolis Orphan
Asylum, and the women appealed to him
TO find a way to evade, what seemed TO
them. an impending calamity. tie advised
with the County Commissioners and County
Attorney Brown, and it Is likely that within
a short time the three orphan asylums will
be institutions Of Marion county. A scheme
for this change is now being prepared.
THE three orphan asylums,' said Mr..
Martindale yesterday, have been receiving
quarterly appropriations equal to 25 cents
a day for each child cared for. The In
dianapolis Orphan Asylum received appro-
priations annually amounting to nearly
1000; the German Protestant Orphan
Asylum, $500, and the Colored Orphan
Asylum, 5000. These institutions are
owned and maintained by private charitable
organizations and by public contributions,
except as aided by the County Commission
ers. The amount secured by private charity
is equal TO the amount paid by the county.
The draughtsman or the county reform law
undoubtedly did not have the orphan
aSylumS in mind when he drew this sec
ton, but the law goes further and repeats
the old law authorizing the County Com
m~issioners to pay . cents a day to support
orphans in private benevolent asylums and
cuts off now the authority of the commits
sioners to pay for the support of persons
unless they are inmates of county institu-
tons. i.
There is no disposition on the part Of
any reformer, commissioner or other person
TO turn three or four hundred orphan chill
dren out on the public charity. The thought
Is SO aDnOTTenI In2I nOOOuy WOulu QdTc
advocate it. The law, however. involves the
necessity of placing these three orphan
asylums under the county and making them
county institutions. 1t also involves the
necessity OF submitting to, and having APP
proved by, the County Council the appro-
priations to be made by the County Commis-
sioners for the benefit of the orphan
asylums. This can all be done by the COM
missioners adopting the asylums as county
Institutions and recommending the appro-
Iriations be made by the County Council.
which appropriations can be limited TO the
. cents a day that the county has been
paying for the support OF each child
The next appropriations for the orphan
asylums will be made in July. The appro-
priations made for the orphan asylums for
the present quarter were made before the
county reform law went into effect. Mr..
Martindale explains that the County Com
missioners may make the orphan asylums
county institutions before the time Tor the
next appropriations. The County Council
does not meet until September, but If the
orphan asylums were county institutions,
and the County Commissioner went on
making appropriations for their mainte-
nance, it is not doubted. Mr.. Martindale
SAYS, that the County Council would APP
prove the action of the County Commission
only method of getting around the dill
Guilty. The property of the Indianapolis
Orphan Asylum is valued at $4,000 or $JO,-
600. and has been well taken care of by the
women who have charge or II. Inc .otner
two orphan asylums are also valuable
pieces of property, and their value mas also
been increased by able management IL is
pointed out that il would be a good plan
to make the County Commissioners men,
hers OF the boards of control of the orphan
asylums when they become county lnstitu-
tons.