The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-07-15

The loan and purchasing committee
of the poor board, yesterday, went to
the Hillside Home and held their an
nual conference with Superintendent
G.. w. Beemer, regarding the improve
ments and repairs, now under way or
in contemplation.
DR.. w. a. Paine and Frank J. Dick
ert, of the home committee, and
Thomas Shotton and =. j. Murphy, of
the purchasing committee, were the di-
rectors who attended. They were ac-
companied by G.. j. Gillespie, secretary
of the board; Hon. John II. Farr, DIR.
n. Y. Williams and DR.. p +. Gunster,
outdoor physicians, and Joseph Nckus,
friend of Director Dckert.
The party went to the home i'm the
morning and while the visitors were
engaged in looking over the districts
extensive and well kept farm and the
home buildings, the committeeman
proceeded to look into the superinten-
dents recommendations and to discuss
his and their own propositions for
making further improvements.
The result of their days labors was
lengthy report for presentation at the
next meeting of the board, containing
such recommendation as were agreed
upon
y new conservatory. 24xS0, to be, To-
Gated at the rear of the chapel, is one
of the improvements to be recon-
mended.
ORIGINAL POOR HOUSE.
Plants and flowers have come to be
regarded as an essential in insane asy-
lums, being considered scarcely second
airy to music as a diversion to the in
sane. A small hot house was MAIN
tanned for years but recently had to be
torn down to make way for the extern
sion of the lawn. The committee con-
Cluded that as long as it must be re-
placed. good-sized, well-equipped one
might best be built.
1T was also decided to sink another
artesian we'll to insure a full and
permanent supply of water. The pres
ent well is barely capable of furnishing
the 10000 to $4,000 gallons of water
daiy used and is showing signs Of
failing.
Should the we'll give out or some
accident disable it the home commun-
ity with it's half a thousand persons
IL
Gravel Pond to secure water. to say
nothing Of the property being left en-
posed to total destruction in case
fire broke out. Six fire hydrants will
b. placed at different points about the
grounds adjacent to the buildings, and
supplied with pressure from the main
power house.
The report will recommend the I'M
provement of the small and antiquated
cold storage plant by doubling it's cap
acity and supplying it with modern
refrigerator for the preservation Of
food stuffs.
THEY ARE ESSENTIAL.
The old three-story frame structure.
the original poor house, which has been
moved to a position, on the south in
line with the new buildings, is being
thoroughly repaired and remodeled
with a view Of establishing there the
quarters of the epiieptics and idiots
the male portion of whom are now con-
fined in temporary quarters in the
upper floor of the laundry building. The
crowded condition of the asylum prop
er having made it necessary to adopt
this eXpedient
Nearly all the work on the building
SO far has been done by the paupers or
inmates Of the insane department
among whom are men of all trades,
and some of them, very excellent me-
chanics at that. Bids for tiing the
floors and other like work will be ad-
vertised for in the near future.
The eishtfoot high iron fence enclos-
ing the ten acre plot on which the
principal buildings stand has Just been
completed, and it's completion means,
so the home committee, yesterday, an
nOunced, the strict enforcement Of the
visiting rule. The gate will he kept
locked at all times and no visitor will
be allowed to enter without a pass from
one of the directors, and passes will
be good only on Wednesdays and
Thursdays. Visiting, too is to be con-
nred to the administration building or
to the ward in which is confined a
particular inmate which the visitor
may want to see.
As far as possible, the committee pro-
poses to do away with the practice OF
making show of the unfortunates at
the home for the delectation of the