The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-03-03
ALMSH0USE
SHAME.
Freebooter Fallon Describes
the Disgraceful Con-
dition Of the Chill
WEARING CALICO RAGS
Kelly and Riordan Corrobo-
rated the Statement
Committee of In
vestigation.

Freebooter Fallon precipitated a warm
discussion at the meeting of the Board,
last night, by calling attention to the
miserable condition of the children at the
Almshouse and the result of it was that
q committee was appointed to make a
thorough investigation. The trouble, or
rather difference of opinion between
p. H. O'Neill and the contractors, as to
the quality of the goods furnished will
also be investigated and experts will be
called in to aid in bringing about a prop
er adjustment of the trouble.
AS stated elsewhere the s~torekeeper had
sent in reports giving notice of the fall
ure of the shoe contractor to furnish the
quantity of supplies ordered and also that
he had refused to receive several con-
signments of dry goods which he con-
sidered not up to the standard.
Freebooter Darling offered this resolu-
tion:-
Resolved, That a special committee OF
five be appointed by the director TO IN
vestigate the dispute between the store
keeper and contractors touching the sup
ply of goods under their contracts, with
power to appoint disinterested experts 10
aid said committee, but said committee
shall not call to its aid as such experts
any persons who have been bidders dur
ing the past year.
Freeholder Fanon seconded the resolu-
ton. He said
L visited the county institutions at
Snake Hill, on February %. I first went
to the penitentiary and found everything
there scrupulously clean and in first class
shape. An entirely different condition OF
affairs existed at the Almshouse.
What / saw there was something that
would terrify you. Little ragged urch1ns
were running about in shoes falling from
their feet and the scanty clothing they
wore was in rags.
st asked County Superintendent Smith,
who accompanied me, who was response
BILE for that state of affairs, and he told
me the Board of Freeholders. l said that
if 1 was a part of that responsibility l
must do something to vindicate myself. 1
said to Warden Ryan, In the name OF hu-
mainly, haven't you clothing or shoes for
those children and he replied that he
had not. He had received no shoes IN
over three months.
81 tell you. gentlemen, something must
be done for those little children. If ! am
to be a part of this infamy a part of this
shame. nv time In the Board will be
very short. I will not assume any part or
the responsibility for this outrageous con-
dftion of affairs, this awful abuse OF these
poor u~nfortunates.
81 speak for them, for myself, and for
the leaders of the political party to which
l belong. If the contractors are re-
sponsible it is our duty to have them IN
dicted. If it is this Board, every mem
Der should be indicted. / am speaking
for a reformation. You can cali me
you wish.
although I detest the name OF reform.
1 will kick over the traces until there is
reform in this direction. Warden Ryan
says the old men paupers are crawling
with yermin for want of a change OF
clothing. If tina is SO, and the Board OF
Freeholders is responsible, for Gods sake
don't call me a Freebooter.
81 will stand in defense of these poor
u~nfortunates, young and old, until the last
etave is out of the barrel. l ask for a Iull
and complete investigation of this matter
to fix the responsibility and I would sug-
gest that the Director appoint the entire
Board to make the investigation"
F~reeholder w. Kelly, of Bayonne, SAID
that he had visited the institutions on
Wednesday and found the inmates clean'
but they were in rags.
s.Whose fault is it?" he asked. Is II
the Freeholders? I believe there is
enough money expended to support prop
erlv twice the number that are there"
Mr.. Kelly corroborated what Mr.. Fallon
had said. He saw forty or fifty little
girls with nothing but calico dresses on.
Their skin could be seen through the rents
in their garments.
Let this STOP exclaimed Mr.. Kelly,
s'and let the money which is expended for
the care of these unf%ortunates be honestly
and j~udiciously expended"
Freeholder Richardson said that he fully.
agreed with what the other gentlemen
had said. The same condition of affairs
came under his own observation. He un-
derstood, however, that what the COM
mittee suggested was to adjust the differ
ence between the storekeeper and con-
tractors. not to investigate. The con-
tractors have not fulfilled their bliga
tions and he thought there should be no
hesitancy about compelling them or their
bondsmen to furnish the needed goods.
The contract system, he said, as con-
Quoted by the Board is all wrong. Goods
should be advertised for in bulk and the
Board should not advertise for 10000 yards
of a certain class of goods when only
5000 yards are needed.
II say" he continued, advertise for
only what we want, receive the goods and
pay for them. No respectable house can
do business with the Board under the
present system"
Freebooter Scott said that the contract
system is all right and the existing trouble
is due to the dispute between the store
keeper and the contractor.
Director McNal1y said that n of the
contractors had been before the commit
tee in the afternoon and claimed that he
had furnished goods up to the standard.
The ~storekeeper said they were not and
had unfortunately returned them before
the Freeholders had an opportunity to
examine them. The committee will ex-
anime the samples and determine the
question.
Freebooter Riordan said that the Board
could buy goods In New York as cheap,
1y as the contractors. Warden Ryan told
him on Wednesday that he had had no
duty of the Board to compe the con-
tractors to live UP to their contracts.
Freebooter Simon Kelly suggested that
the should be allowed to buy
supplies in the open market The dis
cussion was continued for some time. Mr.
Riordan said that the buildings had out
a REMEDY FOR the GRIPPE
remedy recommended for patients