The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-05

TOPEKA. Kan, March 4.-Kansas Of
fcials say that Kansas has fewer paupers
according to its population, than any other
State in the Union. While it is admitted
that Kansas once went broke" and was an
object of charity, the people of Kansas now
say they have money to burn" and that
there is an occupation for everybody with
In the borders of the State. Kansas was
once swept by grasshoppers and Populism,
but that was in the dead and forgotten
past. The Kansas of today is an entirely
different State. An example of the present
prosperous condition of the State has just
come to the surface In 1886 Finney county
spent $4,000 for county poor farm, and
during the fourteen years since there has
been but one pauper to take care of.
The years 1856 and 1887 were the years
of hard times" in Kansas The State was
overrun with tramps and beggars. Through
a succession of crop failures the farmers
had become bankrupt. Their money had
been used up, and many of them-most Of
them, in fact-were in actual need OF the
necessaries of life. The failure Of the farm
ers had a resultant effect upon the mer-
chants and business men in the towns and
cities. To express the situation tritely,
Kansas was dead broke" 1t was about
this time that Coxey raised his army or
the unemployed in Kansas and started
with II on a march TO Washington to de
mand' relief from the national lawgiyers.
Together with many other counties of
the State. Finney county voted to provide
Dig poor farm. which would give employ
ment and shelter to the large number of
unemployed. After the vote had been sub
mitted and carried, the county commits
sioners purchased from A. H. Curtiss,
afterward Representative from that coun-
ty, tract of 1872 acres of rich land. The
price paid for the land was $4,000. Seven
thousand dollars more was put into the
farm for improvements making a total of
s23, 600. The farm was divided into large
number of smaller farms. and an each SUI
farm was erected a house large enough to
accommodate a dozen persons or more.
Each sub-farm was under the control of
sub-superintendent.
Having thus made elaborate preparations
for the shelter, care, and employment of
its paupers, the county waited in vain for
many years for an applicant. 1t so hap
pened that the year following the purchase
of the poor farm was very prosperous
one, especially in Finney county. There
was an immense crop, money was plentf-
full, and there was employment for every
one who wanted it. The same condition
has existed every year since. In all these
years only one man has ever applied for
care at the county poor farm of Finney
county He was an old man by the name
Of Henry Hook He remained there only \
a few months during the severe winter
weather. after which, having securd = po-
sition, he left. He is now employed in
hotel at Garden City, the county seat of
Finney county.
Charles Adams Tas the first man placed |
in charge of the poor farm of Finney
county. He had been a farmer who,
through crop failures. had lost his farm.
He contracted with. the county commits
sioners to assume charge of the farm, TO
take care of ali paupers applying for care
without expense to the county, paying the |
expenses out of the proceeds of the farm. |
As no paupers applied he had no expenses |
to meet. Although perfectly honest with |
the county, he made fortune out Of his |
contract. |
One day 1t leaked out that Adams had |
saved up bank account Of something over |
s25, 600 out Of the proceeds of the poor farm |
A row was started, and the county COM |
missioners removed him A closer contract |
was made with the next superintendent, |
but he also made a small fortune out of ii |
and was removed under pressure from the |
outside. Then the county commissioners |
made contract with the probate Judge Of |
the county TO act as superintendent of the |
poor farm, he to be paid an additional |
salary for such SUPPLEMENTARY, to have |
rent for himself and family free, and to |
turn the proceeds from the farm into the |
county treasury.
Since the time of this contract the in |
come from the poor farm has ranged from |
81, 900 to 5000 annually to the county. |
This is the condition of the poor farm of
Finney county today. It is still awaiting
paupers The present superintendent is
Probate Judge ]. E. Dawson. He lives
there with his family. but being busy with
his official duties he has a sub-superin-
tendent TO look after the farm. The poor
farm is located about three miles out of
Garden City