The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-08-04
IN HOTEL CORRIDORs.


a friend at the National. However,
man occasionally meets with a new one
even II he is well posted on stories A
friend of mine. Pink Rice, of Fort
Scott, who travelled through that coun-
try, told me an experience he had on
one OF his trips. Rice and another man
left the railroad at a point east of Fort
Smith and started to drive to an in
land town which they were told was
about fifty miles distant Neither of
the men was acquainted with the
country and, as is usually the case,
they lost their way. The country was
scarcely settled and it was almost noon
before they saw a farm house to which
they Immediately drove for the purpose
of inquiring the way. To their great
disappointment they found the house
deserted, the occupants evidently hav-
Ing all gone to town, at least that was
the conclusion the travellers came to-
The only thing they could do was to
keep to the road until they should ind
another house or meet some one VINO
could direct them to their deStlnatlon
They soon came to another dwelling,
but found no one at home. This was
the case with all the places they saw,
and they decided that there must be
fair or circus in some of the towns that
was attracting al the farmers. They
were getting very much discouraged
when, on driving over a hill, their hopes
were raised by the sight of another
house. AS they approached they saw
that the yard was filled with people and
that a great many horses were hitched
to the fence and trees in front OF the
house. 1t was evidently the funeral OF
some prominent citizen and the entire
population had gathered to pay their
last tribute of respect AS they drove
up to the house they saw that their
surnises were incorrect. Their Curl
Osity was aroused, SO Mr.. Rice al1ghted
and mixing with the crowd attempted
tc see for himself what was the cause
of the meeting. He could discover
- 1t 100
usual and, after looking around for
while, asked one of the men what was
the cause of the gathering. The man
grinned at him and said in the peculiar
drawl the natives all have: Don't you
know, mister?' Rice assured him that
he knew nothing about it, but was anx-
ious to learn. Well, mister the
cracker said, Higgins boy is eighteen
neighbors to come over and help kitch
him an put clothes on him"
I'VE hear a great deal about the large
amount of money that has been given
to charitable institutions of all kinds
during the past few years., said gem
tleman at the Copeland who has had
some experience in charity work in ST.
Louis. but I believe that the most of
it is handled in a wasteful manner or
at least is not expended in the way In
which it will do most good belleYe
that all charitable institutions should
be under the direction of the city, coun-
ty or state. If this was done the people
who are anxious to contribute to char
ity could put their money In the hands
of the proper officers and a great deal
more good would come of it than does
by building a lot of small hospitals
Under our present system the destitute
sick are frequently sent from one town
to another, each town simply trying to
shift the burden on to the next with
out any thought of the discomfort or
danger of the sick man. If the money
a1,e TaaV-i{F
handled this would not occur True we
have county poor farms. but with that
all effort to care for the sick stops in SO
far as the city, county or state is con-
cerned. There should be three or four
state hospitals for there is not a county
poor farm in Kansas in which the sick
can be or are properly taken care or
Not only are the conditions bad but
the capacity of the farm is limited In
larger towns, cities of the first class, the
city should maintain a hospital; not
two roomed affair, but one large enough
to care for fifty or hundred patients
1t would pay as an investment because
many people would go there who are
able to pay for their treatment, provid-
ing it was a good place and, without
question, it should and would be.
system could be established whereby
the destitute sick could be properly
cared for without being shipped around
the country until they are taken In at
some free hospital under no ones par
ticular care, and where they will be
turned out before they are half cured
in order to make room for new patient.
We have become accustomed to look to
the churches to establish hospitals for
the poor. Why not look to the churches
to build insane aSylumS and pen1ten-
tiaries and maintain them? 1t would
be Just as reasonable. There is not in
Kansas today good free accommodation
in hospitals and poor farms for one
hundred people, mean places where
they could get even fair treatment and
attention. Our humane officers and so
cieties do all they can but they are
given small means and no authority
There are more deaths In the state, ten
to one. caused by neglect, than are
caused by whisky, directly or indirectly.
/ will venture the statement, without
fear of contradiction, that there are
more than fifty cases of sickness in this
city today that are not receiving proper
care because the patients can not pay
for it. Sudden bursts of charity do little
good; there should be a permanent
there will always be many deserving
poor who will need it,.
81 saw a pathetic case in Memphis
last week that is in point with what l
have been saying he continued. AN
aged negro, destitute, decrepit, half
naked and helpless from disease was
found lying by the side of a road by
policeman who reported the case to the
station. The police captain notified the
hospital authorities who sent the am
bulance out for the man. Upon exam
nation the doctor pronounced the man
in the last stages of consumption, and
the rules of the hospital forbade his
being taken in, 50 the ambulance drove
away and left him. For five or six
hours the old negro remained there
alone and neglected The police captain,
learning that he had been left, sent out
and had him taken to the station. They
did not have proper accommodations,
but it was better than leaving the poor
old fellow lying on the ground and
they did the best they could to make
him comfortable. No hospital in the
city would receive him and 1 do not
police can tell you of many such in
stances in any city because they are
applied to almost daily for aid. How
ever, it is not this class. strange pau
pers, who would receive the most bene- |