The Portland daily press., 1900-02-06

Eastman Brothers 6 Foster, Avery s. Co
bancroft NJ. Steinert Sons Co.,
Watson, Miller s. Co., Oren Hooper Sous,
| Emers On shoe Co., T. y. Foss s. Sons,
| II u. Libby. Center 8 Mcdowell
And many others.
THE POOR DEPARTMENT.
The joint special committee of the
poor department submitted this report:
To the Hon. Mayor and City Council Of
the City Of Portland:
The joint special committee appointed
to enquire into the sdvisability OF build
ing q new aims house on the city property
In the Dsering district, and ~ In vsstigste
the PRESENT conditions and future needs
of the poor department begs leave TO sub
NIT herewith the following report;
Your COMMITTEES accompanied by the
boaru of overseers Of the poor has visited
| the aims house now 10 use In the old city
| OF Portland, and the hospital maintained
| in connection herewith, and were shown
| the practical methods employed In caring
| for the inmates under the present system.
| Your oommittee has also visited the city
| farm form srly owned by the city OF Deer.
Ing, and maintained rs part OF our
present System.
30 far ne neatness. cleanliness. care and
| attention shown to the unfortunates conf
| mitted TO their charge your committee
feels that it IL due to the present men,
bsrs Of the board of overzeers to say that
| we have nothing but words of commenda-
ton to offer.
As to the accommodations In the mat
ter of buildings, their proper construction
and adsptabillty TO the care Of people Of
the mental and physical condition Of the
majority Of the inmates, defects are only
too apparent. particularly In regard to
means OF escape in case Of fire and the
possibility of . serious IRE under the
present conditions Ia not q remote one.
Another lack is the inability OF the man
agsmsnt IN the quarters as at present
constructed to separate the various claases
which the law places In their charge, SO
a. 70 prevent the possible evils that ara
cnly tao likely to result from personal
contact and daily association between
GLASSES of inmates, the physical. msntAl
and moral condition Of many OF whom
have been weakened by diseases or excess.
Effoi to are made to pravsnt the evils
that would naturally follow from indis-
crimtnate.l mingling Of all olAsses, but
the manRg sm emit is seriously haTrpered In
this respect by a lock Of accom- mediation
and system In the buildings provided for
their uss.
The iavsstig ations of the members OF
your communities have led them to the
conclusion that new quarters for the care
| If our poor and insxne, constructed on
the most approved plans and embodying
the mcst modern Ideas. are an imperative
necessity as soon Ms funds can be pro-
vidsd; and your committee would reHom-
mend an appropriation Of twenty-five
thousand dollars ($.5.0I0) tho ooming
year in order that the work may be be-
gun at once.
After looking over the city farm In the
Deering dtstritt. your committees 10 also
of the unanimors opinion that no more
all things considered, than the location
on the high laud In the rear of the
present site OF the aims house In the
former city Of Dsering.
Your committee looked over the farm
with view to possible enlargement and
as affording opportunities tor making the
department in measure sslf-supporting
| ny providing work for many OF the able
| bodied men that are Inclined ut certain
periods of the year to call on the city for
| support and shelter. Compulsory labor
will, no doubt, materially lessen the
expense Of providing for them, and Will
| also increase the revenue from the farm
| to the city. Yonr COMMITTEES would there
| fore recon usnd that the present farm bs
| enlarged whenever opportunities present
| themselves at reasonable tsrma
Your oommittss In conference with the
hoard Of overssers considered the question
OF suitable buildings and ths various sys-
TENS now In vogue In caring for the pso-
pie that the statutes Of the state plAos n
our care.
Your oomnit.e, takes this ocoasion to
sckn owlsdgs its Indebtedness 10 Arohitec.
| Fasssst and Hassstt for oourtesiss shows
in submisting sketches without expense
| for buildings suitable TO our needs. Three
plans were presented, one Of which 10
submitted with this report, and which
met with the unanimous approval Of Jour
COMMITTEES aud also OF the board Of over
ssers Of the poor. and seems admirsbiy
adapted to our needs, as they have pre-
ssnted themselves in the practical man
agement Of that departments. In the
main 10 may be said to b. based upon the
wing system In distinction from the cot
tage system, which later system your
committee regard as too expensive and not
adapted to the present needs OF our city,
except In connection with . main build
ing. A rough estimate Of the expense OF
the proposed buiiding Ii seventy 1--we
| Thousand dollars.
Your committee would further rsoo N
mend for sanitary reasons that tbs pressnt
aims house on the farm In the Desring
distriot be moved to the high land near
the proposed location Of the new alms
house, and be used In connection with the
larger building for some special olass OF
Inmates a. the worthy poor. thereby en-
tirely separating them from contact with
would furnish accom- mediation fer. nearly
all our insane cases which would materi.
ally lessen the expense Of maintaining
| - AAS 01