The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-09-17

barn for the purpose. In this he was "a
sisted by the recent abandonment of fha
national powder magazine, which OCCUPIED
part of the land since acquired for the
asylum grounds. The old powder sheds
were moved Up to their present position
and by utilizing the work Of the prisoners
in the male workhouse large and canven-
lent barns were erected, not only 10 afford
shelter for the COWS, but for the horses as
well. The old barn. still standing as a
monument CT the past, and not so large
as the present pig pen. was then abandon
ed. Now the herd of cows numbers twenty
four and enough milk is furnished TO meet
the demands CT the place.
Another problem which faced the iuteu-
dant was seine means by which to dispose
of the enormous amount of garbage COM
ing from the kitchen. Formerly ii was
carted away TO an obscure corner of the
grounds and dumped. Later it was spread
upon the fields 10 be plowed in but neither
method was either ecoaomieal or satisfac-
tory Mr. Stoutenburg then had recourse
to d herd of pigs. after fighting out the
question OF being allowed to keep them
with the District Health Office. the pens
were established. the garbage was eaten
by the hogs, and now the piggery furnishes
to the asylum about 10000 pounds OF pork
each year as a relief TO the butcher bills.
Better still the pork roasts from the home
swine are locked upon as an especial deli
cacy by the prisoners and the paupsrs
alike. The piggery at present contains
about 200 shoats which will be killed
during the coming winter to furnish
the tables of the almhouse and the rations
for the warehouses; The stock of the asy-
lum piggsry is Berkshire and Chester
White. Among the former is registered
boar from the Biltmore estate Of George
Vanderbilt, in North Carolina recently
added to the stock
The horse barn joins the COW barn, and
here are twenty-five horses used for vari-
Gus purposes about the institution Same
thing like fifteen acres are under culti-
Walton on the grounds of the asylum,
where vegetables of various kinds are
raised-potatoes, cabbage turnips egg
plant. and tomatoes being prominent
among them In this way the intendant
explained a large saving is effected in
the years bill for food. All this work
requires horses, and twenty-five are kept
regularly for the various services le-
quired of them. The work horses are
graduated to the asylum from the Fire
Department, and are used for several
years after their usefulness as engine and
truck horses is over.
Collins for the Dead.
Near the barns are the carpenter shop,
and a basement of one of the barns serves
rs a place for repairing tools and FOR the
manufacture of much of the woodwork
needed on the premises. The reporter
was shown a wagon made there, except
the wheels. and several carts We're also
pointed out as the handiwork OF the pris-
oners of the workhouse. But the rrinci-
pal work done in the carpenter shop is
the making of collins used by the District
authorities fer the burial of the dead who
are inferred at public expense. The cof-
fins for those buried in the pGtter's field,
the dead from the almshouse and the hos
pital. and all buried by the District from
other institutions are manufactured here.
The coins are made CT pine and when
finished are plain and neat boxes for the
reception of the bodies of the poor for
decent burial. Other accessories OF the
asylum are the blacksmith shop and the
paint shop.
A sense of surprise awaits one who vis-
its he Washington Asylum for the first
time at the spacihusness and neat appear
ance OF the grounds This appearance IA
heightened by the half-dozen white cot.
tages comprising the hospital and nurses
home. In this department Is central
building which serves as an Office for the