The Washington times., 1901-11-27
ANNUAL REPORT OF
BOARD OF CHARITIES.
OPERATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR.
The New Department COpcs with
Serious ProbIcmS-Ordcr Being
Gradually Brought out of
Conflicting Effort.

! tary, yesterday submitted to the Com
missioners their first annual report. It
| covers the operations Of the department
from its organization last year to the
end Of the fiscal year. The report is of
preliminary character, dealing with
the principles involved in the admins
tration of charity and the conclusions
! Of the board in reference to important
matters of policy.
The first duty after the organization
! of the board on July L, 1900, was to
| study existing conditions rather than to
| do things. They adopted certain rules
to govern the proceedings OF the board,
! and appointed committees to study spe-
! cial subjects coming under their consid-
Grafton. The board as organized CON
sisted of S w. Woodward, President;
DR.. Charles p. Neili, Vice President.
| and George w. Cook, John Joy Edison,
| and Simon Wolf.
Preparing the Estimates.
According to the report, the real ac-
tivity of the board began in September,
1900, when the work of preparing the
estimates for 1902 was taken up. The
board found it necessary to devote a
great deal of attention to this work,
and to afford hearings to representa-
tives of various Institutions Much time
was consumed in this way. During the
year thirty-one regular and special
meetings were held, and these, with
rare exceptions. were attended by the
entire membership Of the board. Much
time was given also by the board and
its committees in visiting Institutions.
For convenience the various institu
tions under their supervision are con-
sidered by the board under four di-
visions, namely: % Reformatories and
correctional institutions; (2) medical
charities; go child-caring institutions,
and "a miscellaneous institutions.
These divisions correspond to the four
standing committees of the board, each
Of which is expected to give special care
and study to the department assigned
To it.
The report shows that the total com
mitments in the District during the
year 1901 were ,023, as compared with
4.21G during the previous year, showing
falling off of 1S7 commitments. The
daily average number of prisoners
shows slight increase, the daily aver
age for the year 1901 being $50 as com
pared with 255 for the year 1900. The
most satisfactory feature in connection
with statistics of commitments is the
falling off in the number of commit
ments Of boys and girls fifteen years of
age and under.
Condition of MnIe Norkhousc.
The board considers the conditions at
the male workhouse as very unsatisfac-
tory, because of the necessity of confln
ing from eight to twelve prisoners in a
single room; but these conditions, they
say, will soon be remedied by the con-
struction OF the new workhouse for
males, work upon which has been com
menced.
1t is stated that the work at the Re
form School for Boys has continued
along the same lines as formerly. The
daily average number of inmates at
that institution during the past year
was 22O, as compared with daily aver
age of 1877 for the preceding year
At the Reform School for Girls, the
new building has been completed and
opened, thus enabling the institution to
receive white girls and Obviating the
necessity of sending young white girls |
to the woTkhouse. The building is wen |
equipped. and, on the whole. well adapt |
ed for its purposes.
Probation system Commended.
The report commends the operation of |
the probation system, under which |
youthful offenders are permitted to stay |
in their homes during the usual period |
of punishment under the supervision of |
a probationary officer.
The work of the hospitals and dispen-
saries during the year appears from the |
report TO have been about as satisfac-
tory as could be expected with the IA |
cilities available There has been, as in |
former years, some difficulty about Sc
curing admission Of chronic cases, as all |
of the general hospitals, with the eXCep- |
tion of Washington Asylum Hospital |
and Providence Hospital, as a rule, de-
cline TO admit these cases. one of the |
most encouraging features in connec- |
ton with the hospital work Of the year !
has been a further increase in the pay
patient work at the Columbia Hospital. !
The Washington Asylum Hospital !
has cor tinued through the year to rem
der efficient service in caring for the in /.
digent sick.
Some important changes were made |
by the board in the work Of medical |
charities, which took effect July l, 1901,
These changes were brought about by |
executive orders of the District Com
missioners, whereby the physicians TO
the poor We're assigned to work under |
the immediate supervision Of the board |
OF charities. The almshouse service was
also placed under tn immediate super
vision of the board. and the issuing OF !
permits for admission 10 hospitals and
other public institutions was made the
duty of the board.
The AImshOuse. |
The daily average number Of inmates
in the almshouse during the year was
237, as compared with 22O in the pre-
vious year. OF this average number,
81 We're white males. "a white females,
81 cOlored males, and G2 colOred females. |
The conditions at the almsh0use during
the year were largely similar TO those |
in the preceding year
In concluding their comment on the
problems with which they have to deal
the report says:
The public charities of Washington
are organized some under the District
Commissioners, others under the De
partmcnt of the Interior, and still
others under the Department of Justice !
All this simply tends TO confusion and
lack of uniformity in administration.
The board believes that all District
Charities should be under the imme-
diate supervision of the District Com
missiOners, and it therefore recon-
mends that those charities now organ
lied under departments Of the Federal
should be transferred to
the contro! of the District Commission
ers"
DIDN'T BELIEVy. he HOWLIO.
Prisoner Discrcdits POIicemnn's