The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-12-24
OVerseerS of the Poor

1889
OVerSeerS of the Poor
The cost of supporting the insane and
persons committed to the various state
institutions for the care and treatment
of the idiotic, epileptic and dissomani-
acs is so large and the increase so
alarming that special attention is
called to this class of support given by
the Overseers of the Poor. The insane
hospitals and the state institutions are
full to overlooking, and annual legis-
lation is enacted to provide for the
overflow. Death and the almshouse
take not a few of the unfortunates,
while the alcoholic insane require only
comparatively brief treatment before
they are ready for discharge to the
custody of friends The question of how
to deal with the care of the insane is
one of the great governmental problems
of the day, and is already attracting
the attention it demands. The cities
and towns of Massachusetts, struggling
under the burden imposed by statute
law of caring for the insane, in 1898
procured legislation to be relieved of
such burden and after Jan. /, 1904, the
expense of caring for the insane will be
paid by the state. Direct payment by
cities will be made in an increased
state tax. In 1901, with a population as
per census of 1900 of 11S, 421 Worcester
paid the insane hospitals and state in
situations SIS, 1864; in 1900 the pay
ments were 15,28S.59, and increase of
$3,18S.35 in a single year.
In 1891 with population as per CEN
sus of 1890 of 81, sos, the payments to
the insane hospitals and state institu-
tons were $5387. SO.
The increase in population in the de
cade from 1891 to 1901 was 80 per cent
while increase in expense of caring for
the insane and state institution cases
in the same period was 243 per cent.
1t is proper to state that commit
ments to the insane hospitals and state
institutions are made by courts; the
city by state law, merely pays the ex-
pense of maintenance.
In sharp contrast to the expenses of
the department over which the board
has no control, is the cost for dole,
which includes fuel, food, burials and
transportations, given on orders is
sued by the clerk of the board.
The following comparison is self ex-
planatory 1881, population, census of
1880, 1926; dole, $5415,77; 1891, popula-
ton, census of 1890, "a, sos; dole, $4S33 SO;
1901, population, census of 1900, 118, 421;
dole, $434514.
In 1901 the cost for dole was 5000 So
less than in 1884, while the population
of the city had more than doubled.
The worthy poor have no just cause to
complain; the dead beat element
cannot stand personal investigation
AS illustrating the wants of appli-
cants for temporary aid, two cases are
cited:
No. IA woman with sick husband
and two small children claimed the
members of the family We're starving
and could not hold out any longer. All
she wanted was "a. little tea and little
sugar" and repeated questioning as to
the real needs of the family failed to
elicit any other want than tea and
sugar"
No. woman with husband in poor
health requested in wiring the follow
ing: l box Strawberries, 6 bananas, IL
eggs, p pound boiled ham, a gross
matches, / can CLAIMS, 2 pounds butter,
! pound lard 1 pound cheese, 1 pound
coffee, 1 pound mixed tea 5 pounds
sugar. 5 pounds pastry flour, / pound
prunes, lemons, 1 can peaches, 1 can
tomatoes, u peck potatoes. 2 pounds
sweet potatoes, ! package H. o. grid
die cake flour, l can baked beans,
crackers, ginger snaps. 1 package
fvorine, 2 cakes Ivory soap, bundles
wood, l bottle of ammonia.
After a service of nearly 20 years,
death entered the membership of the
board and removed from the activities
Of life our esteemed associate Denis c.
Leonard, the senior member, who died
Aug. H.
The board as a body attended the
funeral of Mr.. Leonard and at the
monthly meeting in September adopted
a tribute of respect to the memory of
the deceased and spread the same on
the records.
There was expended during the fiscal
year of 1901, for city relief $29,312.54,
and for the Home Farm S41. O32. 25: a
total of $70,344.79. The reimbursements
were $65215S for city relief, and Sill
1927 for the Home Farm, a total of
SIS, 053S5, making the net expenditures
for pauper support S52290.94
For temporary aid to the outdoor
poor there was expended $4345.14. as
against s5021 60 for the previous year.
Of this amount $245661 was to persons
legally settled in Worcester. The bal
ance, S1S8S.53, was expended for persons
settled in other cities and towns of the
state, and state paupers, reimburse
ments being made for the entire
amount. There were issued for this
dole 2135 orders, as against 1881 orders
in 1900. The number of families aided
was 591 increase A., comprising 1893
males and 1179 females, a total of 2212
increase of 90.
comprising 976 persons have legal set
Elements in Worcester.
Ninety-two families, comprising 397
persons, have legal settlements in other
cities and towns, while 25S families,
comprising S39 persons, were state
paupers.
The whole number having a legal
settlement in this city who have re-
ceived full support for the whole or
part of the year. and this comprises
those in the city Almshouse. State Hos
pital and state Farm. was 40. Of whom
251 were males and 159 females.
One hundred and seventy-nine per-
sons were supported at the several
state insane hospitals; % at the Massa-
chusetts Hospital for Dipsomaniacs;
four at the Massachusetts, School for
the Feeble Minded: eight at the Massa-
chusetts Hospital for Epileptics; two
at the Hospital Cottages for Children at
Bafdwinsville.
Sixty persons were furnished trans