The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1902-12-25
A POOR FARM AMID FLOWERS

orange BLOSSOMS ana sunshine for the
Paupers of Los Angeles
a poor farm in the midst of an
orange grove is as remarkable as a
waltz in the midst of Fast Day cere-
mOny.
The delightful innovation Of housing
the homeless and unfortunate in such
environments belongs exclusively to
Southern California, for no other part
of America bears record of having done
| likewise.
Wrapped in sunbeams and wreathed
with flower gardens, the Los Angeles
County poor farm vlsibly resents the
incOngrulty of it's name. for it Is rich in
all the beauties of semi-trOpical YER
dure, rich in the productiveness of its
orchards and fields, and rich in the
great permeating joy of life that trem-
/ bles in every leaf and flower. trans
| hitting the influence of it's buoyancy
| into human hearts grown weary,
| dispirited and restless.
| The farm. which comprises $3.50 acres,
and is valued at $43S00, is conducted on
| practical as we'll as scientific lines. 1t
| is the ide3 Of the management to pro-
ducc a sufficiency of meat, milk, but
| ter, eggs and vegetables for use at
both the country hospital and county
! poor farm. There is no intention of GO
| ing into extensive agriculture for
| financial profit, because such an ar
| rangement would bring pauper labor
| into competition with the farmers The
aim is to make the farm sustain itself,
also to make it one of the beauty spots
of Southern California.
| The efforts to beautfy have succeed
ed well, for no city park was ever more
inviting or conducive of comfort than
the grounds that surround the build
| ings Magnificent palms and eyergreens
add dignity to the place, and form re-
treats for myriads of song birds. Hun
drcds of immense eucalyptus trees line
the driveWays their huge bare trunks
| standing stately like Romanesque pill
lars for many feet above the ground.
| Ornamental trees and shrubs are ev-
| eryWhere, and emerald lawns form soft
] carpets for weary feet. Benches are
scattered about in the tree shadows,
even finding their way into the orange
orchard.
/ LtauIIIS IL piil bilC ram Odu SLdIlDIl W
the group of brick buildings that en-
| sconce the last earthly resting place of
the county poor is a beautiful u foot
walk about a quarter of a mile in
| length. 1t is lined on one side by a
high cypress hedge, while on the other
side is a low border Of lilies, Swallowed
by a row of picturesque palms. Over
topping all are waving eucalyptus
branches and just beyond the palms is
the orange orchard, loaded with golden
fruit and aromatic with the fragrance
of its blossoms.
Hundreds of tired souls have walked
slowly and painfully over this path
way, the great grief in their hearts
binding their eyes to its beauties. Had
their purses been lined with gold and
| their prospective haven some hos
pitable hotel OF mansion, their proud
old heads would have been lifted, and
the faded eyes illumined with joy of ex-
pectancy. The pains from the aching
backs would have passed like fleeing
clouds, and the feeble limbs have re-
gained the agility of youth.
The number of inmates at the farm
averages 1914 men and "a women, most
| of whom are decrepit with age, though
there are paralyt!c patients, epileptics
imbeciles and persons with many other
Affections. Almost all are helpless and
totally dependent on charity, but few
are able to do light labor, receiving
$3.50 a month.
A large reading room has been ar.
ranged for the men, and several hun
dred books are at their disposal books
of various intent and character, rang
ing from the Bible, Shakespeare and
Dickens to the frivolities of literature
and to those who can read, the field OF
enjoyment is vast. But best of all they
like to hobble about the grounds