Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-07-19
FOR A BETTER COUNTY HOME.

FOR A BETTER COUNTY HOME.
Supervisor Gordon has for sometime
past been considering the idea Of i'm
portant changes at the county home.
He has no notion of taking the matter
up at this time, because the necessary
means are not available; but he thinks
something should be done as soon as
practicable. Speaking Of the subject
a day or two ago, he said:
There has been enough money spent
on the county home in the past to make
q very respectable establishment.
Quite lot Of property has been accu-
mulated about the premises In the way
of buildings, etc.. but this property Is
not in the most desirable shape. 1t Is
evident that the officials Of the old days
did not have the experience that has
since been accumulated on this subject,
and If we had 1t to do over again, with
no more money than has already been
spent, we could arrange things to much
better advantage.
AT this time the county Is taking
care of some thirty-five paupers. They
are quartered in small houses that are
reasonably comfortable, but scattered
along a distance of $50 or 200 yards.
Where they are able, the paupers do
their own cooking, washing, sewing
and other work. They also build their
fo rrQ
nurse each other during sickness. 1t
Is easy to appreciate that in this con-
dition there Is necessarily more or less
waste Of energy and Of expense. For
instance, suppose it were arranged 80
all the SICK as far as desirable, could
be kept together. One nurse could
then do the work that is now required
of two or three. The same idea applies
to washing and cooking, and also to
heating. 1t takes quite a lot OF wood
to keep the paupers comfortable IN the
winter, and the expense Of hauling 1t
| Is an important item. If 1t were ar
ranged so all the paupers could be
warmed from a single furnace, there
would be a saving here. The fact Is,
the concentration idea could be used to
advantage all along the line.
IF the money were available, would
be in favor Of the construction of
large modern building, something after
the style Of a hotel. The building need
not be unnecessarily expensive. but
plain and substantial. and provided
with such conveniences and comforts
that are absolutely indispensable. 1t
would include say, sufficient number
Of living rooms, suitable hospital,
chapel, large dining room, and
large kitchen. 1t could be 80 arranged
that the whole could be heated by
furnace, and there should also be
proper system Of sewerage.
IT understand very WE'LL" concluded
MFR. Gordon, that many people who
have not given their attention to this
matter will be inclined to consider this
suggestion somewhat far-fetched; but
I assure them that such Is not the case.
Such a building Is actually needed now
and there Is a probability that 1t will
be needed still more in the future. The
average number of paupers these days
runs pretty close on to forty. That
average has been increasing for several
years, and it will continue to increase.
The Scriptures tell US that we Will have
the poor with US always, so we may as
we'll provide against the requirements
of the future by arranging for the ac-
commodation of at least 100 people.
Then there Is another thing In this
connection. AS the law now stands.
Confederate soldiers cannot be sent to
the poor house. From the way I see
it, in spite of the law and Of pensions
and Of provisions for the outside poor,
the time is coming when some of them
will simply have to go there, because
they will have no place else to so. II
you remember, we have already had
one case Of this kind, and I fear that
we are going to have more. Then, with
such possibility In view, we can do no
better than make the county home as
comfortable and convenient as we are
able"