Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-09
FLOWERS FOR PAUPERS.
Orange Blossoms and Sunshine at Los
Angeles Poor Farm.

FROM the Les Angeles Times.
A poor farm in the midst of an orange
grove is as remarkable a waltz in the
midst of fast day ceremony.
The delightful innovation of housing the
homeless and unfortunate in such environ
mcnts belongs exclusively to southern
California, for other part of America
bears record of having done likewise.
Wrapped in sunbeams and wreathed with
flower gardens, the Los Angeles county
poor farm visbly resents the incongruity
of its name, for it is rich in all the beau
ties of semi-tropical verdure, and rich in
the productiveness of it's orchards and
fields, and rich in the great permeating
joy of life that trembles in every leaf and
flower, transmitting the influence of its
buoyancy into human hearts grown weary,
diSpirised and restless.
The farm, which comprises $50 acres, and
is valued at $40, 800 Is conducted on prac-
teal well scientific lines. 1t is the
idea of the management to produce
suff1ciency Of meat, milk. butter, eggs and
vegetables for use at both the county hos
pital and county poor farm. There Is no
intention of going into expensive agricul-
ture for financial profit. because such an
arrangement 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 beautify have succeeded
viting conducive of comfort than the
grounds that surround the buildings Mag
nificent palms and evergreens add dignity
to the place and form retreats for myriads
Of song birds. Hundreds of immense euca-
lyptuS trees line the driveways. their huge,
bare trunks standing stately like Roman
esque pillars for many feet above the
ground. Ornamental trees and shrubs are
everywhere, and emerald lawns form soft
carpets for weary feet. Benches are scat
tered about in the tree shadows. even find
ing their way into the orange orchard.
Leading from the railroad station to
the group OF brick buildings that ensconce
the last earthly resting place of the county
poor is a beautiful twelve-foot walk about
a quarter OF mile in length. 1t is lined
one side by high cypress hedge. while
on the other side is low border of lilies.
Swallowed by row Of picturesque palms
Overlapping 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 pathway.
the great grief in their hearts binding
their eyes to its beauties Had their purses
been lined with gold. and their prospective
haven some hospitable hotel mansion.
their proud old heads would have been
lifted and the faded eyes illuminated with
the Joy OF exReetanSy ,d h me pains ANS from rom
fleeing clouds, and the feeble limbs have
regained the agility of youth.
The number of inmates at the farm av-
erages 164 men and "a women, most OF
whom are decrepft with age, though there
are paralytic patients. epieptics. imbeciles
and persons with many other Affections.
Almost all are helpless and totally depend
ent on charity but a few are able to do
light labor receiving 81 80 a month
A large reading room has been arranged
for the men, and several hundred books
are at their disposal, books of various In
tent and character. ranging from the Bible.
Shakespeare and Dickens to the frtvolities
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, drinking IN the pure air. picking
fruit and flowers and gathering the
warmth of nature into their tired hearts.
Through winter and summer, without
cessation. like faithful friends, the flowers
bloom, the fruit ripens and the sun shines.