The Farmington times and herald. (Farmington, St. Francois Co., Mo.) 1902-1905, 1903-12-03
JUDGE X A. ANTHONY


where in evidence, n model institu-
tion of its kind, clean, well vcnti.
lated, good treatment accorded the
prisoners; about the only thing
needed nt this establishment is Il
hydrant. the putting in Of which
we recommend
We visited the County Farm,
and there found condition of af-
fairs which for the sake of all con
cerncd should he terminated at the
earliest moment The farm con
tuins twenty inmates, sixteen males
and four females, one of the latter
being negro and blind. The
buildings are dllapidutrd and most
miserably arranged The turml-
ture aud bedding besides being
grossly insufficient, are infected
with vcrmin, and after being re-
placed should be- consigned Ia the
FLAMES. Several 0t the inmates
are unqucstionably insane and
should be placed in the asylum
While the present management
appears to he II slight improvement
on the preceding one, the fact rc.
mains that the present arrange
mcnts are utterly lacking in giving
the necessary relief. The adoption
of II policy more liberal and hu
name is the demand Of the hour,
and with this end in view, we
would recommend,
First, the sale of the present
farm and the buying Of another
closer to town, and particularly on
n good rock road II this cannot
be done, then the repairing Of the
farm now owned, and the building
of some new houses adequate to
the needs-hOuscs in which the
sexes can be separated, and the
whites kept apart from the blacks.
We also recommend that Il phySi.
elan, or some competent person,
be employed to visit the farm
monthly, and report in writing the
condition of the place, and that
this party he empowered to instruct
the superintendent as to the Sani-
tary condition of the buildings;
also, report to the County Court
and the Grand Jury at their SEES.
sions, these reports to be filed with
the County Clerk if made when
these bodies are not in session.
We would recommend strongly
that no person of unsound mind be
kept at the farm, but sent to the
State Hospital for the insane, or to
the COLONY for feeble minded.
We think it important that the
Superintendent of the farm he n
man of good Judgment, and that
the food and clothing given to the
inmates, together with their treat.
ment, be all that could be expected
in such place.
Last, but not least, we recon
mend that the practice Of letting
the farm out t0 the lowest bidder
bo forever abolished, and that the
Superintendent be allowed Il rca
sonable amount for his services.
| II the Honorable County Court.
with whom tho solution OF this
question largely rests, accepts the
recommendation here given, it
will remove, not only the re-
proaches we have so long bourne,
bat what is more important, will
result in the bettermcnt of these
poor people whose lives are Ger
tainly cast along troubled lines.
A county like st. Francois, pos
sessing untold wealth, with stand
ard Of citizenship nowhere excelled
is abundantly able. and more than
willing, to make adequate provision
for its poor who, through misfor.
tune, are unable to earn their daily
bread.
w. +. ARNOLD, Foreman.
JERRY HOPKINS,
w. II. BOYD,
JOHN WoMMACK,
JAMES RITTER,
VALENTINE CLAY.
VIM. BYRNs,
j. j. SMITH,
| j. l.. COUNTS,
GEORGE w. SEBASTIAN,
V. HOwLETT,
! BENZ. O'DELL.