The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1903-01-09
CHARITIES
AID SOCIETY
Sixteenth Annual Meeting Held in
Y. M. c. A. ParlOr Wednesday
Reports Encouraging and Show That
Work is not Done for Naueht. Old
Officers Reelected = Secretary
Ironside's Annual Synopsis Proves
an interesting Document.

iay afternoon, was held the Sixteenth
Annual Meeting of the Morris @ uniy
Branch of the State Charities Aid
Society.
The officers for the past year were re-
elected. namely: president, John Edward
Taylor; vice president, Charlton T..
Lewis; treasurer, P. B. Pierson; secre-
tary, Thomas B. Ironside; committee OF
five, Mrs. Albert Er'man. Rev. William
". Hughes, Joseph F. Randolph. Mrs.
XII sey Tw:ning and Mrs Fairchild.
A report upon the County Almshouse
from Mrs. Hughes, chairman of that
committee. stated everything to be 10
good order, some OF the inmates at work
and all happy and contented.
Miss Ogden was chosen chairman Of
the Provident Savings Committee in
place of MIS-. j. Lowrie Bell Mis-. Erd-
man has kindly filled the Office for the
past year.
The treasurer. P. B. Pierson, reported
a balance Of over 800.
The report of Secretary Ironside,
which was Very complete, follows in
| full:
The Morris County Branch OF the
State Charities Aid Association OF New
Jersey reports that during the past year
the regular meetings have reen held.
and thatth work devolving on the var
ions committees has been faithfully per.
| formed.
On account of the slow progress that
can be made the work of such a society
as ours calls not only for wisdom and
courage, but for patience and persever-
ance, and the branch is to be congratu- :
lated on the fact that the fruits OF it's
persistent efforts extending over many
years are manifest in various directions.
The reports of the Committees on the
County Almshouse used to be- recital
of continuous violation of the law re-
garding the separation of the sexes, of
unsanitary conditions, and OF uncom-
Portable surroundings, even for the sick.
Az result of the persistent action Of the
Branch and of its finally appealing to
the courts we have in Morris county to-
day one OF the best almshouses in the
State, needing only some minor i'm
Erovements, such as shade trees, piazzas.
and fire escapes to render it weil-nigh
perfect. The almshouse has been visit
ed monthly. and every report bears tes-
timony to the excellency of the admin
istration. the cleanliness and healthful-
ness of the whole house, and the kindness
and courtesy of the keeper and his wife.
The kitchen-garden wrought by the
inmates has been very euccessiul
Reading matter is provided by the
committee who will be glad to receive
magazines and books for that purpose.
AS for several years past, religious SER
vices are held under the auspices of the
Christian Epdeavor Local Union.
| OF the Morris County Jail it would be
difficult to say anything favorable save
that for three years past the administra-
tion has been as good as was pos
sible under prevailing conditions. For
years our Jail Committee has protested
against overcrowding, lack Of ventila-
ton, damp and unhealthy cells and al
most every other fault building used
ior Jail could have From time to time
Improvements were made, such as the
addition OF baths, and separate room
for the detention of minors, but nothing
less than radical reconstruction Ut the
building or erecting new one could
ever make it legal Jail. ~
AT last work is under way on altera-
tions 80 extensive as to really make a
new Jail. The old cells have been torn
out, windows have been put in the north
wall, the flor has been raised to the
level of the ground outside, the roof has
been raised several feet, and 18 double
cells similar in construction to those of
the United States Jail in Washington,
d. G., will be built On the second floor
two cells each 8xl4 feet will be con-
structed for women and juveniles.
This fl lor is 80 arranged that 18 ad-
ditional cells can be put in at any time,
as the need arises and the approprias
tions permit. There Is ample provision
for ventilation. bnt the corridors are too
narrow. These alterations will provide
ample room for several years, especially
If the probation system be extended and
either that or some other provision be
made to put an end to imprisonment for
an indifinite term for Justices costs. Iu
the first 4 months Of 1901. 583 days were
served in the County Jail by various per-
sons, expense to the county Of @SO4 O5.
This means an increase Of about in the
daily average Of prisoners. There have
been several cases Of great hardship, and
the system is wholly illogical and indie
fsnsibIe. For example, for want Of
$40 20 a man was held prisoner,fpr IS:
days, punishment altogether on ,ot
proportion 20 the cffense charged, diunh
and disorderly. Another man for las i
Of $3.50 WAS held for lOs days on The
same charge. Men cannot earn money
| IcoNriNUED ON FoURrH PAqEl