The Savannah morning news., 1904-03-04
MAYOR WORKING
FOR POOR HOUSE
HAS CALLED A CONFERENCE.
COUNCIL COMMITTEE WILL MEET
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.

Mayor Myers Says There Is Urgent
Need for Such an Institution and
Something Should BE Done mt
Once-Asks Tint Conference BE
Held Next Week-COunty Conn
missioners About to Make Up Bud
get of Expenses and Some Action
VIII BE Taken Immediately.
There is little or no doubt now that
there will be a poor house in Chat
ham county very shortly and that
system will be arranged whereby
worthy mendicants can be properly
handled.
AS chairman of the special COM
mittee that was appointed by reso-
luton of Council at the last meet
ing, Mayor Myers yesterday addressed
a letter to the chairman of the County
Commissioners asking that he suggest
a day when a conference might be
held. The Mayor suggested that the
meeting be held next week
No plan has been advanced for the
establishment of an aims house, al
though the idea of the members of
Council is that it could be put up on
the County Farm. All of this will be
determined, however, when the repre-
sentatives of the city and county con-
fer. AS individuals several of the
commissioners have expressed them
selves as being in favor of a poor
house.
Mayor Means Business.
For more than a year Mayor My
ers has talked of a poor house and
he has set about now to see that such
an institution is established as soon
as possible. The fact that the COM
missioners are about to arrange the
county's budget of expenses for 1904
makes 1t important that some action
be taken Immediately, and in his let
ter, enclosing copy of the resolu-
tons passed by Council, the Mayor
asks for an early conference.
Such an institution could be con-
Quoted at a moderate expense to the
county and city, and by removing a
number of persons from the streets
who are now dependent on the aims of
the public. would relieve our citizens
pom their opportunities" said the
Mayor. No one can question the ne
cessity for such a place.
Can Prevent Imposition.
THE county, 1 believe, will cooper
ate with us, and by combining admission
strictly to people who have been resi-
dents of Savannah, or Chatham coun-
ty, for a period of years, imposition
from the outside can be prevented.
Those who are able to do some work
could be utilized on the farm and in
the practical operation of the home,
every effort being made to compel the
hPnafpia nf he 70
as nearly self-supporting as possible.
by forcing beggars coming here
from other points to leave the city we
would soon be relieved of the horde
that now infests the business section
day after day. 1 have continued the
practice of giving temporary relief
where needed, and of furnishing trans
portation to worthy persons becoming
stranded here, because there has been
no other course left for me to pursue.
In Existence Elsewhere.
Such poor homes are in existence
elsewhere, and I believe one would
materially assist in solving the prob
lem as to what <\avannah and Chatham
county are to do with the worthy indi-
gent. With such an institution in ex-
istence the Mayor could readily dis
pose of beggars coming here from other
points. These people could be deport-
ed, as provided under the laws of the
state and city, or by sending them to
JAIL and thus relieve the community
of what is fast becoming an intolera-
BILE nuisance, as well as burden on it's
people.
The charitably inclined could then
concentrate their attention on those
who are merely in need of a temporary
tiding-over, resulting from illness, or
want of employment. l believe that
whatever the municipal and county
authorities do on this line will receive
the hearty Endorsement of taxpayers
and citizens as a whole"