Los Angeles herald., 1906-10-31

older boaildings.
''The bookkeeping in the clerical de-
partment is very lax, faulty and incom-
piete and supplies arc ordered by phone
and taken i'm and out without book en-
tries. We recommend that systematic
bookkeeping be introduced.
at the county farm we found the ex-
| terror in good order; upon investigation
of the interior, we found the quarters
of the feeble, old men extremely dirty
and repulsive, their beds being infested
with vermin. and burning demand ex-
listing for cleansing and purifying these
quarters.
zone of the aged inmates, in reply to
an inquiry, took his cane and struck
/ the edge OF his wire mattress, when inn
mediateiy scores Of bedbugs fell to the
| floor.
"An insufficient supply of help to take
| care of these inflrm and aged partly
explains conditions.
"There are no lavatories in the build
| ing occupied by the men, which neces-
states their going some distance from
the buildings to outside lavatories,
which are extremely filthy and unsani-
| tary, thus working a great hardship, es-
pecially in cold or wet weather.
I'VE recommend that up-to-date lava
tories be installed on all the floors of
each building.
Bedding Filthy
1--WE also recommend that a laundry
| room and appliances be provided, as
we found the beds with sheets, pillow
cases and blankets in a filthy and rag
ged condition; the inmates being re-
quired to do this work themselves, all
| though many of the men are very old
and entirely incompetent to care for
| themselves.
"A quantity Of corned beef, estimated
| at about half barrel, thrown away
on the morning Of the visit of the grand
| jury, lends color to the general COM
plant of spoiled food and poor sup
plies furnished the tables. A lack of
variety of meats and vegetables is es
pecially complained of.
I'VE cannot emphasize too strongly
the need of reforms as above suggested.
1--WE call attention to the unsatisfac-
| tory condition Of the quarters of the
detention home and recommend that a
new building be provided as soon as
possible"
Yesterday in speaking of the grand
| jury's report, Chairman Charles Pat
| terson of the county board Of super
visors, made the following statement:
Eyes. there are many things in which
| the poor farm might be improved, and
have no doubt that the condi-
| tions set forth in the report of the
grand jury are absolutely correct, even
so far as the experience Of experts
might go on the subject.
| There are, however, many things in
which the local Institution excels all
others in the country. In the first place
we have planned fund of about $60, 900
for remodeling the poor farm. 1t is
situated about eight miles from the city
toward Downey, and is a brick build
| ing, or rather series of buildings.
Need More Room
| ut is a fact that there should be
more room. We have planned to build
an extra ward with the money we get
from the bonds. That ward will be
| used for many of the patients at the
farm and will be used as a change
ward. Beds may be unclean as regards
bugs but with an extra ward we can
put the inmates to sleep in the clean
ward while the old ones are being
fumgated. At present there is no way
in which the beds and rooms can be
fumigated.
Another thing we intend to build at
the farm is a great wash room. Ac-
cording to the reports of the superin-
tendent it is almost impossible to make
the inmates keep cltan. They refuse
to bathe. 1t is further planned to put
in a private electric plant and steam
heating outfit At present it is dan
gerous for the inmates, many of them
aged and infirm to go about with lamps
| and candles; also dangerous to have
stoves about where the old people may
stumble up against them.
| I'VE have on an average about 175
| inmates there month, about twenty
| five of that number being women. They
are required to do little jobs about the
place, but never in the history of the
home so far as I have been able to
detect has an old man or an old wo-
|
| beyound their strength. Many Of them,
as are a great many of the childishly
old, are chronic complainers and re-
fuse to even walk to the table for their
meals although they may be in excel
| lent health.
Says Food Is Good
'In regard to the food. have fire.
quently made inspections of the food
at the institution. The meat has al
ways been clean and sweet and the
conditions in the kitchen and ice box
above reproach, There may be an oc-
cosional piece of bad meat in the home,
but that condition is rare.
"The home now has a dairy with
about forty COWS. That dairy supplies
not only the home, but also the county
hospital with fresh milk every day, so
that the milk for the poor old inmates
is better than that which the best
homes of the city can secure. They
have fresh butter from the dairy and
fresh eggs from the chicken corral on
the grounds. A vegetable garden fur
nishes them with vegetables the year
round and a great orange orchard is
at their disposal, the fruit being there
for the purpose of refreshing the old
folks. There are no fancy groceries
served and there probably will be
none, but for all the good plain food,
fresh and healthful, the poor farm can
equal almost any institution in the