The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-12-02
Montgomery Almshouse Of
ficials Answer Charges
of Mismanagement.
SANITARY CONDITION
ABOVE THE AVERAGE
Say II Is Miracle of Economy, and
Resent Interference by Med
dlesome Strangers"

In the face OF charges Of mIsmanage-
ment Of the Montgomery county aims
house and the deplorable conditions ex-
listing I'm the institution. officials resent
any Investigation or interference by
those whom they call 'med1lesome
strangers" and back this resentment
by stating that the almshouse is as good
a. any OF its kind IN the State and
that not another dollar viii be appropri-
sted Tor it's maintenance.
That consumptives and other inmates
room together. that whites and negroes
are allowed the freedom OF the place
whenever the superintendent may be
away. and that feeble-minded negro
who. according to Dr. Edward Ander-
son. may become violently insane at
any moment is allowed to wander
about the place and terTify passersby,
and that other feeble minded inmates
are housed there, are charges not de-
MED by the officials OF the almshouse-
But. they declare. as much as they
deprecate these conditions. the present
ARRANGEMENT is the best possible under
the s. 500 which constitutes the appro-
priation for the home Moreover they
assert. there IS likely TO be little i'm
provement in view OF the county com
rnissioners' efforts TO economic rather
than 20 Increase the fund for ths in
stitution.
Not Enough Money.
They cite as an evidence OF this atti-
tu1e the dismissal OF Superintendent
Rabbit. This ofucial. though dOirg won
ders with the small amount On hand,
they say, has been constantly Sssailed
nv investigators and charged witn mis-
MANAGEMENT, viii conclude his tenure Of
offics on December 81, as the result Of
charges brought by the tTustees that he
was spending too much money for the
care OF the eighteen inmates now under
the aInshcuse roof when the same
amount of money formerly cared Tor
between thirty and forty.
Il have personally gone before the
hoard of county commissioners ana 1dlo
tber, OF conditions here made necessary
nv the shortage Of FUNDS declared
SiIuerintendent Rabbit 10 Times re-
Dorter, "and time ana time again nave
been promised additional money When
fhe time came around Tor the allotment
Fl never went above $ZsaAts tIie sdLIlS
amount expended when my IalntF was
caretaker here more than hfty years
:.Tbis house is more than 200 years
did and shows the raVages or Time
The ceilings IN both the dining rooms
FOR the white and colOred inmates are
crumbling, and every once IN Whoie
whole sections fan.
Sanitary Conditions Good
ANY charges brought against the
sanitary conditions here are untrue.
They are as nearly perfect as they
could be"
This statement was borne out by DR..
Edwin Anderson, county physician 70
the Rlmshouse. 1T is true he said.
chat the sanitation is one point which
Is 1uassailable. / have been physician
here FOR twenty years, and in that tine
not a single case Of fever has originated
here. Sanitary conditions are better
than in a majority Of the farm houses
IN this vicinity
s.'Tne statement that negro and
white man who were consumptiVes were
.roDfred 10 the same room is untrue
said Or Anderson. Two consumpuNes
were here several weeks ago, but one
of them died. he was a white man.
Tba other is still here, and my nrst
intirnatfon that he was allowed TO sl6sI
ir the same room with the other male
inmates wes with my visit with yoJ
10 the home today. Immediate steps
v-fu he taken 70 have him isolated IT.
no further objections on that score will
be forthcoming
an inspection Of the premises by DR.
Anderson. superintendent Rabbit and
a Times reporter brought 10 light the
presence of the consumptive in the same
sleeping room with the other inmates
hut the party was also shown a private
room being fitted up for the patient
where, by order of DR.. Anderson, he will
be removed today.
Whites and Negroes Separate.
Il allowed him 70 come TO this room
after the death of his former room
mate, because he pleaded not to be lefI
alone" said the superintendent, "and
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