The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-10-12

water into this tank out of the creek
or OUT OF driven well near the creek
ped A system Of sewage could very
easily be arranged, owing to the ele-
waited location of the buildings, and the
institution not only provided with first
class bath and toilet facilities, but also
with fire protection at an expense of
probably not much over 1000.
There is room for Improvement in the
cleanliness of the inmates. of the rooms,
and OF the beds. The small iron beds
in which the men sleep need removal
ton.
The State Journal reporter visited the
second floor of the mems building. The
floor up there had not been scrubbed,
or even swept. 1t was very dusty and
dirty Five men sleep up there. There
are no facilities for lighting or heating
this upper room.
1.-The men who sleep up there can
have light If they want it, said Mr.
Belts, put as a matter of fact most OF
these old boys go to bed with the chick
ems, and don't need any light. There
is stove down below If they want TO
get warm. 1t isn't safe to let some OF
them have lamp at night"
There is one row of one-story build
ings, used by men. which the inmates
call Smoky" presumably adopting the
nickname from old Smoky Row in To-
peka- Smoky" was was in very
clearly condition, and it is in here thai
the two barred cells are, in which crazy
men and unruly inmates are locked up
1t was in one of these cells that Mr..
Belts threatened to lock up Rupin. The
cells did not show very hard use. They
were covered with dust and cobwebs.
The women's ward seemed to be
cleaner and the beds to be in better
condition than the mems. But there
are three crazy women in the cells ad-
jacent to the women's ward who keep
up clamor and disorder which is GER
a tr1u 70 in
mates. 1t is a very unfortunate thing
that these crazy women have to be kept
with the sane ones. They should be In
the state insane asylum, but the asy-
lum authorities refuse to receive them
because of lack of room, they say.
Are Inmates Overworked?
1t is the plan at the institution to
give such of the old men as are able
to work a certain number of chores
about the house and farm to do. Some
of the inmates are fairly able bodled
men, who more than earn their keep.
There seems to be very little DISPOSE
ton on the art of inmates to complain
at the amount of work exacted. Old
Andy Robinson, an aged colored man
from Topeka, was sitting on the creek
bank fishing when the Investigators
were at the institution. and seemed TO
be perfectly happy. 1t is said that ROD
inson fishes from morning till Night
and manages to catch a number of sun
fish and suckers which are cooked for
the sick inmates.
Belts has one hired man to assist
him in carrying on the farm work, bur
a number of the lighter chores. sucn
as milking, gardening, caring for the
pigs and horses, and homework, is done
by the inmates. Not very much work
is required, as most of the inmates are
too old to stand much physical exer-
ton
III lot ~ q
inmates of the county farm are being
a good deal better cared for now than
they ever were before in their lives,
because most of them come from the
humber walks of life. This is not true
of all of the inmates. Some of them
were formerly wealthy, well educated
men and women, who have been over
taken by reverses or physical ailments
Men and women of the age and gen.
eral discouraged character OF the poor
farm unfortunatesr are naturally IN
clined to be unreasonable and hard to
get along with. This is true of many
aged persons even though they may
not be in the poor farm. 1t takes much
patience and tact to get along with
such people. There are many petty
jealousies and animosities. Certain In
mates are accused of being the ia
these "favorites" are generally disliked
by the others. -
Facilities for caring for the sick at
the poor farm are not good, and
there is always sickness, and often
death. One large room is used en-
tirely for laying out the dead" One
mana former wealthy Topeka bust
ness man-digs the graves for the in
mates who die, and superintends the
burials. There is no hospital for the
sick. They lie in the rooms with
other inmates. The inmates take
s1lr Il
giving them medicine. The physi-
clan who cares for these many I'M
fortunates lives in Topeka-six miles
away
There is no regular arrangement
for religious services on Sunday.
These old, discouraged men and
women would appreciate more re-
ligious life. 1t would comfort and
satisfy them in their misfortune. The
Topeka Ministerial association can do
a lot of good by providing a regular
service at the farm.
Management of poor farms, jails
and asylums, where unfortunate or
criminal people are confined under
the charge of a superintendent, Is
one of the most difficult problems of
government 1t has always been and
probably always will be source of
more or less scandal. The only way
such places can be kept clean of
scandal is through frequent investi-
cations by disinterested and honest
people who are not afraid to go to
the bottom of things. who will in
vestigate when they are not expected, |
who have the authority and determi-
nation to protect to the limit the help |
less inmate who dares to tell the facts
about the way the institution is run.
No such investigation has yet been
made of the Shawnee county poor
farm.
Since writing the above description