The Colfax gazette. [volume] (Colfax, Wash.) 1893-1932, 1909-03-19


nluon more expensive, and, perhaps,
~ more effective, nor less liable to
"'ahe mistakes SO there Is loss and
mounting gained on that score. But
Inere Is great force to the fact that
the power is still lodged in the people
- accuse and bring to trial whom
they Will, whether or not it be pleas
ing 60 any public official. Again.
intending lswbreakers might be able
70 learn the sentiment Of, or make
lheir peace with single prosecutor,
out there Is no way of forestalling the
purpose Of the grand Jury, because
us membership is not known in ad-
vance, and, gathered as it is from the
pody OF the county, it must Of neces-
SHY reflect the combined or average
sentiment Of the people as a whole.
but we consider it mainly useful for
what 1t can do, rather than for what
lt does, because the prosecuting at
torney does in the main what the
grand jury would do if he could not
or would not. Other reasons could
De mentioned, and all things consid-
cred, we believe it would be benefi-
oial to call a grand jury once year.
Respectfully submitted,
E. B. hughes,
Foreman.
The report Of the committee which
Investigated the Poor Farm was as
follows:
We, your committee appointed by
the grand jury of Whitman County
to Investigate the condition of the
Poor Farm, beg to report as follows:
We visited the farm on Wednesday,
the 10th day Of March, 1909, and
after thorough examination of the
premises, we find to the best of our
judgment there are about 40 acres of
tillable land on the place. of which
about % acres have been cultivated.
Fully Is acres more could be put into
cultivation at cost of not to exceed
not far from SO per acre. We find
about two acres of some 200 fruit
trees of good commercial varieties, in
good bearing condition If properly
sprayed and cared for. We find:
l dwelling house, valued at $4,000
l 16room poor asylum 1900
l pest house 400
l wash house and bath 200
2 barns 600
A lot of hog houses, chicken
houses, etc. $50
l drilled we'll and windmill
and pump $50
2 reservoirs 200
Total $4,000
We find the following live stock
belonging to the farm, to-wit: 6
COWS, 2 yearling heifers, young
calf, 3 hogs, weighing about $50
pounds each, 6 or 8 dozen chickens,
mares worth $500 and l bull.
We find that in the way of care of
the inmates that they are we'll fed and
cared for, their quarters kept clean
and sanitary as the conditions will
admit. The bath house and closet
are not suited to the demands of the
asylum, and the ventilation of the
rooms not what it ought to be. We
do not consider that the farm is pro-
ducing under the present arrangement
more than % per cent Of what it is
capable Of producing if the tillable
land should all be put into cultiva-
ton and properly looked after.
We find not less than 20 acres of
this land to be first class river bot
tom, especially suited for meadow
and for gardening. Upon full in
auiry we are informed reliably that
this bottom is not subject to summer
frosts. A part of this bottom is set
in timothy.
We have estimated and find from
the superintendent books, that the
average monthly expenses from March,
1908, to March, 1909, were 1898
for each inmate. This expense in
oIudes the salaries of both the super
intendent and the cook. We find that
the farm is not producing sufficient
feed and vegetables for the require
ments of the place.
1t having been suggested that the
county poor farm be sold and another
houpht, we have taken this matter
under deliberate consideration and
cannot recommend its sale for the
following reasons:
The buildings being unsuited to
the average farmer, the place would
not bring it's worth. that is, anything
like it's cost. No more land is need
81. as we find, as before mentioned,
that much of the good land in this
ranch is not cultivated. More than
this, the land is fertile and suited to
the growing of the things necessary
g. +ho maintenance of the place, and