The Detroit times., 1910-10-11
n FOLKS HOME
lin FILTHY STATE
|anitary Engineer Submits Report
on Institution at Traverse City
Cheboygan Jail Menace, Too.

\ LANSING. Mich, Oct. 10.-At re-
cent meeting OF the State Board OF
Corrections and Charities. Secretary
Murray submitted to the members
the result OF his Investigations In 40
counties. In q summary report to the
board, the secretary shows that since
entering upon the work one year ago
every county institution has been in
spected once and In 40 counties sec.
ond time.
The conditions In some parts of the
state are so bad that the board has
taken action authorizing the secre-
tary to submit certain matters rela-
tive to the handling OF Juveniles.
county jails and infirmaries TO the at
torney-general's department and the
state board Of health for investigation
and action. The state board Is ex-
hausting every means open to 1t TO
bring about the enforcement OF the
law and an improvement OF conditions.
II Ii believed that the staff board OF
health has some authority over the
sanitary conditions OF county institu-
lions and pending the decision OF the
oupreme court In the Altoona county
JAIL case. by which the authority o.
the board OF corrections and chart
ties will be determined, the board or
health has been called upon to take
m active part In some counties In
which the conditions are especially
bad.
The secretary has just returned
from trip with Thomas s. Ainge. san
itary engineer and assistant medical
Inspector, and the reports OF the engi-
neer show that in the institutions IN
spected, the conditions are such that
they should be summarily closed
Among some of the institutions re-
ceivipg attention are the county Jails
OF Lake. Cheboygan, Manistee. and
the quarters In which old people are
maintained at Traverse City. AS to
the latter, the secretary In his report
10 the board describes. In part, the
situation as follows:
within the shadow OF court
house, and In a community boasting
and advertising Its advantages and
resources, Grand Traverse county pro-
vides for her unfortunate dependent
and inflrm In 8 manner most disgrace
ful to the county and the state. The
vermin infested quarters are abso-
lutely UNIT for the purpose for which
they are used. and there Is not a re-
deeming feature about the premises.
other than that the overseer and ma
iron are capable and are doing the
best they can with what the county
provided. No provision Is made ;Of
the separation or classification OF In
mates, and during the winter months
the old people are huddled and packed
together In q manner and under such
conditions as to render IL almost in
human. In one room. the air space
OF which is sufficient for one person
only with the means OF heating ard
ventilating, Ave men were crowded,
the beds and cots occupying practic-
ally all the floor space. Even with
this overcrowding OF the sleeping
rooms II was necessary TO provide
bed in the dining room, on which
opens one bedroom occupied by two
inmates and the so-called sick room
occupied by one. Inasmuch as no sit
ting or smoking room is provided, the
men smoke In the sleeping rooms and
the condition Of the atmosphere may
readily be imagined. The sleeping
rooms on the second floor, one OF
which was occupied by five men. are
heated by stove pipes and drums and
the old people being susceptible to
cold the air in the rooms was very
rarely changed 1t is time the au-
thorities and citizens of this and other
counties awake to the realization OF
the fact that they should treat hui
namely, to some extent at least. the
aged and infrm. some OF which
through no fault of their own, be-
come dependent upon the public for
support
The report OF the secretary shows
that the Jail at Cheboygan Is dirty
! and filthy beyond description, unsani-
tary. entirely inadequate, and pro-
yides for no classification whatever OF