The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-11-02
CHARITIES BOARD FAv0RS ALMSHOUSE
 ISSUE OF BONDS
In Public Communication the Board Tells of Condition at
 LakevieW Home

1O lIle EOllOr or the EVenlnS Fdrmer.
 Sfr-Why the Board of Charities asks the favorable consideration of the voters of the city of Bridgeport upon the matter of a new aims house?
 Under the provisions of the city charter "the board has the general superintendence, management and con- trol of the affairs of the city relative to poor persons, insane persons and imbeciles. They shall be tbe over seers of the poor, and shall at the ex- penSe of the city provide all articles necessary for the subsistence of all paupers.''
 Such are the duties imposed by the law upon the board, and we there fore deem it our duty at this time to call the attention of the voters of the city to some of the conditions that now exist in connection with our care in the keep and health and the lives of the unfortunates who are absolute ly dependent upon our stewardship.
 According to the official report for the year ending March 31st, 1911, there were 260 inmates in Lakeview Home, of whom 193 were males, 67 females; among the total being 10 children. Of the men 14 were insane, and the women IS were insane. At the pres ent time there are 225 inmates, of whom 15 are children, 16 insane males, 13 insane females, 20 male hospital patients, and 13 female hospital pa tientS.
 The superintendent of Lakeview Home has repeatedly reported to the board, and therefore to the city, the congested, unsanitary and unsafe con- dition of the building in which these people are housed. The Board of Al dermen took official action in the mat ter of the conditions thus reported as hn ToIr appointed a special committee to in vestigate the same; which committee on October IT, 1910, reported back to the Board of Aldermen as follows:
 "Your committee has found that the conditions are congested, and that the buildings are unsanitary and woefully inadequate. Although the conditions as to the care of the inmates and the
 maintenance of the farm are the best
 possible, the fact still remains that, owing to the poor design of the build
 ing, it's safety and the sanitary con- ditions are very hard to be improved
 by any repairs or additions of tenn
 porary nature. aOne important fea-
 ture that your committee wishes to
 enlarge upon is the great danger of a
 holocaust. owing to the poor facfI-
 ties to check a fire if one should start''
 Under date of November 1st, 1911, the secretary of the State Board of Health, in Hartford, reports to the board as follows:
 "On October ,31st, I visited and in-
 spected the building used as an aims house by the city. of Bridgeport. The inspection was made with special ref erence as to whether the building is adapted and equal to the present enlargement. The building. I ain l told, was originally erected in 1865, with five or more additions at latnT | periods to satisfy the increasing deI mands. It is now very much over crowded and poorly arranged to carry 1 on the work of the institution to the | best advantage. The plumbing is bad, especially in the women's quar- | ters, and must violate the city plumb | ing ordinance. The interior is en- | tirely of wood construction and would burn rapidly in case of fire. A fire here would be most unfortunate, as l it would be impossible to remove all of the inmates, many of whom are more or less helpless and of an age and condition easily excited.
 T am of the opinion, therefore | that larger and more convenient quarters are urgently needed, and | that the demand for the same will | constantly increase in a rapidly grow | ing city like Bridgeport; and further | more that it would be unwise to ex- | pGnQ any sum or money on improve ! ments or additions to the present old and unsanitary buildings.
 l Yours truly,
 | Joseph H. Townsend, M. D., | Secretary l In view therefore of such pronoun- | ced warning from authorized authori- 1 ties whom we have right and duty | to deem as competent advisers, the 1 board believes that to neglect for g 1 day longer than is absolutely neces- | sary to remedy and correct condi- | tions considered so perilous to tho
 lives and dangerous to the health and comfort of those committed to ouI charge, would indeed be criminal ir | the extreme; and we therefore earn
 estly solicit from the voters of the | city next Tuesday their favorable ac- | ton in our effort to procure a home | for the poor of the city that will be
 in all respects safe, sanitary and com | modious enough to accommodate the present and reasonable future wants | The Board of Public Charities |