Norwich bulletin., 1911-03-11

The town farm of Westerly, Tn com mon with the farms for paupers in other towns of the state, has not so many inmates in proportion to pepula- necticut- In Rhode Island there are two classes of paupers, town and state. In order to gain admission to the town farm the applicant must have legal settlement in the town, that is, must
 have paid taxes on real estate upon at least s200 above all incumbrances for at least five successive years, or could be admitted upon legal settlement of foYbears, on the same busis. On the other hand, those without legal settle
 nent would be assigned to the state farm, as they would have no legal right to tiie town farm, even if they had resided in Westerly continuously for fifty years or more, as residence of it. self does not establish legal settltment in Rhode Island. By this method the towns are not obliged to give direct support to any paupers whose settle- fnent has not been acquired by the payment of real estate taxes, the oth- CT class becoming charges upon the state.
 The present Westerly town farm is located on the Niantio road, near Bor- den's pond The farm house was se- cured by purchase. with the lands, but was not originally. contracted for it's present use. It is A farm house, pure and simple, and has no sem mblance of a public institution. Since the proper ty came into tho possession of the town considerable improvement has been made but of necessity the mode of living on the town farm today is practically the same as prevailed forty and more years ago. There has been marked change in this respect, and the unfortunate poor of the town of West oriy should be privileged to enjoy some of the benefits of modern improve ments in method of living.
 h the old days, when soft water and hard water were of common reference, and when a tin basin of water was dipped out and thrown back in the wa ter hogshead to drive the pollywoggles to the bottom, in order to get water in which to wa sh face and hands in the good old summer time, and when in the winter it was necessary to chop chunks of ice from the hogshead and then melt it on the kitchen stove to get water with which to wash, it went all right when the old men of today were boys. While all of this has chang cd in progressive communities, there has not been much change in methods at the Westerly town farm.
 In place of the old hearthstono fire in the main living room. there is a large coal burning stove, but there is no way of heating the sleeping rooms over 90. It is possible that this old woman and her associates are permit ted to take a heated brick to bed, just e they did when they were children, to prevent their feet freezing in rooms in which artificial heat was unknown. The management of the Westerly town farm is excellent, and John P. Hoxie. the superintendent, and Mrs. Hoxie do all that is within their power for the comfort and convenience of the in- mates, and no fault can be found in that respect. Ellery Barber is the overseer of the poor, an6 is a compe- tent and careful official, but he proba- bly, misfudges the wishes of the tax payers of the town when he fails to take steps that will result in estab- fishing some modern improvements at the town farm.