Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1912-10-04
GRAND JURY MAKES
SOME RECOMMENDATIONS.

Friday afternoon, makes numerous
valuable recommendation upon
county matters, its report upon the
county home being especially full.
The document is severe indictment
upon the present system of conduct
ing the home, system involving too
rigid an economy, and a system that
made possible so distressing a case
as that of Mckee. The report in
full follows:
we have returned from all
sources of information two not true
bills and three true bills.
We have casually examined the
several county offices and the county
court house and find all in good con-
dition, but the court house is entire
ly inadequate and antiQuated, but
We have no recommendation concern
ing the same.
Want Fence For Jail.
I'VE find the county Jail in good
condition, but fence of iron or
steel should be built upon a cement
wall about the Jail sufficient to rem
der it inaccessible to the general pub
lie. We find from testimony offered
that this recommendation has been
repeatedly made by preceding grand
juries and that no attention what
ever has been paid to the same by
the county court We as grand iur-
ors ask the approval of this court
and its consent in the appointment
of committee of its members on
the grand jury to proceed to erect
such fence about the said Jail FOL-
lowing the law regarding the submis-
sion of bids and letting of contracts
governing the county court in max
| ing public improvements, said COM
mittee to report to this grand jury
when it again conyenes in special ses-
sion. We would respectfully call
your honors' attention to the fact
that underneath the windows of the
/ Jail the grass has become worn
where the public has been allowed
to stand and communicate with in
mates allowing of the passing back
and forth of weapons of both ofense
and defense, condition which
should not be allowed to exist
County Home Investigated.
I'VE have made examination of the
county poor farm and the home, We
find that most of the evils and COM
plants in connection with the home
spring from too rigid economy en-
forced by the county court and its
wrong system of operation. $12 per
month is allowed the superintendent
for keeping each individual of the
nome. The superintendent must
make his salary out of this allow
ance. With an average number Of
10 to 16 people in the home the
superintendent is forced to a scanty
income if the patients are not COM
PEELED to a too scanty fare. The food
furnished seems adequate in guam
tity but It lacks in variety, some
articles appearing 365 days for sup
per each year, likewise for breakfast
with very little variation at dinner.
System Out of Date.
"A contract system of running a
county home at so much per inmate
is a system that has been abolished
in every well conducted county
home. 1t has been found by exper-
ience that it often results in impro-
per food, insufficient nursing and
care and has given rise in many
places to charges of inhuman econ
omy The unfortunate poor are the
wards Of the county and their care
should be looked upon not only as a
legal obligation but one of the high
est moral obligations, and the dis
charge of that obligation should no.
be farmed out under contract plan
to save few dollars. We believe
our county Judge looks upon it IN
this light, and that he has given tn
home all the attention that is pos
sible for him to give together with
his numerous duties, but it is our
strong recommendation that the pres
ent system be abolished
Court Should Direct Superintendent
The inmates should be under the
care Of the superintendent who
should be required to live at the
home and the court should dIrec'
him and hold him to a high sense OF
responsibility regulating his hour.
and hedging the inmates about will
rules and regulations that are ade.
quate for their protection.
"Wa believe that the superinten