The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-05-13
TELLS
| OF LOWER COST
Poor Commissioner Explains
Expenses During the
Past Year.

YOU like to make a few state
mcnts in regard to the cost of caring
Tor the poor Of this city and county,
1t being reported that it has cost tre
county more for the temporary relief
OF the poor for the year just past than
1t did In the twelve months prior. to
my appointment as poor commission.
er.
Now let us see. I was appointed
commissioner of the poor NAV i. 1911.
From May 1. 1910, to May /, 1911. it
cost the county s%12,61s.23 for the
temporary relief of the Door: During
OF wood given out from the M
mouse yard. l ais find from the re-
port of the superintendent of the poor
farm. that in the month of March.
l91l, there were So people being car
ed for at the county poor farm. From
May J.. 1910. to May 1, 1911, there
were ~ patients sent to local hospi-
tais at the %county's expense. In the
winter of 1911 there We're 36 families
having their house rent paid by the
county. ~
Now take from May 1, 1911. the
time of my appointment. to May 1,
1912. 1 find that the cost of the tenn
porary relief of the poor was $9,o51.-
80 tne salary OF the poor
commissioner. During the same wear
20 cords of wood were given out from
the court house yard. In the month
Of March. 912. IS people were being
cared for at the county poor farm.
From May 1. 1911. to May 1, 1912,
there were % patients sent to local
hospitals by the county,. In the past
year thHre were but is name on the
rent roll. and two of these only for
month each. Still. strange as it
may seem to some, 10 one had to sleen
outside.
To sum up and compare the two
May i. 1910. to May l.. 1911.
temporary relief ........ $12.61S.23
May 1. 1911. to May 1,
1912, temporary relief. 9,o51.5o
Difference in favor of IL
Wood from court house
yard. 10 and '11.........99h cord
Wood from court house
yard, IL and 12....,....70 cord
A saving in IL and IL Of. ..291s cord
It will be noticed that there was a
saving in wood Notwithstanding the
exceptionally cold winter. In the win
ter of 1911. sc families were having
their house rent paid by the county
In the year Of 1912 there were but is
families. making a difference of Is or
5o per cent. There were also Is less
patients at u county hospital than
there were in the same month of the
previous year. In the year of 10 and
IL there were Al patients sent by the
county to local hospitals. In the year
OF ~ and IL there We're only %.
making a difference of 10 for II and
IL. There has been. it seems to me.
q good reduction in the cost to the
county all the way through. This has
been accomplished without any hard
ship being imposed upon any one, I'M
less 1t was the commissioner of the
poor.
L would like also to state that in
looking over the books of the Asso-
ciated Charities. I find hat in the first
three months of 1911 there were IS or
ders of groceries given to the poor of
this city. at a cost of $4,000. In the
same three months Of 1912 there were
but sever orders given out. amounting
to $3.50. This item shows that the
reduction in the county's expenses was
but rather the other way.
While 1 do not vouch for the abso-
ute correctness of the figures given in
this article. they are correct enough
TO make a fair comparison of the cost
OF caring for the poor for the two
years stated.
Hoping that this article will clear
up some of the mistaken ideas in re.
gard to the care Of the poor during
the past year, and thanking you for
your valuable space. I am,
Yours truly.
F. J.. Smith, City.