The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-09-16

DIFFERENT STORY n one YElA
No More Leaky Sewer Pipes or
Damp Walls.
Floors That SWayed and Bath
Tubs Upside Down.

..~sS Seemingly eASte0 Tor years at
the state orphans home at Atchison :
are told IN the biennial report of Mrs
z K Burns, superintendent of the
nome. Mrs Burns was appointed to
the supplementary Of the orphans
home little more than a year ago and
in the twelve months conditions at the
institution have been revolutionixed-
With the most limited appropria-
tons, Mrs Burns has fought to Inn
prove conditions in the home and the
story OF the situation which she faced
and the results accomplished is told
IN one OF the most sensational official
documents ever filed by the head of
state institution The superfntend-
ents report is but little short of an
Indictment of conditions which have
existed in the home for years. Leaky
sewer pipes that made the air foul and
OFFENSIVE, a lavatory that leaked and
GRAINED down the kitchen wall. water
that was unfiltered and unfit for use,
toilets beyond use, floors that swayed
and sagged, walls that were damp.
cold and barren Of paint or plaster, a
heating plant that didn't heat, bath
i! tubs upside down, beds without springs
those were some of the things chat
Mrs Burns found had existed under
+ old rule.
In her report Mrs Burns tells her
story in part as follows:
When 1 entered upon my duties
under the board of control It was fol-
lowing an almost unprecedented sum-
mer of heat and drouth- Vegetation
of every kind was burned and dead
ceptlon. The garden held virtually
nothing to eat and 200 children and
| many employees to feed
The entire place presented a neg
lected appearance. There was want
of discipline with many of the heads
! as well as the children, showing the
need OF attention and correction
Inese, together with many other i'm
portant questions confronted us The
| houses were without lights the greater
part OF the time, save for oil hand
lamps, especially dangerous where
children are concerned.
Sewerage Question.
| our heating plant was entirely gone.
The grounds were in disorder, due to
excavating for a broken sewer piue.
Tne odor from this was almost IN
toAera bie- The sewerage through the
entire place was equally as objection
able The leakage from the mems Law
atory above the children's kitchen cana
down the sides Of the walls behind the
| range where their meals were prepared.
The septic at cottage was useless and
the sewerage ran above ground. These
defects have been corrected, the former
by steel ceiling. the latter with new
motive power and a new sewer.
The floors were broken and sunkel
being insunfciently strong to retain the
stances were upside down The walls
were in such a state of decay that they
were damp and open, the plasterinx be-
ing largely a thing of the past. Aft sr
a heavy rain the children waded in
water and were subject to the discom-
forts and dangers arising from such
conditions.
The toilets were in a state almost
past using.
Drank River Water.
For many years the water question
has been serious one Many thou
sands of dollars have been spent in dig
ging cisterns and wel1s-never satisfac-
line to the river from where the water
was brought wholly unffltered Water
used for both drinking and cooking pu--
only at stated intervals, water used for
bathing and flushing was gotten as OPP
portunity afforded. We are now con
nected with city water, no limitations
as to usage and yet at a much less ex-
lpense''
Through the aid of the Atchfson
Elks' club. the orphans home has IN
stalled a motion picture machine and
Irregular entertainments are given for
the benefit of the 1900 little tots who are
confined in the Atchison Institution.
Suggestions for changes and improve
ments are pointed out In Mrs. Burns
report. The improvements made under
her administration were from the reg
uIar funds set aside by the 1913 1egis-
I1ature which were in the main even
smaller than the funds provided for
the institution in former years