Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-02-15
JUDICIARY
The Pros and Cons in the County sr
District AImshouses Proposition

District Aimshouses Proposition
Much opposition 10 the proposed
change from town almshouses TO
system Of county and district aims
houses developed at tho hearing before
tho committee On judiciary wednesday
afternoon on the bin which would Gre
ate e system Of district almshouses,
under the control ~ local boards of
trustees and supervision OF the state
BOARD Of Charities and Corrections. the
district lines conforming with county
lines except that the cities OF Portland
md Ranger arc made districts by
themselves md the counties OF Knox,
Lincoln and Saeadahoc are combined
into one district Representatives of
Portland and Bangor appeared TO ask
that those cities be left out OF the OPP
GRAFTON 81 charges in administration
work IN the hill as did also represent
atives - South Portland, Lewiston.
Auburn and Augusta. which would be
combined with their counties, while
representatives 81 several other towns
spoke against the bill. .
Robert Treat Whitehouse Of Port
land chairman Of the state Board Of
charities and Corrections. spoke in
almshouse system. The experience of
several years shows that the change
would he beneficial. he said The step
h. recommended by the Governor. 1t Is
not a freak bill Don't turn it down
because ne new" he pleaded. but
consider II carefully and II you be-
lieve II will be for the benefit OF the
state of Maine report Il favorably.
There are l35 almshouses in the
state he said ~ which only 124 are
omen and ~ these q had no inmates or
owe only for short time during 1916
Seventeen had an average ~ only one
81 hrd an average Of less than FIVE and
ioi had less than 10 Onlv three. those
In Portland. Lewiston and Bangor. had
more than IN The almshouse popula-
tion IN TWINS supporting almshouses
WINS Fs7 and from this he figured the
total nlmshouse reputation OF the state
would he 1914 Tho average weekly per
capita cost was 81 In New HAMPSHIRE
With district almshouse system the
nverng" weekly per capita cost was
,2s2 He Toured the now system would
save m" state from $40 coo to SCI. 900
n wear
Under tho present system there is gross
Inequality with heavy burden on the
small towns, he said The town unit is
too small Hut ne believed the most I'm
portant factor was the better care that
could he given N larger institutions, and
the better facilities obtanable He read
reports ~ conditions in some of the town
almshouses, OF almshouses where "peo-
pie were living in places not fit for hogs"
where an old woman had fallen from her
char and evidently had broken her leg
but no attention had been given her
She was crying and whimpering piteous-
". and Of places where there were
feeble minded, no separation OF the sexes,
disease and conditions which might be
expected to produce feeble minded ille-
ultimate and diseased children for the
state to take care Of.
u suppose II these conditions were
brought 20 the attention Of the munich
pal officers they would correct them"
asked Senator Davies. chairman
Yes. W. have corrected them to some
extent. but Il takes time and we have
sometimes found municipal officers hos
tile. replied MIR whtehouse The
town unit Is too small to get the best re-
suits"
Mr. whitehouse declined to name anv
OF tho places which he had mentioned
IN his reports until executive session
Tho district plan would secure better
sanitary conditions. better superintend-
ence, separation and segregation OF the
SEXES and imheciles hospital facilities
ana getting the benefit OF the labor ar
those who are able to labor. he said He
told ~ the adoption of the method in
nfk ~ "A IL
sect
Rep Barnes OF Houlton of the commit
tee asked II there was any sentiment in
the hnl. What would you do with an
old woman who has brought up family
IN town in northern Aroostook. ami
they have all died OF In her declining
years would you make her leave her hills
and lakes and 60 into a town like Houl-
tom" Mr. whitehouse thought This was
provided for in the bill
Questions were asked al 10 the probable
sire Of population of the proposed district
innrmaries A list OF estimates was read
At the head OF the list was Aroostook
with 81 ~ know enough about Aroos-
took to know that IS isn't even a good
guess" said Mr.. Barnes.
There followed a series of questions,
which were interrupted by Senator GIL
lin Of the committee laundering AT Sec
rotary James r. Bagley of the State
Board OF Charities and Corrections; Let
him answer them himself. Mr. Bagley.'
There was a discussion of the proposed
method of raising funds by taxing the
entire county or district. and of the man
aGemcnt.
I'm county where there were two
sharply divided sections OF the popula-