The Republican journal., 1917-11-22
Report on Belfast City Farm.

The quarterly bulletin of the State
Board of Charities and Corrections, Just
issued speaks as follows of the Belfast
City Farm
The superintendent and matron are Mr..
and Mrs Ralph Hayford. The city does
not own any almshouse, but contracts
with Mr. Hayford to provide an aims
house and assume all the obligations of
the city for relief, except for medical at
tendance for persons residing in the city,
for the sum of 81, 800 per annum. This is
the second year of a 5-years contract.
One argument against this method of
caring for the city's poor has arisen since
war has been declared, as the Swear con-
tract does not take into account the
contractors profits that he counted on
will be greatly reduced by the added ex-
pense and yet he is bound to care for the
poor even at loss. The expense of car
Ing for the poor are an item that in every
community fluctuates with good or hard
times, and contract looking five years
into the future is poor business policy,
for the amount expended should depend
upon the actual needs of the poor from
month to month, and not on somebody's
guess as to what it might cost on the
average for a period of years. He has
had experience since 1904.
Recommendations and Suggestions
Fire extinguishers. Fly screens next sum-
meT
Conditions Observed-There are no
women inmates. The house occupied by
the m lie inmates is of wood, two stories
No fire escape or apparatus; heating by
stoves; lighting by electricity; drainage
cesspool Food is prepared in kitchen
fused also by superintendent; dining
room; three dormitories; nine beds; larg-
est number in any one room, four; toilet
facilities, one bath tub, one sink, one
| flush closet. Bath and sink are not sup
piled with hot water, except as it is
heated in tank on stove
! The almshouSe is not used as a house
of correction. Tramps are not fed or
lodged.
The two criticisms made to the matron
were that crumbs left near the cupboard
were drawing flies, and that the chamber
vessels were not properly Scalded out by
the men to prevent odors from them
The floors and bedding were clean, the
! flush closet and bath less So No bed
vermin was seen.
The furniture is adequate except that
perhaps two OF three comfortable arm
chairs are needed for the mems day
room. They are aged and spend much
time about the stove
| The beds and bedding are comfort
able and clean AS the men often lie
down in the day time thin washable COW.
erings are desirable on the beds, which
can be laundered when needed without
undue labor.
The bed rooms were we'll ventilated.
The mems building has screen door but
no window screens. Cotton screening is
on hand which can be tackled on the out
side of the windows next year. Flies
should be excluded if possible and those
that enter the house should be killed in
some way
Unused food is supposed to be sent back
to the kitchen.
There are nc facilities for the care of
the sick or separate care of infectious
diseases. The city physician comes when
called
The inmates are polite and agreeable,
but like children they need supervision to
keep their work up to the standard. They
are not fond of bathing.
The men keep house, except that the
matron cleans up for them and does the
sweeping at stated intervals. She also looks
in on them every day and supervises the
work. They treat her respectfully. She
does all their washing, but hires some
one to do the cooking.
The mems building has been painted
within, an earth closet has been torn
down and new bedding put in place since
the last inspection.