Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-11-17
INTERESTING TRIP
TO TOWN FARM

TO TOWN FARM
s. A trip to the town farm, where the
unfortunates Of the city, who have
no other place of abode. make their
home was one Of the novel expert
ences of the Journal reporter Tues
DAY. The visit was made on the
spur of the moment, az the result Of
a long cherished desire to see where
and how these men and women lived.
who are beyond the possibility of
taking care of themselves and yet
have no one to whom they can look
for a shelter and home during their
offered by the city. Overseer of the
Poor. Napoleon Marshall cheerfulIy
complied with the request to take
The scribe TO the place and i'm a'few
minutes the start was made.
The town farm is situated on North
street. but short distance beyond
the overhead bridge. The house is a
big structure of 80 rooms and was
built during the administration of
~
the city. The place is in charge of
Mr.. and Mrs. Samuel Nadeau. the
former doing the work outside and
the latter attending TO the house.
The lot of land contains seven acres
nd from this were harvested about
eight tons of hay. 35 bushels of pota-
toes. and Is bushels of beets and tur-
nips. The hay was cut without any
outside help. Mr.. Marshall himself
doing the moving.
T. Al present there are 10 inmates on
the farm. besides Mr.. and Mrs.
Nadeau. On the east side of the
house is a suite of connecting rooms
where Mr.. and Mrs Nadeau make
their home. The kitchen and all the
rest of the rooms were scrupulously
neat. the floors being scrubbed TO a
nicely and covered with bright rugs.
On the other side of the house was
the general sitting room where the
inmates sit together and the general
dining room. where they eat their
meals. Two long tables were covered
with enamel cloth and at each place
was either chair or a stool as one
chose. The food is good and album
cant. There are always baked beans
and brown bread Saturday nights
and Sunday mornings and for the
Fast two Sundays, they have had
chicken dinners, using some of the
chickens which have been reared on
the farm for the delectation of the
enforced family. They also have good
home made yeast bread. of which a
half dozen ioaves had just come from
the ovenat the time of the visit.
OF the 13 inmates three are women.
These are Mary Nichols. woman
over so who has lived a far different
life. disnified person with a wealth
OF snow white hair prettily coifed
with few curis hanging at either side
of her face; another is Mary Butler
who is well known on the streets of
the city; and the third is Sarah But
Ter. who seemed quite contented with
her lot in life and had decorated the
walls Of her rooms with pictures.
which she surveyed with great pride
In one of the rooms upstairs is Sarah
Buffers SON. Burley Butler. who in
"trip to the woods last winter froze
both of his feet He also seemed to
look on the cheerful side of life There
are but two helpless inmates. one of
these being Theophilus Fancy and the
other Charles ErSant
The house is heated by steam and
seemed warm and comfortable and
eieanly all through. The view from
the windows in every direction is
pleasant and behind the house the
'iand slopes prettily to the stream be-
low. In the summer along the shores
me male inmates often sit under the
trees and smoke a neighborly pipe.
Ihe women help some about the house
ana the men about the farm. but only
doing light work.
!. III the barn stands a fine horse and
Two COWS. the latter furnishing milk
ior The big family. There are Also
t ABOUT 80 chickens and Is hens. OF
, the FORMER. there are some handsome
barred Plymouth Rocks and White
Wyandottes. There is also a big she,,
fnil of wood ali ready for the stow
and the side of the she'd has baan
'iosed IN 10 protect the wood from the
storms 80 80
{. ifttie beyond on a knoll stands the
pest mouse which is really a very good
looking building but has never had
an occupant. The house was buiIt and
Mastered and set upon a foundation
WITHOUT cellar. therefore the n,,s G
'efing is badly cracked in places bv
the snrow OF the house i'm the spring
Mt Marshall seemed on very good
rms with the inmates both in and out
81 the house. and they ali seemed to
enjoy having someone come 70 ssa
mem Mrs. Nichols said that she
SHOULD live there until God saw Fl
/" take her away -2
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