The Washington herald., 1920-07-25
BY RAYMOND G. CARROLL.

New York. July 24.-''The appall-
ing scarcity of drunks" is already
making itself felt at the endowed
and subscriptioned institutions
which have specialized for years in
the care and treatment of habitual
male and female inebriates. In that
reverential affection which We cher
ish toward all dead and dying in
stitutions which We see accumu-
lated behind us, We shall approach
this delicate subject.
For what the popular wish of an
era demands or sanctions its men
and women equip themselves TO
produce, there are ever the few who
get caught with white elephant"
on their hands. and these have their
sole reward as a rule from a gem
Grafton which sanctifies their dust.
Manager Despairs.
Take the case of the Chester
Crest Home for Intemperate Men
in West Chester county through the
portals of which institution in the
last forty years $4,000 inebriates
have passed. Listen to the de-
spairing cry of Manager George
Sanford Avery: Six weeks ago
we were down to Is inmates, the
lowest number in our history. Our
normal for years has been around
65. 1t looked as II we would have
to go to the New York State legis-
lature and change our charter so as
to engage in some other humani-
tartan endeavor. Our buildings be-
ing wooden We could not transform
them into a private hospital. Then
fortunately for us in June came a
squirt and we went up to 32 inmates
al of whom are now with US get
ting needed medical treatment,
fresh air and wholesome food"
The Isaac T. Hopper home for fe-
male inebriates. ll0 Second Avenue
enjoys an endowment of 100000
besides pledged voluntary contribu-
tions and the profits of a laundry
where Inmates used to be employed
to encourage their self respect and
aid them in forming habits of in
dustry and self control"
Lucky to Get Five.-
I'VE have 80 beds for female
drunkards," said Mrs. H. w. Smith,
superintendent of the Hopper Home
but we shall have to cut them
down as there are now only eight
women inebriates in the home. Be
fore prohibition came in from l6 to
20 cases were sent to US each
month and now we are lucky II we
get five. We have had to close the
laundry as We did not have enough
inmates to operate it and give sat
isfaction to the public. As it is we
are trying to fill our beds from out
side sources. The Rome State
school for mentally deficient wom-
en- sent us six girls but they are
not inebriates."
But was not the endowment
given for the care of inebriate
womenT' was asked.
I believe So" was the reply.
Our trustees are going to meet in
the early fall and determine what is
best to be done"
Board Disbands.
Even the board of inebriety of
the city of New York is no more.
In the pursuit of its object, the
care and treatment of habitual
male drunkards, a farm of one hun
dred acres near Warwick, n. Y,
had been acquired as site for a
hospital and industrial colony to
accommodate 200 patients.
To-day there are no patients on
the farm" said Mary c. Murtha,
secretary of the New York Depart
ment OF Correction. "All that was
left of the board of inebriety was
secretary and a farm inspector.
A lew days ago we took the for
iorn two into the correction de-
partment. There are no 'drunks' to
send to the farm, which in the
plans under development by Com
missioner Hamilton will be added
to Grey area at Greycourt, N. Y,
and used for the accommodation of
tne 200 women prisoners now on
btackwell's Island AS a woman /
am glad to say that by fall no more
.o1 the female sex will be sent to
the Island which will be used ex-
ciusively by the department of
charities"
"Charity Pirates. Busy.
In the entire world there is
PROBABLY no more famous head
quarters for the reformation of de-
graded and prohisate drunkards
than the Jerry McAuley Water
street mission. II fore-ran the
saivas4n Army. being e.tablished