#poor farm

[elizjjwold]

by Elizabeth Johnson-Wold

[krupkaistired]

Watching Together With Me and yeah, foursome is a perfect gift for a boy who just found out that he is gay and is insecure about it, good job, doc.

[violetcrownchronicles]

False Alarm - River Low - Church Loss - Surprised to Notice - Average of Paupers

7 JAN 1888. Austin Daily Statesman.

LOCAL SHORT STOPS.

There was a false alarm of fire yesterday forenoon.

The river is so low that it is almost sand barred across the channel below the bridge.

The Episcopal church unfortunately loses $800 or the recent loans on notes which proved to be fraudulent.

The friends of Mr. W. H. Henderson will be surprised to notice that he has not been re-appointed by City Marshal Lucy, especially as he had been so long on the force, and was generally regarded as a very efficient officer.

There was an average of 40 paupers during the year on the county poor farm, which is under the supervision of Mr. W. C. McCall. The average embraced 8 colored persons, 16 persons of foreign birth and 16 Americans. There were 71 first and last during the year, at an average cost of maintenance of $10.20 each per month.

[violetcrownchronicles]

240 Telephones in City - No Excuse for Begging

17 APR 1887. Austin Daily Statesman.

A Visit to the Telephone Office.

While the reporter of THE STATESMAN was in search of news yesterday he by chance visited the office of the Eric Telegraph and Telephone company, on Congress avenue and East Seventh street, and, like all reporters with more than ordinary curiosity, he wanted to see what was to be seen, and, as he accidently found Manager Watson in his office, he was admitted in the operating room, where three beautiful and obliging young ladies were answering “Hello” with as sweet voices as were ever heard through a “telephone,” and about as fast as one could possibly speak, for their “Hello’s” are considerable in excess of 3,000 per day. In an adjoining room was Mr. Morrell, the polite and handsome telegraph operator of this company, busily engaged in sending and receiving telegrams, and he was then working on his eightieth message since 7:30 a. m. The company are operating about 240 telephones in this city at present, and although the drouth prevails and business prospects appear gloomy, the company are gaining more subscribers than at this season of previous years, and are making more costly improvements than ever. They have thoroughly equipped their office with the latest patents of the Western Electric Switch boards, and have leased two adjoining rooms, one of which is used for the telegraph department and the other as a material room and the manager’s office; this gives ample room for the company’s business. A new office pole has been erected and all wires from it to the switch boards are new and of the best material used for this purpose. Mr. Watson informed the reporter that the company had expended about $1500 on these improvements, and that he now has men working on Pecan street line rebuilding, and will continue until the exchange is in perfect repair. The Avenue line has been rebuilt and all poles painted, making this line of poles and wires one of the prettiest in the state. The Eric company certainly do not object to spending money to perfect their system, and Manager Watson will certainly give services as near perfect as good telephone instruments can give. He now employs five young lady operators there day, and two night, and three men, and one messenger, and he says if there is any ground for complaint he would take it as a favor for subscribers to make it known to him and the trouble will be remedied, but so far as THE STATESMAN knows the telephone service in Austin is as perfect as is their whole system.

VAGRANTS AND FRAUDS.

It would, perhaps, not be hazarding too much to say that no place in the United States is fitted with better facilities for providing for the poor than is this community.

For our indigent we have a city and county hospital which would reflect credit upon the most progressive and enlightened community in America. For those, temporarily in want, by reason of family misfortunes or other causes, our Ladies’ Aid societies are untiring in their zeal and work. For those permanently disabled we have a beautifully situated, well policed and well regulated county farm, were every comfort is at hand. The city and county have spared no expense in making these institutions just what they should be, yet we have beggars on our streets every day, appealing to the passer-by for aid, and visiting the business man in his place of business, ready to insult him if he suggests the county farm to them. These beggars would soon leave our streets if those who imagine they are doing charity would cause contributing their nickels and dimes. This well-meaning class should reflect that they are injuring the community and sinning in the name of charity by encouraging these people.

We have a vagrant law upon our statute books, and such characters as the one-legged darkey who keeps himself near the First National bank, and the blind Mexican who alternates between the different churches on Sunday, should be taken up and sent to the county farm. They should be sent back every time they run away and return to the city, as should all others in the same category. Sheriffs, constables and city policemen can confer a great benefit upon the community in this matter, if they will.

In addition to this class of mendicants, there are some double jointed, able bodied lazzaront who visit residences, asking assistance. The lady of the house, instead of giving these rascals anything, should telephone to the police and have them arrested on a charge of vagrancy. There is no excuse for begging in Austin. The farms are all around us; plenty of work can be had by these able bodied frauds, some of whom may he burglars in disguise. The officers should make them bustle. Send them either to the hospital, the poor farm, or to good, honest hard work, and if they won’t work, let them go to jail.

[violetcrownchronicles]

Visit to the Poor Farm - Getting Hotel Ready

30 NOV 1886. Austin Daily Statesman.

THE COUNTY POOR FARM. SYSTEMATIZED CHARITY AND ITS GOOD RESULTS—THE LADIES’ AID SOCIETY

Sunday afternoon a representative of THE STATESMAN accompanied County Physician Graves upon his regular visit to the county poor farm, five miles north of the city. This home of the poor was established by the county about five years ago, and comprises something over 200 acres, of which 160 are in cultivation. The dwelling of the superintendent and the houses for the paupers are in excellent condition, the latter being kept scrupulously clean. Mr. William McCall, the superintendent, is regarded by the county commissioners as most admirably fitted for the position he holds, and the condition of the place and the property on it fully warrants the high estimate placed on his administration. There are six pauper houses, with barns, granaries, and implement she is in addition to a substantial manager’s residence. A never failing spring furnishes water in abundance, but there is in addition a large cistern. A full hearing peach orchard, and a young apple and pear orchard are further enhancements to the value of the place.

At this time the farm gives home and shelter to twenty-eight paupers, three of whom are colored. Some of these are indigent in the broadest sense of the term and are eminently worthy to be in the establishment, but there are several who appear to be as able bodied and as fully capacitated for work as the average of men, and just why they should be fed, clothed and sheltered, at the expense of the county is one of the things in the practical philosophy of charity, difficult to understand.

The quarters are at present somewhat crowded, and the erection of a new building was commenced yesterday. It will have capacity for the accommodation of sixteen persons. In buildings, implements, farm products and live stock the county is well off in this one of her possessions, but there is not dollar of insurance upon it, and if a fire should break out on the promises—a not at all unlikely event—the loss would be serious.

The farm was visited yesterday morning by several ladies, members of different aid societies of the city, the object being to make a personal inspection of the inmates, with a view to studying the situation in the interest of the charity work which will have to be done this winter. The following are the names of the ladies, who were accompanied on the trip by Hon. Z. T. Fulmore: Mesdames Warrenberg, J. J. Tobin, W. H. Tobin, Littlefield, Coggershall, Neff, Maas, von Boeckman, Brueggerhoff and Wilhelm. The visit was an interesting one to the party.

THE DRISKILL.

The upholsterers and furnishers are making rapid progress in their work of getting this magnificent hostel ready for the opening, which, Mr. McIlheny now announces to take place on the 15th of December. A test of the engines and steam heating apparatus was made yesterday, when everything was found to work as smoothly and satisfactory as could be expected of new machinery. The house will be ready for the reception of guests by the date indicated, and Austin will then have the boast of the finest hotel south of St. Louis. Mr. McIlheny will start off under the most favorable auspices, and he as has received not less than five hundred applications for work in the various branches, his force of assistants will doubtless be of the best.

[celebrateasimplelife]

The Wayne County Poor Farm, also known as the Wayne County Infirmary, the County Farm, the Poor House, and the County Asylum, was established in 1877 and lasted until the 1950s. Its primary purpose was to provide accommodations for people unable to support themselves, primarily the elderly, disabled, and destitute. Owned and managed by the Wayne County Court, the farm serviced hundreds of the area’s neediest during its lifetime. Over one hundred people are believed to have been buried on the property as well. In 1959 the farm was sold to the Wayne County Board of Education to provide room for the construction of a new high school building. Today a few remnants of the farm remain scattered around the school property.

Very interesting

[wacomtx]

This is the final installment of the five part ODDyssey. The Wacom,TX boys head to the Poor Farm for the weekend. In this episode they go on air with a group of artists. Special thanks to Duncan MacKenzie from http://www.badatsports.com and Michelle Grabner at The Poor Farm (http://poorfarmexperiment.org/)

[wacomtx]

This is the fourth installment of the five part ODDyssey. The Wacom,TX boys head to the Poor Farm for the weekend. In this episode they go on the annual float trip with a group of artists. Special thanks to Duncan MacKenzie from www.badatsports.com and Michelle Grabner at The Poor Farm (http://poorfarmexperiment.org/) and Adam Lee www.adamleeband.com "Whiskey for Breakfast" courtesy of Adam Lee