LOCAL CHARITIES. These charities, supported wholly by counties and cities, are as follows: 1. County poor-houses. 2. City alms-houses. The act establishing the Board places these institutions under its inspection, and it is required that all of them shall be visited as often as every two years. Such general inspection was made in 1868, in 1870 and in 1872. A large portion of them also have been visited in the alternate years. These charities have been so fully described in former reports, that no extended account of them here is deemed to be necessary. It is thought proper, however, to notice briefly the changes and improvements which have been made in their condition and management since first inspected, and also to refer to the tables relating to their statistics and expenditures, for the past year, hereto annexed. 1. County Poor-houses. The tabulated returns of the county superintendents of the poor furnish the following information relating to the various county poor-houses and the number of persons maintained in them, or otherwise aided, together with the amount expended during the year ending November 30, 1872. The number of county poor-houses in the State is fifty-six. The whole number of acres of land connected with them is 8,223. The estimated valuation of the several establishments, including real estate, buildings, fixtures, etc., was $2,096,900.09. The number of persons in the several county poor-houses the past year was The number temporarily aided was. Total supported and aided 19,321 42,431 61,752 The changes in the county poor-houses during the year were as follows: The number of inmates, December 1, 1871, was 6,333 12,808 180 19,321 11,549 ..... 210 422 806 12,987 3,453 2,881 6,334 The estimated value of pauper labor was $27,394.95. Of the whole number in the county poor-houses during the year 12,152 were males and 7,169 females; 8,616 were natives and 10,705 foreigners. Included among those present December 1st there were 1,297 lunatics, 374 idiots, 84 epileptics, 143 blind, 57 deaf-mutes and 679 children under sixteen years of age. The examination of the poor-houses during the past year shows a general improvement in the condition and management of most of these institutions. When first inspected, in 1868, nearly all of the buildings were old and out of repair. But few were adapted for classification, and the rooms, in most cases, were found crowded. There was also a want of accommodations for the sick, and but few of the houses then contained suitable appliances for heating, ventilation or bathing. Since that time new buildings, with modern improvements, have been erected in nearly one-third of the counties. In many others additions have been built and improvements and conveniences introduced. The buildings in a few counties, however, remain the same as then reported, the defects then enumerated being at present more apparent, and the structures more dilapidated. The greatest improvement in the county poor-houses is in the condition of the insane. The number of this class in these institu tions in 1868, was 1,528. many of whom had been for a series of years. They were generally filthy, violent and destructive, and deemed by the local authorities to be beyond the reach of improvement. Most of these were cases of long standing, confined in cells, or otherwise restrained, Since the opening of the Willard Asylum, in 1869, there have been 834 insane transferred from the county poor-houses to that institution. In this number there were included the most turbulent and violent cases, thus leaving the mild and harmless class under local control. The accommodations for these in most of the counties have been greatly improved, and a better intelligence nearly everywhere is apparent in their management and care. The number of insane in the county poor-houses and county asylums on the 30th of November, 1872, was 1,297. The Willard Asylum, at the same time, contained 672 of this class, heretofore transferred from these institutions. It will be seen, therefore, that without the interposition of the State, the counties at present would be burdened with the care of nearly 2,000 chronic insane. A few of the large and populous counties, having suitable buildings, prefer, and probably should be permitted, to provide for their chronic insane. The local authorities generally, however, desire to be relieved of their care. As most of the county institutions are crowded, there is still urgent need for additional accommodations for this class of insane. The deplorable condition of idiots and epileptics in the county poor-houses has been pointed out in former reports. The returns |