REPORT. To the State Board of Charities: I present herewith the annual report upon the almshouses in the Sixth Judicial District. In making this report it is gratifying to be able to state that the year has witnessed no backward movement in the management of these institutions; in fact, "progress" seems to be the general watchword, and as a consequence the outlook for our dependents is hopeful. IMPROVEMENTS. The improvements of the year are generally those which have to do with the care of the sick and protection of the population from the dangers of fire. It is generally understood that in making provision for the care of dependents it is necessary that the buildings be made safe. Many of the almshouses in this district were built years ago, at a time when the attention to sanitation and safety was not paid which is deemed essential to-day. As a consequence the older buildings were not equipped with fire-escapes, and the general sanitation was more or less neglected. These defects of construction are being overcome by repairs and improvements made from year to year. In some counties buildings have been torn down and replaced by more modern structures; in others buildings have been remodeled and the plumbing and drainage made satisfactory. In spite of these efforts to adjust the old buildings to present requirements some of our almshouses will not be made satisfactory until new structures replace those in use to-day, and the sooner this fact is recognized by boards of supervisors the better it will be for the public. It is not in the interest of economy to spend large sums of money in remodeling buildings which can never be made satisfactory. |