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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 18, 1904)
Luxurious Paupers of Staten Island fCbpyrtgM. 190. by T. C. MeClure.) 1H only want a few billiard tables- w yew, and a bowling alloy una then wo shall be fixed up ail right." So enld tho superintendent ot the Now York City Farm colony on State Inland tho other d;iy, when ho was showing initio visitors about tho jdaco where tha moat luxurious paupers In tho world arc boused and cared for. AH tho world over, the Rdmlnlstrat ion Of poor relief has Improved Immensely Since the days of Mr. Humble. OHv f Twist would not tremble nowadays as ha asked for more, lie would register a vh lent "kick" because 'Worcestershire sauca Was not served with the soup. In England and other European coun tries paupers are being better cared for every year; but the old world still lags bo bind the m w In this respect. Tlu Am:l can poorhouses are the best In cvVry way, and they certainly provide luxuries f.r their inniutcs which would harrow ti e so-.il of a liritlsh poor law guardian even today. But tho most luxurious of all la th? estaV llshnient on Staten Island, where they only need pool tables and a bowling alley to make their state idyllic. An experiment is being made there which has caused much comment anm s pot r law administrators all over the country, mid which Is being carefully watched by the authorities of several ciliis. Several fine houses snme of them real mansions of the colonial style have been built at a cost of about $4S,00. To all prac tical purposes they are as well etpilpl ed a a Rood modern hotel. They have hard-wood floors, electric lights, pi red tin hatha, twisted Iron und copper work decoration, and, in fact, all the fittings that a ri man would put in his house Some of these houses are given over ta old married couples, who hitherto haa been separated in -the poorhouse; others to old bachelors and spinsters. Darby and. Joan have a large, comfortably furnished, airy room assigned to them the kind of room you would pay at least $2 a day for In a city hotel. They live their own fam ily life there; It is their home, and nobody has the right to intrude on their privacy. Joan can make a pot of tea for the old man on the wide veranda with the cu'onlal pil lars, and even servo him a tasty lit tlo mejd out of the provisions assigned to her. Bat there Is also a spacious, well decora'.ed dining room in which breakfast und dinner are served to all the couples in the houte. In tho other houses rooms are assigned to two old bachelors together or to two old spinsters. Tho same comforts and lux uries aro provided for them as for tho mar ried couples. There are common room widen they can use much after the fashion of a club, und they can even get up a dance in the dining room if they choose. Some of the poor o!d folks have never hud such fine accommodation in their Uvea before. Others, ho have "seen be;ter days," ure profoundly thankful to be abla to live a real home life again and not ba compelled to herd in largo dormitories w!U a lot of possibly uncongenial companions. Tho farm colony Is a great success II raises ns line fruit and vegetables as ever get into a city. Strawberries that run eight to the pint and cabbages weighing thirty-four pounds are not uncommon. Tho ONE OF THE Pfct f Avij-Hr-' U A!- lKlS--' ''u- " . r- r f a ' Vv- v , T a. -V v: ,r . a , c:4' ; - . a: : .. A vvf. A A ' - : : A . , .. r&-y?.;-:.f: 4 i K4 ?kL s .AM.. V.--Aye.AA;: 4 .tv ........ r ..... DARBY AND JOAN TAKING NEW MANSIONS FOR THE MARRIED 1 rfl it -M aV apaM K" ,T AA 3 f WAi1--!!. . -:Afe:A' v M ' S a A'lAAv. 'FR. 8 IrHtP AS "- V. ."A aJ -.VA-j A - .. ,4tLv s .S v : ; L Av '--Ay , il ?py'?rt A' TV t-.ntf him: : v. rl ---jr iu:adino tub DAra news afteh farm woilk is over. 3f J A 1( . I' THEIR AFTERNOON TEA. COUi'ES.' - produce is distributed among tho hospital and other institutions for poor relief In New York. The Inmates work on the farm, un der the direction of tho superintendent, and more than pay for the coHt of their malnteivunce, so that they have a right to some comforts and luxuries. They ar not made to work any harder than they choose, for most ot them are old people; but the superintendent has a Machiavel lian way of arousing the spirit of emula tion in their breasts. He sets old Hank Roberts, who guesses be raised the llnest vegetables In Oranga count v. to work on a plot of ground. on nn , nn, .site nlot Juko Hancock, another nn.lmit lu; rlcul tui'iHt . is located. Jaka naturally scorns Hank's pretensions, and It Is not dllllcult to create a rivalry between them. "Say, Hank," says the boss, after awhile, "havo'you seen Jake's tomatoes lately! You'll have to watch out! They're coming up a whole lot lifter than yours." Hank throws his rake on the ground and fairly dances with rage. "It'gash! I'll show him who kin grow tomatoes!" ho cries. "But 'tuln't fair, basl You give him more fertilizer than yo give me. I don't get a show. You let ma hev more manure, and 1 11 show you to matoes 1 Igger'n yer two flats." "I'll te.l you what, Hank," says tho boss, dropping his voice to a whisper and as suming the ulr of a stage conspirator, "I'd like to see you win out. Y'ou sneak around to my house tomorrow nt 8 o'clock, and I'll give you all the fertiliser you want, lint for goodness sake, den t let Jako see you. I can't be giving away extra, fertilizer to every one, und ho mustn't think I'm favoring you." Hank promises Joyfully, and then tha buss .saunters over to Jake's plot, looks at his tomatoes und shakes bis head in silent sorrow. "li'gum, Kupo! You don't mean to Bay they'ro worse than Hank's?" Jake asks, anxiously. "Not la the same class," says tho wily siiN'r'utendent. "Closh all hemlocks! but I was afraid of It," replies the crushed agriculturist. "Now, if you'd only give me as much fertilizer as you give Hank " Again Machiavelll dons his conspirator' cloak and whispers. That night, ufter Hank has removed bis firtiliz'r nt S o'clock und got sal'ely away, Jake calls at 9 for his supply. The result Is that both of them grow tomatoes that are a dream tt the eye and a Joy to the palate. This hi the system en which the farm is run. The old people are assigned to the tasks they like best and are specially fitted for, and, consequently, they take an im mense pride In their work. The dietary s.-alu Is better than that of tha aerago working. nen, for the Inmites are fed generously on whatever Is raised on tho farm. In summer, for example, they git strawberries and cream afior dinner, to say nothing of tenuit ies, lettuio, pe ir:i, ni'ples, and all kinds of fruits and vego tabh s. Fresh milk and syrup are fur nished them daily at one meal, anil stowed jrui.es are i Ireijuont and favorite disb (Continued oa l'uge Fiftiiui.)