HOMES IN THE NINTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT. To the State Board of Charities: The annual report of almshouses and children's homes in the Ninth Judicial District is herewith presented. Extensive improvements were made during the year at four of the seven almshouses in the district, namely, in Orange county, Westchester county, Poughkeepsie and Newburgh. Many of the improvements made had been urged by the State Board of Charities whose recommendations to various institutions are made to facilitate their work and provide the dependent poor with comfortable and sanitary homes, suitable food and clothing, and proper care when sick or disabled. It is necessary that criticism be made of any almshouse which does not accomplish these ends for its inmates, either from inadequate buildings, faulty equipment, or inefficient administration. Such criticisms are a part of the duty placed by law upon the State Board of Charities and are made with deep concern for the interests both of the public which maintains the institutions and of the poor for whose benefit they are maintained. The chief defects in these institutions are inadequate accommodations for male inmates, lack of, or failure to use hospital facilities, and defects in laundry equipment, protection and means of escape from fire; and defects of administration. The almshouses of Westchester county, Newburgh city and town, and to a less extent of Dutchess county and Rockland county, have more male inmates than their normal capacity. Proper housing of inmates is one of the most important points in almshouse economy. Personal effects of inmates should be excluded from the dormitories. Examples of the successful working of the system are found at the Westchester County and Orange County Almshouses. At the Dutchess County Almshouse the system works less well on account of administrative defects. Remodeling the men's building of the Rockland County Almshouse along the lines followed recently at the Orange County Almshouse would go far to relieve the present undesirable conditions. An almshouse hospital should provide for all inmates in need of medical attention and special care. The erection of a detached hospital building at the Poughkeepsie City Home places that institution with the Westchester and Rockland County Almshouses in that respect. One or more paid hospital attendants are employed at the almshouses mentioned and at the Orange County Almshouse. The service of competent nurses is much needed at the other almshouses. The so-called hospital at the Putnam county institution is unworthy of the name. At the Dutchess County Almshouse rooms designed for hospital purposes are used as common dormitories, and the sick are cared for in the general dormitory rooms by other inmates. At four of the almshouses in the district the laundry work is done entirely by hand. The work may be well done, but the use of power machinery is preferable, especially for the heavy washing, as the inmates assigned to this task are generally too old and feeble to do it without risk. Their labor can generally be made useful in cleaning and other light work which cannot be done. otherwise than by hand. During the year fire escapes have been erected at the Orange County Almshouse and Children's Home, and at the Westchester County Almshouse, though this institution is not yet fully equipped. The water supply at the Putnam County Almshouse is inadequate even for domestic uses, and practically valueless for fire protection. Fire buckets kept properly filled should be supplied at institutions which have an inadequate water supply. Administrative defects are manifest at the Dutchess County Almshouse. The recent changes for the better under the new management in the Westchester county institution are cause for congratulation to the county. The buildings occupied as Homes for Children at Newburgh and Middletown were built for other purposes and are not well adapted to their present use. Overcrowding is noticeable in both |