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Caption: Chemung Co. Alms House, Breesport, N.Y. |
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The notes below have been abstracted from the following reports.
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YATES REPORT
1824 LAW
1857 REPORT EXPLANATION
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YATES REPORT:
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| 1824 LAW (required establishment of poorhouse vs. exempted):
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1857 INVESTIGATION:
This house is located
at Horseheads. The main
building is sixty by forty feet with an out building, forty by twenty feet,
furnishing eleven rooms and five cells, with no means of ventilation and no
provision for bathing, it is heated by stoves. Connected with the house is a farm of 180 acres, yielding an annual
revenue of about $1000. The
number of paupers was fifty-two, one half males and one half females,
thirty-five of whom were foreign and seventeen native born, embracing thirteen
children under sixteen years of age, all under the care of one keeper, who
with his wife assisted by pauper labor, work the farm and provide for the
family. The superintendent
purchases all needful supplies aside from the products of the farm, and
imposes rules regulating the diet, binds out the children on their arriving at
a suitable age, and exercises the power of discharging lunatics when cured. The house is supplied with bibles, but no provision is made for
instruction religiously or otherwise. The
average number accommodated in this house is seventy. The board of supervisors occasionally visit here. A physician is employed by the year, at a salary of $55.00 to visit the
house once a week, and as much oftener as his services may be required. During the past year eight have died, there have also been 9 births,
(seven illegitimate) one originating in the house.
Six of the inmates are
lunatics, four males and two females, and all paupers; two have been received
during the year, but none have been improved or cured. They are allowed their liberty during the day, but are locked each in
separate cells all night. The mode of restraining the insane is by hand cuff, and
shutting them in cells. They
receive no special attention either
medically or otherwise. Three of
the paupers are idiots, two males and one female, and two-thirds of the whole
number are reduced to the necessity of sharing in public charity, consequent
upon habits of inebriation.
The paupers seem to be
well fed and cared for, costing eighty cents per week per head, aside from the
products of the farm. But the
house is too small to afford adequate accommodation; the lodging rooms are too
crowded for comfort or health.
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Transcribed by PHS-Volunteer, Cheramie Breaux in Louisiana
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PERSONAL NOTES FROM READERS:
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RECORDS:
Poorhouse INMATE REGISTRATION CERTIFICATES
Microfilm Series A1978 Roll
Number(s) 16-18 more information
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CEMETERY:
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We are hoping to build this base of information about the poorhouse in CHEMUNG county through the helpful participation of readers. All are requested to submit items of interest by sending
e-mail
to The Poorhouse Lady.
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