The general condition of the almshouse is good. The rooms and beds were very neat and clean.

A few changes should be made. One closet in the main house is still connected with the old sewer or drain which discharges in the field a short distance from the house. This should be connected with the sewer proper. The superintendent's buildings also need some alterations or repairs. It is understood that the county contemplates raising the building and somewhat enlarging it. direction seems to be necessary.

Something in this

The institution is under the management of Mr. and Mrs. H. D. Pierce.

SULLIVAN COUNTY ALMSHOUSE.

This county, like some others in the State, labors under the misfortune of having attempted to utilize a set of old farm buildings, by adding thereto, for the purposes of a county almshouse, with the invariable result, of never adequately attaining that end. The buildings were poorly constructed, as well as improperly designed; but with the improvements that have been made from time to time, the general condition of this institution is better than heretofore, although the opportunities for advancement in this direction are by no means exhausted. Improvements have been suggested to the county commissioners by this Board, from time to time, during the past ten years, many of which have been carried out. Only a few years ago the institution was heated by means of more than a dozen stoves, some of which were dilapidated and broken; the insane were kept over the woodshed, in rooms little better than large dry-goods boxes, and receiving but little care; the sanitary arrangements were absolutely bad; the rooms of the almshouse were much in need of paint and paper; there were no fire escapes, and many other conditions were open to criticism. These things have all been changed. A building for the insane has been erected; steam heating put in; the general sanitary conditions improved; fire-escapes provided; and the interior of the building placed

in better condition. During the past year hard-wood floors have been laid in the halls of the almshouse and in some of the rooms; this is a great improvement over the old floors, which were well worn and badly shrunken. The work should extend to other rooms. The privies have been removed to a less objectionable location and are better cared for than formerly.

The administration of the institution appears to be excellent. The rooms were exceedingly clean and neat, and the beds and furniture equally so.

There were 51 inmates at the time of inspection. Among this number were six children, ranging from eleven months to ten years of age. It was especially noticeable that every one of these little unfortunates was bright, pretty, active and fully equal to the average child in mental capacity. Two of the children had no parents at the institution; the other four had mothers only with them. These mothers were wholly unsuitable, from a moral, mental, and physical standpoint, to care for and bring up these little ones.

The building for the insane was scrupulously neat and clean. Five women and one man were constantly confined in it, except when they were allowed out with an attendant. Three of the women were given their liberty inside the building, and were found together in a sitting-room, apparently enjoying this common privilege. The other two were kept locked in their rooms, for the reason that there is no constant attendant in the building, and the three first mentioned are afraid of the other two. It should be stated that a change has recently been made in the management of this institution, and a woman especially interested in this unfortunate class has charge of the insane females. Through her kind care a marked improvement has been brought about among these inmates. Two of the group of three above mentioned were formerly kept in close confinement in their rooms, and their present increased comfort and improvement in personal appearance is due wholly to a little care and kindness, prompted by the Christianity of the woman in charge of them. One of

the two still kept in confinement, had been locked into a close room for years, with no bed, except a mattress and blankets put in at night; no furniture whatever, not even a chair; she wore a print dress not over clean, and went barefooted. She now has a clean and neat bed and a tidy room, which she takes care of herself, and is cleanly and neatly dressed—and this change was brought about in a few days by patience and kindness. This instance is given solely to show that even the incurable insane are capable of great improvement through proper influences, and it is a most forcible argument in favor of the better care of the indigent insane.

The institution is in charge of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Willard.

GRAFTON COUNTY ALMSHOUSE.

This almshouse is in a very good condition, some general improvements having been made during the past year. The buildings have been painted upon the outside, greatly improving their appearance. Many of the rooms have been papered, painted, and whitewashed. This is a great improvement, as the walls had become badly soiled and the paper torn off in many places. The entire building was found to be in a very cleanly condition.

We would call the attention of the county to the suggestions made by this Board in its report of 1889, regarding an increased water supply. The present supply would be wholly inadequate in case of fire.

The general condition of the entire institution is good, and with the necessary improvements from time to time, can be so maintained for many years to come. The changes made by the county during the past five years have been of considerable magnitude and have placed the institution on a par with the other almshouses of the State.

The county maintains on an average 120 inmates at its county farm, at the time of inspection there were present 13 children under fifteen years

of

age.

Mr. and Mrs. H. R. Norris are in charge.

GRAFTON COUNTY JAIL.

This jail is located at Haverhill. From the street the institution presents the appearance of an ordinary dwelling-house, with L, barn, and stable in the rear. The site embraces some two acres of land. The front or main part of the house is occupied by the jailor's family, while the jail proper is connected with and in the rear of the main house, and is visible from but one point in the road. The buildings were apparently erected many years ago, and are somewhat out of repair. The jail proper is built wholly of stone and brick, chiefly the former. It contains six good sized cells, and is two stories in height, there being three cells in each story, with an ample corridor below, and a stairway and narrow corridor leading to and in front of the upper cells. Each cell has a window and is sufficiently lighted. This jail is said to have been built nearly fifty years ago, and the cells are somewhat larger than those in more modern jails; in this respect it is to be commended.

The sanitary condition of this institution is the most abominable to be found in any institution of its kindor for that matter, in any other- - in the State. It would be difficult to devise a more filthy and disgusting arrangement than is here to be found. Just outside the walls of the jail is a brick and stone vault into which discharge three soil pipes, one for each tier of cells. These soil pipes pass through the jail wall, which is also one wall of the vault, and continue through the floor of the second story cells, and the closet bowls are placed upon the ends of these four-inch soil pipes without any intervening traps. In the lower story the cells are connected with the soil pipes by means of direct branches set at an acute angle with the main pipe, and upon the ends of these branches are fixed the closet bowls for the lower cells. The closets are not supplied with water, and the only means of flushing them is by pouring water from the wash-bowl or pitcher. This amount of water is entirely too small, and, as a consequence, the bowls, both above and below, and the

soil pipes are in a constantly filthy condition. At the time of the inspection three prisoners, two men and a woman, were confined in the jail, and all complained bitterly of the odor from the pipes and vault. The bowls were covered as effectually as possible by the prisoners, to prevent the upward current of air coming directly from the vault, since there is not a single trap upon the soil pipes or the fixtures.

In the jailor's house the sink drain is of the most defective kind. A pipe runs from the sink down through the floor into the cellar, and there connects with a wooden box drain, which delivers the sink water some seventy-five feet from the house. This box drain passes through the cellar wall and is practically open. The sink pipe connecting with this box. drain is not trapped. Close beside the box drain in the cellar is a large tank from which the water supply of the institution is obtained, and the over-flow pipe of this tank connects directly with the box drain referred to. A more filthy arrangement could not be devised, and it is not to be wondered at that the jailor last year lost a son from typhoid fever. The sanitary condition of the entire institution is such as to jeopardize the health of all those living within its walls, and should be remedied at once by the county.

Another defect of this jail, from a moral standpoint, is the manner in which prisoners of both sexes are confined in it. A woman prisoner, who was here awaiting trial, was locked into one of the upper cells, while the adjoining cells were occupied by men who had the freedom of the corridor, and could not only pass in front of the woman's cell, and see her through the grated door, but could also converse with her at any time. The woman very seriously objected to her situation, as she had a moral right to do.

If this institution is to be maintained by the county, as it is likely to be for several years to come, it should at least be placed in a good sanitary condition at once, and otherwise brought up to a par with similar institutions in the State. A complete system of improved drainage and sewerage should be put in at once.