NEWSPAPER: Union Co. Poor Farm; Union County, Iowa ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES PROJECT NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net/ ************************************************************************ The USGenWeb Archives provide genealogical and historical data to the general public without fee or charge of any kind. It is intended that this material not be used in a commercial manner. All submissions become part of the permanent collection. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Calvin McVay May, 2002 ____________________________________________________________________________ NOTE: For more information on Union County, Iowa Please visit the Union County, IAGenWeb page at http://iagenweb.org/union/ ____________________________________________________________________________ Newspaper Afton Enterprise Date: December 22, 1892 The County Farm The Enterprise local man and a family were taken to the poor farm last Friday. This was a step in the right direction and we were highly satisfied with the result. We found the institution in charge of Steward and Mrs. R.E. Meade. It consists of a large, handsome and very substantial brick structure, two stories and basement with a good frame building detached. The farm consists of two hundred forty acres of wood- land and meadow. It is supplied with substantial and commodious barns, granaries and other out buildings. The house is divided by a hall into two wings, the rooms on the first floor to the right being devoted to the use of the steward and family. To the left on the same floor are sitting rooms and bedrooms for the use of inmates. The basement contains the kitchen, both fine large apartments, the store room and the women's quarters. The upper floor is divided into bedrooms. The frame building near by has been furnished with new windows, replastered and repainted during the past season and a part of the work is yet in progress. It contains a light and comfortable sitting room and warm bedrooms for the men. It contains two stories and beneath it is the cellar. Our tour of the building revealed many things new to us. We supposed that a majority of the inmates were at least responsible and to a certain degree helpful to the place. The contrary is true. The inmates, six mean and two women require constant care and attention to keep them clean and comfortable and seem to embody the irresponsibility of children with the perverseness of age and feeble intellects. The vast floor space including walks is as absolutely clean as soap and water can make it. Mrs. Meade informed us that the entire area was scrubbed every Saturday. The wood- work and walls bore the same evidence of care. An ample number of stoves is provided to heat the entire building and in case of sickness the heat cure can be taken. The dormitories are well lighted and furnished with spring beds. We found the inmates in their sitting room with a good fire. They were clean and neat in appearance, looking well fed and comfortable. They are all well satisfied with the care and the feed they receive from Mr. and Mrs. Meade. A visit to the store room reveled large quantities of beef, vegetables, pickles and fruit. In the cellar were stored potatoes and all matter of eatables found on any well regulated farm A visit to the yards showed an immense number of turkeys and chickens. The hog pasture consists of thirty acres through which runs the creek, affording an abundance of water . The shoats were a fine thrifty lot. A bunch of hogs were turned odd off that day numbering thirteen which averaged over $18.00 per head. The calf lots were next visited and the stock was far above the average and in a thrifty, growing condition. An immense hay barn was built recently. We found it full of hay with the southern portion forming a comfortable cattle shed. We noticed that all the stock was is provided with good shelter and plenty of food and water. A large area of the farm is woodland. If the trees were thinned out and grass sown, no better cattle range could be made in the county. When dinner was announced he led us to the dining room. Having eaten Mrs. Meade's cooking for a period of three months, about fourteen years ago, the writer was not surprised by the style in which the repast was served. It consisted of all the substantialities of a good table enhanced by the delicacies of the season, cooked and served in a manner to tempt the appetite of the most fastidious. The inmates of the county house fare much better every day than the average citizen. The expenses of such an institution are large, yet by careful management, and constant, unreinitting work, the steward has greatly increased the revenue. Not only is Mr. Meade a practical farmer, but has had long experience as an accountant and knows how to keep the financial affairs in proper shape. While providing for the inmates in a liberal manner, which is the first consideration, he has increased the net revenues by careful management. Supervisor Hubbell has been the visiting member and he says that throughout the entire year the affairs have been well managed and that all the inmates are pleased with the care of the Steward and his wife. We returned to Afton deeply impressed by the responsibility devolving upon the poor farm management, never having realized the utter irresponsibility of the inmates. Under the present system of prosperity and contentment, if Steward Meade can be induced to stay another year, he should be retained.