PERRY.-There is no change in this almshouse since our last visit. The house seemed to need whitewashing, which the keeper said would be attended to as soon as the weather should become warm. The grounds were in excellent condition, and the farm promised to yield a handsome crop. The inmates are well cared for. One insane man was noted who is paralyzed and unable to walk, but moves about a little by pushing a chair and dragging himself along. There were twenty-one paupers present, of whom ten were children, one insane, one blind, one a cripple, and one a woman awaiting confinement. The number admitted in 1881 was forty-nine, the number discharged thirty-eight, and there were eight deaths. One criticism may be made upon the management of this establishment, namely, that a room on the first floor of the building is used for a carpenter shop, which appears to be an unnecessary hazarding of the safety of the property through fire. The keeper is to be commended for making a quarterly report to the county board, which is filed with the county clerk.

PIATT.-There is no change to report in this almshouse. The insane woman referred to in our last report, who went about in a state of nudity, is now dead, and the out-house and airing court then criticised are not used at present. The number of inmates when visited in 1881 was seven, all adults, of whom six were idiots and one a cipple. The number admitted in 1881 was seven, the number discharged five, and there was one death. The appearance of the grounds has very much improved within the last two years. They are in excellent condition, and the rooms, beds and bedding all that could be desired in an establishment of its size and character. The inmates are well treated in every respect.

PIKE.-The Pike county almshouse, when inspected, was very badly overcrowded. There were sixty paupers present, besides ten in the family of the keeper, and twelve persons were found to be occupying a dormitory whose dimensions were fourteen by sixteen feet. The other rooms were equally full. Since then the supervisors have entered into contract for the construction of additions, which it is said will afford ample accommodation for all the county poor. This almshouse is not as cleanly and neatly kept as it should be, and is below the average standard in central Illinois. Since our last report, the dining-room has been enlarged by the removal of the partitions of the cells at the north side. Of the sixty inmates present, seventeen were children, five insane, one idiot, two blind, two cripples, and one woman awaiting confinement. The number of inmates admitted in 1881 was forty-one, and one was born on the premises; the number discharged was twenty, and there were five deaths. Two of the insane are in seclusion part of the time; the rest are locked up at night, but allowed their freedom by day.

POPE.-Pope county has no almshouse. The paupers are boarded at different places in the county, and the rate paid is seven dollars and ninety cents a month for each pauper, which includes clothing, medical attendance and burials.

PULASKI. This almshouse presents quite a dilapidated appearThe inmates seem to be well cared for; but the rooms, beds

ance.

and bedding are in only moderate condition. Two insane men are locked up in the frame building which, at the time of our last report, was in process of erection. They occupy a room 12 x 16 feet, which might be made much more comfortable and clean than it is. The number of inmates when visited was eight, of whom four were insane, one an idiot, and one a cripple. All of them were adults. The number admitted in 1881 was twenty-four, the number discharged seventeen, and there was one death. The contract between the county board and the keeper of this almshouse is peculiar. The keeper, who is a physician, receives twelve hundred dollars for the first year, eight hundred for the second, and seven hundred for the third, and agrees to board, clothe, and care medicinally for all paupers who may be sent there by the county authorities. He also pays all burial expenses. The impropriety of such a contract is manifest and needs no comment.

PUTNAM.-The number of inmates in the almshouse has increased. There are now two, both adult males, of whom one is blind. This farm was not visited, but the premises were said to be in good order, and the paupers comfortable. The farm costs the county less than two hundred dollars a year.. The amount of outdoor relief exceeds three thousand dollars.

RANDOLPH.-Randolph connty has erected a new receptacle for the insane. It is a two-story brick building, forty-five feet long by twenty-six feet wide, with tile roof. It contains a reception room eighteen by twenty-six feet, and six cells on the lower floor, and twelve rooms or cells on the second floor, each of which is eight feet wide by nine feet long. Each floor has a hall in the centre, which extends through the entire length of the building. The house is heated by a furnace in the basement, and cost about forty-five hundred dollars. Nearly all the rooms are fitted with window-guards, and have grated iron doors, but four of these are intended to be occupied as dormitories. The special purpose of the building is for the accommodation of the insane; but it is intended, in the course of a year or two, to add wings to it, so that by the time the old wooden building becomes unfit for occupancy, all the inmates may be graded in the new building. Nothing was found worthy of special criticism in the condition of the premises or of the paupers, The keeper and his wife appear to be well qualified for the positions which they occupy. The keeper made a report to the county board in September, 1881, showing the number of days' board furnished to inmates of the almshouse during the twelve months to have been twelve thousand two hundred and fifty; the total number of paupers receiving assistance was one hundred and eleven; the average number of paupers was thirty-three; and the average number of days that each pauper remained in the establishment was one hundred and ten and a half; while the net cost per day was a little more than twenty-one cents. The number of paupers admitted in 1881 was eighty-three; one was born on the premises. The number discharged was eighty-one, and there were nine deaths. The number of inmates present when visited was forty-three, of whom eleven were children. Five were insane, one an idiot, one a deaf-mute, two sick, one bedridden, and one crippled. Of the insane,

four were in seclusion. Among the curiosities in the way of inmates is a colored man who claims to be ninety-two years of age, who attends to the fire in the furnace in the basement of the new building, and cannot be prevailed upon to sleep anywhere but in the basement. He is noted for his skill and strength, as shown in his feats of butting. It is said that for a drink of whiskey, he would knock out the head of a whiskey barrel with his head at any time.

RICHLAND. The Richland county almshouse is somewhat improved since our last report. The main building has been raised about eighteen inches, and two rooms have been finished off up-stairs, and are now occupied. The building, however, is overcrowded, and there is need of more room. The premises were in fair condition with the exception of the log cabin, which is badly decayed. The number of inmates, when inspected, was twenty-four, of whom six were children and two insane. They appeared to be well cared for. The amount paid for board of paupers last year was nine hundred and fifty-two dollars and two cents, and the cost of outdoor relief was twelve hundred and fifty dollars and ninety-nine cents. The overseers do not keep the account nor make the reports required by law.

ROCK ISLAND.-The Rock Island county board seems to have taken in good part our hint, two years ago, respecting the disproportion which existed between the expense of the county farm and the amount paid for outdoor relief, and the financial statement for 1881-82 shows a decided improvement in this particular. Some additions have been made to the poorhouse. A brick building has been erected one and one-half stories in height, thirty-six feet long by twenty-six feet wide, in the basement of which has been placed a boiler for the purpose of steam-heating, cooking and pumping. The floor above is called a hospital. It contains three rooms, with a bath-room and water-closet. One of the rooms is occupied as the drug-room. The attic is occupied by lewd women, who are locked in at night. On the outside a covered drain has taken the place of the filthy open drain in the rear of the buildings, which is connected with each of the houses, and gives the grounds a much neater appearance, besides adding to the health of the inmates. Steam-heating has been introduced into all parts of the establishment, and each building is supplied with bath-tubs with hot and cold water. The insane department and hospital building are provided with water-closets, which are flushed by pipes connected with the tank. The flow of the water in the insane department is controlled from the corridor by an attendant. The rooms, beds and bedding are neat and clean. The inmates are well fed and neatly clothed, and in every respect a great improvement is apparent. The county has been for a long time considering the question of erecting a new almshouse, or, at least, a receptacle for the insane, and unless the general assembly should make provision for an additional number of insane in the state institutions, so as to relieve the pressure of admission to them, the county will no doubt carry out this humane purpose. When visited, the number of paupers present was ninety-nine, of whom sixteen were children, forty-four were insane, eight idiotic, five blind, two bedridden, one a cripple, and two were women awaiting confinement. Of the children, six were said to be

illegitimate. Of the insane twenty were found in seclusion. The number of paupers admitted during the year 1881 was seventy-six, and two were born upon the premises; the number discharged was sixty-seven, and there were seventeen deaths.

SALINE.-Mr. Josiah Gold continues to take the paupers of Saline county under contract, but receives a higher price for each inmate than formerly. The number of paupers on the farm when visited was twenty-nine of whom thirteen were children, one was insane, two idiotic, one blind, and two crippled. Of the thirteen children_eight were said to be illegitimate. A record of admissions and discharges was formerly kept, but the house burned down and the records were consumed. Mr. Gold's residence was destroyed by fire in November, 1881, and the inmates are now kept at the house owned by the county on the adjoining farm. The rooms, beds and bedding of some of the inmates are in fair condition, but the rooms occupied by the men are very dirty: the ceilings and walls black with smoke, and the floors in a filthy condition. The odor which pervaded the part of the house occupied by the paupers was so foul that the sheriff of the county, who accompanied the inspector on his official visit, said that he must go out of doors to get some fresh air. The paupers eat in the kitchen in the basement of the building, which has a floor composed partly of brick and partly of dirt, principally of the latter. This room is about twelve by fourteen feet; it is unplastered and contains the kitchen stove, a dining-table, long benches for seats, and a lot of barrels containing meat and vegetables.

SANGAMON. There is no change to note in the condition of the Sangamon county almshouse. The roof leaks in nearly every room of the main building. The ceilings are water-stained and cracked, and the plastering will have to be renewed in nearly every room. The floors throughont the entire building are as clean as could be desired the rooms all neat and tidy; the beds and bedding, especially in the rooms occupied by women, are in excellent condition. The number of inmates present was sixty-nine, of whom four were children. Twenty-two were insane, five idiotic, one a deaf-mute, two blind, and one a woman awaiting her confinement. Of the children one was illegitimate; of the insane three are in seclusion and one in restraint. The number of paupers admitted during the year was one hundred and thirty-three, four were born upon the premises; the number discharged was one hundred and twenty-two, and there were nine deaths. The average number during the year was sixty-nine, and the per capita cost of maintenance is said to be forty-seven dollars and thirty-two cents per annum. The insane man reported in restraint was discharged from the hospital at Jacksonville. When discharged, he was quiet, but on the county farm he developed a violent temper, which rendered it necessary, in the opinion of the keeper, to confine his wrists by straps attached to a leather belt, so as to render it impossible to strike with his fists. The restraint imposed has further irritated him, and when seen he was savage. The county farm is evidently no place for him.

SCHUYLER.-The Schuyler county almshouse was found in good condition; the rooms were neat and tidy, the beds and bedding clean, and the inmates well cared for. The number present on the day when visited was twenty-seven, of whom ten were children, four insane, three idiots and one a cripple. The almshouse register is imperfectly kept, and the overseers of the poor do not keep the accounts nor make the reports required by law. The cost of maintaining the county farm last year was two thousand one hundred and fifty-seven dollars and forty-seven cents, and there was one thousand eight hundred and forty-five dollars and fifteen cents expended for outdoor relief.

SCOTT. The county almshouse is in fair condition, with clean rooms, beds and bedding; and the inmates are apparently well cared for, except that an insane pauper is chained in a room in the basement. This room has a brick floor. The average number of inmates is ten. The number, when visited, was nine, of whom one was a child, one insane, three idiotic, and two crippled.

SHELBY.-There is no change to note in the construction of this almshouse, but a marked improvement was noted in the condition of the premises. The rooms, beds and bedding are clean and tidy, and the inmates well cared for. The bedding, in some cases, is very much worn. The number of paupers admitted in 1881 was thirty-three, the number discharged twenty-one, and there were two deaths. On the day when visited there were thirty-six inmates, of whom five were children, four insane, ten idiots, three blind, one bedridden, and two cripples. The insane are kept in seclusion. This farm costs the county about three thousand dollars a year, and the amount expended for outdoor relief is twenty-two hundred.

STARK. This county has an almshouse larger than the present necessities of the county demand, as is shown by the fact that some of the rooms are unoccupied. The premises are in excellent order, and the building in good condition, the rooms clean, and the beds and bedding tidy and comfortable. The whole place has a homelike air, and the inmates are well cared for. The grounds in front are neatly kept as a lawn, with shrubbery and young trees. The average number of inmates is fourteen. There were only twelve present when inspected, of whom six were children, one insane, and one sick. Two of the children are said to be illegitimate. The number of paupers received during the year was six; the number discharged, two.

ST. CLAIR.-There is but little to add to what was said in former reports respecting the almshouse in this county. Nothing was observed worthy of special criticism, but much to excite admiration and merit praise. The number of inmates was one hundred and five, of whom fourteen were children, one of them blind, and one illegitimate. The number of adult pauper insane was twenty-six; idiots nine, blind one, sick six, bed-ridden six, crippled three, awaiting coufinement one. Two of the insane were found in seclusion. The number of paupers admitted in 1881 was forty, and three were born on the premises; the number discharged was three