No. 19.

1848.

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE,
Michigan, February 14, 1848.

To the President of the Senate:

SIR: I have the honor to submit to the Senate an abstract of the reports of the Seperintendents of the poor, of the several counties of this State, for the year 1847, so far as the same have been reIceived at this office.

Very respectfully,

Your obedient servant,

GEO. W. PECK,

Secretary of State.

Branch,

787 84..5 00

585 46.3 00

3 00

[a] There is no poor house in this county. There have been no accounts presented either from Justices of the Peace or Directors of the poor. Under the old law, the Justices and the Directors of the poor were in the habit of presenting their accounts to their respective town boards, and they were by them allowed.

[6] This county owns a farm on which the poor of the county are kept. The superintendents advertise for proposals to keep all the poor that may become chargeable upon the county, for a specified time, (which is usually one year,) and the contract is let to the lowest bidder, and he for a specified sum, keeps all who may during his time become a county charge, receiving therefor, such sum as he agrees for in his proposals, and having besides the use of the farm and the benefit of all the labor he may derive from the paupers, he saving the county from all expenses arising from the support of all paupers. The paupers and their treatment being at all times under the supervision and subject to the direction of the board of superintendents of county poor.

[c] No poor house nor farm. The poor let by contract to the lowest bidder.

[d] The sum of $29 75 of the $50 20 in the fourth column, was paid to B. Taft as a health officer for the town of Carmel, to attend on the family of a Mr. Foote, having the small pox.

[e] The year ends on the last day of October, 1847. Families relieved are reported as persons. No poor house occupied by the county during the year.

[f] The superintendents suggest the propriety of so altering the law that the poor masters and justices shall draw their orders on the superintendents of the poor, instead of the county treasurer, as they have no means of obtaining the number of persons relieved by their orders on the treasurer.

[g] Of the expenses of such support, $383 81 was for physicians bills.

[4] The superintendents beg leave to report that in accordance with directions received from the supervisors, they have purchased a farm on Gull Prairie and stocked and improved the same, which constitutes the item $2157 56. The number of paupers now reported, are permanent ones with one or two exceptions, ie: the num

ber 26. The 18 below were stragglers receiving trifling support. In completing our report, we would say that for the last six months previous to the establishment of the poor house, the amount of physician bills paid, was $277; whereas, by the present management, we have only to pay $50 for medical services one year.

[i] This county has for some years past, supported its poor by having them kept in different places and furnishing them at their homes until May last, at which time they were bid off at the risk of the bidder, at $1050 for one year. The county had a farm partially improved, which has been sold for $1000, the county not deeming it advisable to keep it for the support of the poor. We have an insane person at Battleboro, Vt., Asylum, and two here. Would it not be well for the state to found an asylum for this important class?

[] Out of the $1071 81, there was $217 24 paid for claims against the county for the years 1845-6 leaving the expenses for the current year $854 57.

[k] The number that have been temporarily relieved cannot be ascertained correctly from the records that have been kept by our predecessors, as families have been relieved in gross, without giving and probably not knowing the exact number; the fault is with the directors in not stating them precisely.

The amount expended for temporary relief, is $459 61, and is given separately in order to show the abuse to which the system is liable through the directors. Bills for medical aid have been allowed which have not been included in orders for temporary relief to an indefinite amount. If the law contemplates medical assistance, where is the limit? This county has a farm of about 133 acres of land, 60 of which are improved, with good buildings, which are estimated at $3000. The premises were last year leased and the contractor kept the paupers at 87 cents per week, not including clothing and medical aid. This year the superintendents have made a new contract with the same individual to have the use of the farm and keep the paupers at 90 cents per week, including clothing, medical aid and all other expenses necessary to their support. The item $1135 22, is the total amount of orders issued