from our prisons, and the amelioration of the condition of prisoners, etc. These objects of the Commission are in their character very good and deserve special mention. To carry out its objects the Agent devotes his entire time to the duties required of him. He receives a list of all prisoners to be discharged during the succeeding month from the State Prison, and endeavors to see and converse with each one before his release, and acquaints himself with the character, and disposition, and necessities of each one, and gives them information, and bring them in communication with their friends, furnish them with clothes, sufficient money to live from day to day for a while after their release, and assists them in procuring employment, etc. He also attends to the wants of many of the prisoners, such as collecting money for them and attending to errands for them. The financial condition of the Commission is as follows:

This two hundred and forty-four dollars and sixty-nine cents is derived from a balance of one hundred and twenty-two dollars and thirty-five cents at the beginning of the year, and the remaining one hundred and twenty-two dollars and thirty-four cents has been advanced by the Treasurer and is now due him.

The objects of the Commission are good and deserve special mention. We are of the opinion, after a limited examination, that it should be stricken off the list of State beneficiaries.

THE LADIES' PROTECTION AND RELIEF SOCIETY.

This Association of ladies have a fine commodious building at the corner of Franklin and Gough Streets, in San Francisco. The following are the list of officers of the Society: President-Mrs. N. Gray.

Vice-President—Mrs. M. M. Soule.

Recording Secretary-Mrs. George Barstow.
Corresponding Secretary Mrs. C. Jackson.
Treasurer-Mrs. J. H. Flint.

This Society was organized in September, eighteen hundred and fifty-three, and incorporated in eighteen hundred and fifty-four. For twenty-three years it has been carrying out its work of caring for the orphans, and neglected and abandoned children, and in procuring permanent homes for them when old enough. Children are received from one year old up to ten years for boys, and girls of any age are taken.

We found in the Home one hundred and ninety-one children, and out of all that number, notwithstanding the prevalence of diphtheria and other fatal diseases in San Francisco, there have been but two deaths during the past year, and very few cases of sickness.

The building is situated on a hill where pure air and good drainage are attainable.

An excellent school is provided in the building, with three competent female teachers, and the children are educated under the public school system.

The building is kept very clean, the food is plain and substantial, and the dormitories are light, airy, and well ventilated, and provided with the best of beds.

The medical attendance has been furnished free of charge by several physicians.

Besides the children, a large number of poor persons are relieved every year by the ladies, and charity is dispensed to the full extent of their means.

The institution is supported by contributions, some of which are voluntary, and the balance is solicited by the ladies.

The disbursements for the last year were eighteen thousand three hundred and forty-three dollars and fifty cents, of which fourteen thousand two hundred and thirty-three dollars was for household expenses; the balance being for repairs, taxes, street assessments, etc. The association are the owners of a very valuable property, which is increasing yearly in value.

The amount drawn from the State treasury for the fiscal year ending June, eighteen hundred and seventy-seven, was three thousand seven hundred and fifty dollars.

The pay-roll shows the following list of employés: One matron, fifty dollars per month; one cook, thirty dollars per month; one washer-woman, thirty dollars per month; two teachers, twenty dollars per month each; one teacher, fifteen dollars per month. We recommend that this institution is a worthy one and should be continued on the appropriation list.

THE PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH HOME.

This institution, as its name indicates, is under the charge of the ladies of the Episcopal Church. They have a Matron and Assistant to take charge and care of the Home, both of whom receive salaries. The objects are to care for aged and infirm females.

There are twelve inmates now at the Home, ranging from sixtyeight to eighty years of age, two of whom pay their own way. It was supported liberally at one time by prominent members of the church, but the subscriptions have fallen off to such an extent that they are left to depend almost entirely upon the aid received from the State. The pay-roll is as follows each month: Matron, thirty dollars; assistant, twenty dollars; cook, twelve dollars; total, sixty-two dollars. The objects of the Home are laudable, but we are of the opinion. that it should be cut off from the list of State beneficiaries.

This is a society under the charge and care of the Sisters of Charity, and the Magdalen Asylum is situated at South San Francisco. There are about two hundred female inmates in this institution, and its objects are to reclaim wayward and vicious girls, who are committed there both by their parents or the Police Judge of San Francisco. These girls are all kept at work in making linen wear and buckskin gloves, and in that manner help to earn money for the institution; and the City and County of San Francisco pays fifteen dollars per month to the Society for each one of the inmates confined there by order of the Police Judge, of which there are now about eighty such inmates; therefore, taking these things into consideration, and the fact of the Society being a local one, we recommend that any further appropriation be discontinued.

710 92

74 60

250 35

102 60

900 00

553 87

198 68

$8,698 14

Besides this, an unusual amount of donations and distributions of clothing, groceries, furniture, etc., are made to those who prefer help in that way.

The Association has assisted over one thousand persons during the year last past, and it now has about three hundred regular monthly subscribers, besides other donations. The receipts of the Association in cash for the year eighteen hundred and seventy-seven were as follows:

After an examination into its affairs, and from reliable information, we are of the opinion that this Association should continue to be one of the State beneficiaries, and receive further appropriation.

THE SAN FRANCISCO FOUNDLING AND LYING-IN HOSPITAL.

This institution is situated on Mission Street, near Fourth Street, in San Francisco, and is under the charge and control of the followlowing officers:

President-Samuel Cowles.

Board of Trustees A. Weill, J. Durbrow, R. G. Davison, Wm. Sherman, James Linforth.

Attending Physician and Surgeon-B. F. Hardy, M. D.

Its objects are to receive abandoned infants and to furnish a bed or place where females can be confined for child-birth, more particularly for unfortunate single females who have been seduced and led astray from the path of virtue.

The children or foundlings which are received here are those which have been abandoned by their parents and thrown upon some door step, or in the entrance of this asylum.

The total number of these children that have been in this institution since its organization is three hundred and eighty-five; of these two hundred and ten were born in it, and the remainder were found upon the door steps.

These children are secured good homes by being adopted out, according to the statements of the matron of the establishment, but no case of adoption has been brought to our attention.

In the female or lying-in part of the asylum there are now ten poor

unfortunate girls who have been led astray from the path of virtue, and who have come to this institution to hide from the world for the time being, until their children are born.

We made a personal examination of each one of the inmates, and upon completion of this examination we found that there was not one female in the whole institution but what paid, notwithstanding the fact that it has been receiving the sum of three thousand dollars per annum from the State treasury.

We herewith submit the testimony of each one of said females who were inmates of this institution at the time we made our visit. Female number one, says:

I am eighteen years of age on the second of next April; am single; I am from the country; I am a pay patient; my friend pays for

Female number four, says:

I have been here seven weeks; am eighteen years of age, and am from the country; I am single; my father pays for me, but I do not know how much he pays; I think he pays thirty dollars a month. Female number five, says:

I have been here six weeks; am seventeen years of age; am from the country; will be confined next month; am single; I pay the same as the others, that is thirty dollars for board and seventy-five dollars for the confinement.

Female number six, says:

Been here since October fifth, eighteen hundred and seventy-seven; am twenty-three years of age; I paid two hundred dollars; will go away this week; I am single.

Female number seven, says:

Been here five months; am from the country; was confined on the eighteenth of January; I pay a dollar a day for board and seventyfive dollars for the confinement; a friend came and paid it for me; I am sixteen years old; am single; I nursed my child for two weeks and then it was taken away from me; all the babies are taken from us after two weeks.

Female number eight, says:

Been in one month; I am twenty-three years of age; am from the country; expect to be confined any day; am single; I pay thirty dollars a month and seventy-five dollars for the confinement; had to pay in advance; Dr. Hardy would take no less; I had to borrow the money from my friends so that I could get in here.

Female number nine, says:

Been in here since October eighteenth; I am fifteen years of age; came from the country; am single; was confined on the second of January; I nursed the baby for sixteen days; I think it is in the asylum yet; my father pays for me; he paid one hundred and ninety-five dollars in advance.

Female number ten, says:

I am sixteen years of age; am single; been in here three months; came from a country town; my brother pays for me; during the confinement Dr. Hardy and the Matron attended on me; I had no trouble about it.

And from the evidence of some of the respectable physicians of San Francisco, your committee are satisfied that there has not been a female who has been in this institution, at any time during the last two years, but what has had to pay for being treated there; and even Dr. Hardy has not produced any evidence of a female who has received free treatment in his asylum. Your committee, therefore, recommends that all further appropriations to this institution be discontinued. And from information derived from Dr. Hardy, we have ascertained that a bequest of ten thousand dollars has been left to the institution, the disposition of which we have been unable to ascertain, on account of the unsatisfactory statement received by us in reference thereto.

THE SAN FRANCISCO LYING-IN AND FEMALE HOSPITAL.

This institution is situated on Clay Street, in San Francisco, and is under the charge and care of the following officers:

President-Mrs. David Conkling.
Vice-President-Mrs. J. B. Hecht.
Secretary-Mrs. C. B. Hutchins.
Treasurer-Mrs. Lucius Thompson.
Physician-C. B. Hutchins, M. D.

Trustees-Hon. H. H. Haight, Hon. Frank Pixley, Alvinza Hayward, Hon. Milton S. Latham, Gen. J. F. Miller.

The objects of this hospital are for the treatment of diseases common to women and females, and to receive females for confinement. The hospital is in a fine, large, and airy building, and is well suited for the purposes to which it is devoted. The rooms are pleasant, and comfortably furnished.

We found the institution, at the time of our visit, in charge of the Matron, who seemed to understand her duties, and we found fourteen females afflicted and confined in bed. We made an examination of each one of them, and submit the following as the result:

Of the fourteen patients eleven are married; three are single; one pays five dollars a week; one pays ten dollars a week, and the remaining twelve do not pay any money at all, and are free patients. Four of them are from outside of the City of San Francisco. There were seven births at the Hospital in the two weeks preceding our visit.

The patients are all well cared for, and have a comfortable home during their stay in the Hospital; but we are of opinion that this institution should be also stricken from off the appropriation list.

THE CALIFORNIA STATE WOMAN'S HOSPITAL.

This hospital is situated on the northwest corner of Howard and Twelfth Streets, in San Francisco, and is under the charge and control of the following officers:

Presidents-C. Adolphe Low, Mrs. B. B. Redding.
Vice-Presidents-W. B. Johnston, Mrs. L. W. Eckley.

Female number four, says:

I am a widow; am twenty-four years of age; been here two weeks; came from the country, and I pay nothing.

Female number five, says:

I am married; came from the country; been here one month; am twenty-eight years of age; I pay nothing.

Female number six, says:

I am married; am twenty-five years of age; this is my second time in this hospital; the first time I was in nine weeks; I have been in this time two weeks; am from the city, and I pay nothing.

Female number seven, says:

I am married; I am thirty-two years of age; been here two weeks; am from city; I pay nothing.

Female number eight, says:

I am married; am thirty-seven years of age; been here two months; I do not know whether my husband pays for me or not. Female number nine, says:

I am married; am thirty years of age; been here three weeks; I am from the country, and pay five dollars a week.

Female number ten, says:

I am married; I am thirty-six years of age; been here two months; am from the city, and pay ten dollars a week.

The following is an abstract from the cash books of the institution to show the amount of money collected from the patients and the amounts expended, which upon its face will show that the hospital is self-sustaining, exclusive of any salary to the Surgeon-in-Chief, while, at the same time, it is receiving an appropriation from the State:

The books also show that in the month of November, eighteen hundred and seventy-seven, there were seven patients in the hospital, two of whom were free, four of whom paid ten dollars a week each, and the remaining one paid five dollars per week. Also, in the month of December, eighteen hundred and seventy-seven, a bequest of five hundred dollars ($500) was given this institution by Messrs. Flood and O'Brien, of San Francisco.

We are unable to report the number of patients who have been actually treated in this institution, for upon inspection of the books we find that if a patient calls one day for advice or information, and again calls the next day, the calls are entered, upon the entrance book in their numerical order as two separate and distinct admissions to the hospital, whether they are received or not. We find this to occur in the books quite often, which of course makes the number of patients treated larger than what it actually is.

We have come to the conclusion that the appropriation for this institution should be discontinued, as it is purely a local institution, as the limited number of patients received outside of San Francisco indicates.

Respectfully submitted,

Senate Committee on Hospitals and Asylums.