The General Assembly of Arkansas passed an Act in April of 1889 that allowed for the appointment of a Pauper Commissioner for the Ft. Smith District in Sebastian COunty:

ACT CIII

An ACT to Provide for the Appointment of One Pauper Commissioner for the Fort Smith District of Sebastian County in this State, and to Prescribe His Duties and for Other Purposes.

SECTION
1. The Fort Smith District of Sebastian county constituted a separate district for purposes of act.

2. County Judge required to appoint a Pauper Commissioner and Superintendent of the Poor.

3. Duties of the Commissioner.

4. Commissioner to purchase farm for the paupers of the district.

5. To rent or lease suitable place until farm can be purchased.

6. Paupers who are able, to be worked on farm ; Commissioner to file report to County Judge in Clerk's office.

7. Commissioner to sell surplus products of farm and turn proceeds of same into treasury of the district.

8. Money arising from sale of farm products to be used as pauper fund.

9. Fixes salary of Commissioner at $600 per annum.

10. Authorizes the levy of a tax for support of paupers

. 11. Nothing in act to be construed to repeal any act not in conflict; act in force from passage.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Arkansas:

SECTION 1. The Fort Smith District of Sebastian County be, and is hereby, constituted a separate district for the purposes of this act.

SEC. 2. The County Judge of Sebastian County shall immediately after the passage of this act, and annually thereafter on the second Monday in January, or as soon thereafter as practicable, appoint some suitable person who shall be a citizen and qualified elector of said district, of good moral character, and having a practical knowledge of agriculture, who shall before entering upon the duties of his office take and subscribe to the oath prescribed by the Constitution, and shall be known arid styled Pauper Commissioner and Superintendent of the Poor.

SEC. 3. It shall be the duty of the Pauper Commissioner to have the charge and care of all persons in his district declared to be paupers by the County Court of his county, and by and with the approval of the County Judge he shall have the care and oversight of all poor persons in his district who may be sick or afflicted so as to be unable to perform work and labor, and who may be under care at the public expense.

SEC. 4. Said Commissioner shall, subject to the approval of the County Judge, purchase a suitable farm, with suitable buildings necessary to properly care for the paupers of his district, to be paid for by the county, out of appropriations for the Fort Smith District.

SEC. 5. Until a farm can be purchased for said district, the Pauper Commissioner shall, subject to the approval of the County Judge, rent or lease a suitable farm to be used as a pauper farm for said district.

SEC. 6. All paupers who are able to perform manual labor shall be worked on said farm by said Commissioner, who shall have control of said farm together with all tools and implements of industry to beu sed thereon, and shall annually make out and file in the Clerk's office of his district a full and complete report to the County Judge of the number of paupers under his charge, the number received, the number discharged, and an average of the number cared for by the district during the fiscal year next preceding. He shall also report the number unable to work, and the number worked on said farm, and a full report of the amount and kind of crops grown on said farm, and the value thereof, together with a full report of all expense incurred and for what purpose, and shall make out and turn over to his successor an invoice of all property belonging to his district, and in his possession as such Commissioner.

SEC. 7. The Commissioner, subject to the approval of the County Judge, shall sell and dispose of all surplus crop products on hand, and shall pay the money arising from such sales into the treasury to the credit of the Fort Smith District.

SEC. 8. In addition to the appropriation by the County Court for paupers, all moneys arising from sales of farm products raised on said pauper farm shall be annually used as a pauper fund in said district, and all claims paid or to be paid OL.t of said fund shall be subject to the approval of the County Judge.

SEC. 9. The Commissioner provided for by this act shall receive for his salary the sum of six hundred dollars per annum, to be paid quarterly out of the appropriation for that purpose, to be made by the County Court of his said district.

SEC. 10. The County Court for the Fort Smith District of Sebastian County shall annually levy such tax not to exceed the limit now prescribed by the Constitution, and make such appropriation as said levying court may deem proper for the support and maintenance of paupers in said district, and for the successful operation of said farm.

SEC. 11. That nothing in this act shall be construed to repeal any law now in force not in conflict with this act, and that this act take effect and be in force from and after its passage.

Approved April 8, 1889.

Return To Poor Farm Index