The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1859-08-25

Pleasant No could object to this n the state
ments made and the differences drawn from them had
any foundation In TRUTH If there has been anything
done that was wrong in regard to this or any other
matter, and the Republicans did 1t, they should be
held TO for It. Has wrong been done and by
whomp
Propose to state, as briefly as possible, the true
history Of the location and erection Of the Asylum at
Mt Pleasant and shall state nothing that Is not
ceptible Of the clearest demonstration.
LOCATION.
The Insane Asylum was established cat. or near Mt.
Pleasant" in Henry County, by act Of tire General
Assembly approved January the 24th, 1885, the Senate
at that time being Democratic and presided by
Maturin L. Fisher, of Clayton County and the House
Of Representatives having what was called Anti
Nebraska majority. (See Session Lars 1915, page
1917 It would therefore, that neither party
responsible for the location. No man, IT That time,
thought Of politics in connection with this subject,
is shown by the unparalleled unanimity with which
the bill making the location and naming the Commits
sioners superintend the erection Of the Asylum
enacted into law. The bill passed the Honse of Rep
resentatives by q vote of fifty to six, (1e Senate
Jonrnal 1855, page $751;, and passed the SEN ;e by
vote Of twentysix to four, (See Senate Journal 1885,
page 265) ..-. .r. ..Fr. s-~
THE BUILDING COMMISSIONERS "a ... ..
We've Judge Edw. tombstone Of Lee County, Dem
ocrat, DR.. Chas. Clarke, of Jefferson county,
Republican, and the Governor of the state. They
named in the Law above referred to- and the re-
sponsibiity for their appointment was divided be-
tween the two political parties in the same manner as
the responsibility for the location Of the Asylum
! aver that Of the Commissioners was ever in
huenced in the slightest degree, in his conduct as
- -psxa--
satisfied that Judge tombstone was not and evil
dence that the other Commissioners were not, will
state that the man who was selected to supervise the
whole york, Henry Winslow. Esq.,, ever was, and is
now an uncompromising Democrat, who never voted
any other than the Democratic ticket, and was dis
charged from similar position in the State of Maine
on account of his hostility to -Nothingism. He
was employed by the Commissioners account Of
what were believed to be his merits superintena
ent and they happy to know tina: his conduct has
justified the selection. Mr.. winslow has employed,
discharged and paid, every man employed about the
work, purchased all the material and superintendent
the construction ofthe entire building Almost all Of
the chiefs Of the carpenter brck-making, brickay-
ing stone-cutting sonelaying, ETC., etc, depart
ments learn also, have been Democrats. Twill say,
however, that have only learned this latter fact
Gently, for, really Of the Commissioners
thought to inquire to what political party any EN-
ployee belonged.
$3.50 PLAN OF THE BUILDING.
The act Of the oath Of June, 1885, contemplated the
constr uction Of small building at expense of $780,,
600, which, Il was thought, could be enlarged the
exigences Of the State might require. The Commits
sioners thought so too. But they consulted Archi-
ects Superintendent of Asylums In other States and
other pers interested in institutions Of the kind
and satisfied themselves that $50 00O would not erect
and complete an Asylum that would accommodate
onehalf Of the insane people then In the State, nor
indeed that 1t would complete kind of an Insane
Asylum. They hecame satisfied that the General As
sembly when they passed the law limiting the amount
that the Asylum should cost $50 00O knew little of
the requirements of well constructed institution of
the kind as they themselves did before they began
investigate that subject and they therefore determin
ed to adopt such plan for the building they be-
ieved the wants and interests Of the State demanded
was at just about that time, common
cling the erection of her third Asylum at Northampton,
and had adopted plan which was said to embrace
all modern and desirable improvements. The Com
mssioners procured transcripts of that plan, with
view to lay it before the General Assembly, and Sc
its approval and adoption If possible, for the
Iowa Institution. In the meantime, however, they
proceeded with the excavation for the foundation.
made brick quarred some rock, ETC., ETC., but
did nothing by which the State would be injured
thousand dollars If the Legislature should At to
disapprove their action and reject the plan they pro-
posed. The General Assembly Of the State con-
vened in extra session the 2nd day of July, 1856
which was before the foundation of the Asylum build
lug were laid The Commissioners appeared before
The Committees of che Legislature with their plans
nd he nd nro hal
whole thing were thoroughly canvassed, and an add
tional appropriation asked not because the mo-
ney would be needed before the next regular session
Of the Legislature but endorsement OF the re-
of the Commissioners. This endorse
ment made, and additional appropriation Of
$50 600 was voted by this same Democratic Senate,
st presided ever by Maturin L. Fisher, with only one
vote In opposition. t!See Lars OF ertrd Session,
1856, page o0 The journals of the Senate and House
of Representatives would indicate that there
dissenting votes, for there not opposition enough
In either body to demand the ayes and nays. GSee
Senate journal Of extra Session 1885, page Is, and
House Jcu.'nal, same Session) There was, however,
man in the Senate and three in the House Of Rep
reentasves who declined support the propositions
and there were no more.
SIZE OF THE BUILDING.
Very notions seem to prevail in regard to
the size of this building Its reported magnitude
increase in proportion to the distance that
one re cedes from 1t.
The Asylum, when completed, will accommodate
about three hundred and sixty patients, the largest
number that those who have devoted their lives to the
cure Of mental diseases say should be congregated
under the same roof. If gentlemen who clam.
about its size win refer to the United States
Of 1850, they will discover that the proportion
OF insane people in entire population one in
fourteen hundred II this years Of the State
therefore, shows that we have hundred thous-
and people, is reported, ought to have
modations for five hundred unat!cs. In 1856 the CEN
sus taken did not accurately distinguish betw i'm
beciiity, dementia and unacy but proportion OF
insane people then according the former popula-
ton, three hundred and seventy ont Of popula
ton Of FIVE hundred and nineteen thousand. These
facts will show whether the Asylum 10 toolarge.
IT'S ARRANGEMENT AND FINISH.
have never heard 1t charged that any money had
been unnecessarily expended in finishing or decora-
ting the Asylum. 1t is plain, substantial structure
with iron roof fre-proof IL could we'll be
made, with very plain and cheap finish both inside
and out, and embracing all the valuable modern i'm
provements. The Northampton, Mass, Asylum built
Of brick at the time with this and on the
plan, cost than this will when completed, and
those who have examined both say that the Iowa Asy
In, vtn ;ptr ,s;c IN