The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1863-12-16
THE MICHIGAN STATE INSANE AsY-
LUM.
Us History and PRESENT. Condition. Close Of
the Fiscal Year


Us History and PRESENT. Condition. Close Of
the Fiscai Year.
Michigan did well when she located that I'M
pOrtaut State institution, the Insane Asylum, in
the enterprising tOwn OF Kalamazoo. Ii is one
of the chief attractions OF that thriving village
Tie Asylum is located on a high hill overlook
ing and about a mile distant from the town. Ii
is a massive pile of brick, substantial and imp0s
ing, and is visible Tor great distance along the
roads leading to Kalamazoo. The building at
present strikes the beholder as a little out Of
proportion a circumstance due to the fact that
only one wing and the central building, of the
original plan, have as yet been built The last
Legislature made an appropriation to complete
the building, and the remaiEing wing will be ad
ded during the two following years. The first
legislative step for the erection Of an Asylum for
the Insane was taken in ls4s, and consisted
of an appropriation of 5, l2O acres of Salt Spring
Lands for the erection of Asylums in various
parts of the State. Assessors were also requir
ed TO report annually the number of insane in
their townships, and a Board Of Trustees was
appointed, 10 which the control of the institution
was invested In lS49, seven more sections Of
land were appropriated, and in 1850 ten addi-
tiOua sections, making a total OF 5000 acres.
A loan OF s., 600 was also made by the State TO
the Trustees. In 1851, the Trustees reported
between 800 and 400 insane persons in Michigan,
mainly confined in jals and county houses, and
recommended the erection of an Institution, ca
pable of accommodating go persons. Kalama-
zoo was selected as the best site for the Asvlum
and the citizens of that place donated 81 $50 and
ten acres of land in the centre of the village.
The latter was sold aud l6O acres about mile
distant purchased In 1858, the Legislature ap-
propriated $4,000, appOinte a second Board of
Trustees, aud directed them to visit the other
American Insane Asylums and select the best
managed one as their model In 1854 the Trus-
tees appointed DR.. Gray, of the New York State
Lunatic Asylum, Superintendent, and on the fol
lowing Spring work was commenced on the
buildings. The Legislature of 1855 appropria-
ted So7 600, and that OF 1857 $4,000, TO meet
the building expenses In 1886 DR.. Gray re-
turned to the Utica, N. " Asylum, and Dr.
F. II. Van Deusen, of the same institution, was
elected his successor at Kalamazoo In 1858 as
the edifce was approaching completion, the
great centre building was destroyed by fire,-the
work of an incendiary. The South wing, how.
ever was not injured, the connection between
the buildings being fire proof The centre bull
ding has been since rebuilt, and the finishing
touches are now being put upon it. In 1859,
the constitution of the Board of Trustees was
changed, so that the terms OF office of all
the members should not expire simultaneously,
and on the 29th of August, 1859, the institution
was opened, and IS female patients admitted
In March, 1860, a single ward was opened for
males and in September another. Various ap-
preparations have been since made at the success
sive sessions of the Legislature, and the build
ings at present capable Of use are the South
wing, the centre building, large engine house
with mechanical appliances, commodins barn,
a well fitted laundry, and carpenter and cabi
net shop. The buildings yet to be completed
are the North wing, the chapel and the two in
frmaries for males and females. The appropri
aiiOns made by the Legislature are nearly sufh-
cent TO finish the buildings, but the money is
not accessible until 1868. The amount expen-
ded by the State thus far is about $500, 600.
Before completed, it VIII probably cost s so, 600
more.
The Michigan Asylum is modelled on the most
approved plan for such institutions, combining
10 an UNUSUAL degree economy and beauty of
construction and fitness for its end. The build
ing is of brick, OF fire proof construction, with
white limestone Ornameniation. The main bull
ding has 100 feet front, and the wing 800.
When completed, the total length of the build
ing will be zoo feet, and its area will be l2
acres. 1t is built in the Italian STYLE is three
II
meut. When completed, one wing will Re reserv-
for males, and one for females; now both sexes
are necessarily kept in the same wing The pa
tients are classified and live in families, each
family having a long corridor for ITSELF with
sleeping rooms along the halls. The classical
/ tiOn is in accordance with the strength Of the
/ disease, and as a patient RECEIVERS he is changed
/ from one ward TO anOti e. Each corridor has
its dining room, water closets, aud the inmates
/ have no intercourse with those in other halls
The cooking is all done in the general kitchen,
under the centre building, aud passed up into
the different halls by means OF dumb walters,
supplied by q car running on the track in the
basement. The cooking capacity of the ranges
and steam apparatus is for 440 persons. and the
aim is 10 furnish great variety in the diet as
possible. Meat is furnished twice a day, and al
vegetables in their season. The building is
warmed by steam, generated by two boilers in
the engine room, which also furnish steam for
culinary purposes. Perfect ventilation, so essen
tial a matter 10 such Institutions, Is secured By
forcing air By a large fan, driven by a small ver-
itacal engine, through an underground channel
six feet square, leading from the engine house
10 the main building. where il is distributed by
numerous aues through every room and ball
Bs this fan over 10000 cubic feet OF air are
| iolCeu iutO tAe OlliuiES every WluDte- AAl
fues are carried up also from each room for the
foul air into cupolas. Water is carried through
out the institution by hydraulic engine, deriv
ing its supply from q stream in the rear, and ga
Is furnished from the city. All the rooms snC
halls are nicely carpeted and furnished, most o
the furniture being now made in the cahine
shop Of the Asylum, ani their walls are decors
ted With engravings. pictures, and in some case
beautiful specimens of moss and leaf work
Newspapers and books are in great request, a