The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1870-12-08
ASSETS.

Total .S5OJ4Il 10
The Board of Regents, in transmitting the
reports of the Superintendent and of the Treas
urer of the institution accompany them by TWO
important recommendations, viz:
i. That the benefciaries should be main
tanned by the State, instead OF the several
Counties and go.
2. The extension of the present new building
so as to enable us to abandon the inferior quar-
tiers used for patients. =,
With regard to the first recommendation, 1t
has my thorough concurrence. The effect OF
the present system is to throw the entire eX-
pen.e of supporting the Asylum on portion
of the Counties, while considerable humber
are largely in arrear of their payments, as will
be seen by the table accompanying the Ireasu.
rers report. By apportioning the amount OF
the tai on the respective Counties to the num-
ber of bcnefciaries accommodated at the Asy-
hum, and collecting it with the general tax,
more equitable system will be reached, and the
ASYLUM saved from several embarrassments to
which it is now liable:
With regard to the proposed extension of the
Asylum, for which an appropriation of $40 ,OOO
is asked, 1 think its propriety, as we'll as ex-
pediency, are matters of considerable doubt.
1t will be recolected, that for more than twenty
wears the suitableness of the present locality
has been matter of discussion, while the want
of adaptablity of the buildings to their pres
ent purposes is generally admitted. In conse-
ouence of these deficiencies, the South Carolina
Lunatic Asylum, which, at its establishment,
stood at the head of similar institutions In this
country, has entirely lost that proud pre-eml-
nence, and now lags lamentably in the rear.
Among those who have been most urgent for
the abandonment of the present site and build
ings are Dr. D. H. Trezevant, the former, and
DR.. J. w. Parker, the recent superintendent OF
the institution, who unite in condemniDg them
for want of space in the grounds and of suita-
beness in the buildings To these gentlemen,
whose long connection with the institution ren-
ders their opinion authoritative, may now be
added those of DR.. j. F. Ensor, the present
Superintendent who says that, on taking charge
of it. (the Asylum August 5, he found it tar
behind the times in almost everything that Is
now considered necessary in well-appointed
Asylum its buildings are not OF proper capacl-
ty or construction. No greater blunder was
ever made in architecture than the plan upon
which this gloomy, incongruous pile was erect
ed the most of the rooms are mere cells or
chinks in the walls, dark and lily ventilated,
and those on the ground-foor damp and un-
healthy; that it would be, to say the least, the
greatest inhumanity to require the patients to
statement, DR.. Ensor quo:es DIR. Wilkins, Com
missioner of insanity for the State OF Calitor-
mia, who is now making tour of the United
States and Europe, in quest of information
touching the subject of insanity, and instltu-
itions for the insane, who spoke of our Asylum
"as the farthest behind the age of all that he
had visited in this country" with one cxcep-
ton.
With these concurrent remarks OF medical
men of the highest authority, it may we'll be
inquired whether it is consistent with policy or
expediency to patch up an old and generaly
condemned building, by expcnding large adj
ditional amount of money on 1t, and thus per-
petuate the institution in its present unit To-
cality, or to make the necessary investigation
as to whether more suitable location could
not be selected, where ample grounds could be
secured and suitable buildings erected for a
moderate sum, in addition to the price obtained
for the present premises. l commend the sub,
iect TO YOUR careful and deliberate inyestiga-
tion.
QUARANTINE.
The annual report Of DR.. Lebby, Health
Officer of the Port of Charleston, will be found
highly interesting and satisfactory, as eXem-
plifying, beyond all cavi, the important fact
that with an attentive and viglant quarantine
officer, the city of Charleston may be consider
ed perfectly safe from the visits OF tropical
epidemics which have occasionally desolated
her streets and paralyzed her commerce. Her
exemption from pestilential diseases, her gen
eral salubrity, her accessibility at all seasons,
with her other signal advantages and facilities,
present brilliant future to Charleston, which,
if properly improved, cannot fail to place her
at the head of Southern sea-ports. DIR. Lebby,
in his report, makes a number OF suggestions
and recommendations, which are deservedly en-
titled to the highest respect, and are recon-
mended to your favorable consideration.
PHOSPHATEs.
Attention is called to the elaborate and sug-
cestive report of Prof Charles U. Shepard, Jr.,
Inspector of guano and fertilizers. 1t presents
in a most forcble aspect the magnitude and
Importance of this new field of enterprise and
industry, its rapid growth and probable extern
sion. In this connection, your attention may
be usefully given to the law of last session,
granting to certain parties therein named, the
right to dig and mine in the navigable streams
of the State for phosphate. The receipts thus
far to the State from that Company have been
81 ,9S9 III my Judgment, further legislation is
mperatively required to protect the interests of
the State in this matter. 1t is believed, that
with a moderately efficient administration of
the affairs of this valuable property, a sum may
be realized to the Treasury sufficient to pay the
interest on the debt of the State, or its equiva-
lent. The Constitution provides for uniform
and equal rate of assessment and taxation and
that only the proceeds of mines and mining
claims shall be assessed The inquiry may be
suggested, whether the present mode of asses
sing the phosphate lands is the most advanta-
geous to the State, and equitable to the tax
payer, and whether some change is not deman-
ded
THE LAND COMMISSION
Was undoubtedly one of the wisest and most
benefcent projects of the State; but, from lie
odium which has been brought upon it by
charges, freely made, of peculation and person
al purposes in its administration, the results
have not been commensurate with the sagaclty
and philanthropy of its objects. About 5000,