The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1873-06-07
LOCAL MATTERS.

VIsIT TO THE SHEPPARD AsYLUM.-On Friday
of last week, the Association of Medical Super
intendents of American Institutions for the In
sane, which had been in session for some days
in Baltimore, before its adjournment visited the
Sheppard Asylum, an institution for the cure
of the insane located between Charles Street
avenue and the York road, short distance
south of and in full view of Towsontown.
After arriving the visitors were conducted
through the various apartments of the male asy-
lum by Messrs. j. Saurin Norris, David NJ. Pc
rine, Dr. VIM. Riley nd.Gerad II. Reese, of the
board of trustees. The building was closely in
spected, and notes taken of the manner of its
construction. The building is constructed after
an old English style of architecture, is 1895 feet
in length, and is irregular in width, being about
200 feet. The outside of the building is of sand
brick, which were hauled out from the city,
the inside portion of the walls being construct
ed of bricks made upon the place. The roof is
of slate, capped with lead, and having copper
cutters and valleys.
The base of the building is of gray granite,
obtained from quarries upon the place, and the
trimmings are of Baltimore county marble, OBJ
tanned from the Hampton quarries. The build
ing has tower or balustrade, the highest point
of which is l09 feet, from which fine view of
the surrounding country is obtained. There
are three entrances to the building on the north
side. 1t is erected so to classify the patients
into four wards, one of which is for boisterous
valescent patients. Air-ducts are arranged be-
meath the basement so as to secure the admis-
sion of pure air. and it is to be warmed through
steam pipes. Every ward is approached i'm
mediately from the main hall, and each apart
ment has direct opening to the external atmos-
phere. The floors rest on iron girders and
hriek arches, and the stairways are of stone
ron. In the convalescent department pa
s may pass a period of time in the unre-
ted enjoyment of domestic life previous to
rning home.
ach ward is to contain within itself parlors,
ing-rooms, dining-rooms, bath rooms, pam
IS, &C., while an entirely distinct location of
two buildings insures complete separation
the sexes. A chapel or lecture room is to be
each building, with billiard rooms and other
pnveniences for recreation or occupation while
ne ample grounds belonging to the institution,
mbracing about 375 acres, will afford means
If outdoor exercise, besides land for farming
and horticultural uses necessary for the wants
of the asylum. There is an abundance of water
from springs on the premises. Each building
is designed to accommodate about seventy five
patients. A farmers dwelling, large hand
some barn, about 800 feet in length costing
about $4,000, two stone gate houses, one at
Charles street and the other at the York road
entrance, have been erected, roads made, and
the grounds greatly improved and beautifed.
The tract fiand upon which the asylum is being
erected was purchased in 1859. Moses Shep-
pard, the founder of the institution bequeath
ed to it the greater part OF his estate, amount
ing, at the time Of his death to about $3.50, 900.
Mr.. Sheppard was particularly solicitous that
the institution should be built out of the income
of the estate, leaving the principal as perma-
nent endowment for its support when compile
ted, and the trustees are faithfully carrying out
this course, hence the seeming hardness in the
erection of the building. The benefits of the
Asylum will be extended to the INDECENT insane,
without declaring from its benefits those whose
means warrant fair and remunerative compen-
saton. A fundamental advice of the founder
of the Institution that it should be cura-
tive in its design and management. This plan
requires much greater space than is ordinarily
used for an equal number of patients in other
asylums.
So far over $1,000 has been expended by
the trustees for buildings, land, Improvements,
&c. As it is contemplated to finish the build
ing by the use of the income of the money left
the Asylum, amounting to about $4,000 per
year, it will yet be several years before its COM
pletion All the work of hauling, &C., is done
by teams, supported by the farm products, yet
che farm some years yields handsome reve-
nue. in addition thereto. The farm is under the
charge of BENJAMIN Vanhorn, and Joseph Camp
is superintendent of the construction of the
buildings. The board of trustees are in posses
sion of lot of books, furniture and curiosities,
belonging to Mr.. Sheppard, and it is designed
to furnish a room, to be called the Moses Shop
pard room. The trustees not mentioned above
are Richard II. Townsend, G. P. Hopkins and
VIM. Graham.
Mr.. Norris, president of the board, gives
much of his time in experimenting the con-
.struetion of the buildings.