Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1874-11-21
LAST.
Location Of the West Tennessee Insane
Asylum Four Niles sOuth Of
Memphis.
Reasons for Selection that CaunOt FAN
10 Give Satisfaction 10 All ear
People.
After Four Ballots the Question h
Decided Beyond RecaIl-WiIl the
Governor IHdorss the ChoIcel

At meeting Of the board Of directors
; for the West tennessee insane asylum,
held yesterday, Colonel Robert /. Ches-
ter wa called to preside. Colonel Ches-
ter requested the secretary TO read the
following communication:
Birst-Uennessee has located an
I asylum at Knoxville deaf and dumb,
one at Nashville (insRne), to both of
which " est Tennes- ee has contributed.
They now propose to contribute, by way
! Gf compensation, TO West Tennessee.
These three institutions are intended TO
be and are three great institutions OF
charity, provided for by generous, hui
name and charitable people, and ought
not to be mixed up with private or local
J interest.
Second-The act Of the Legislature
providing for the location and erection
of iunatic asylum in West Tennessee
vests the governor with q trust which
he was to exercise in the selection of
commissioners He was bound to exer-
else this trust for the benefit of the in
sane inmates, for whom the institution
ls TO be established. He has performed
this trust on his part.
Third-He has appointed General Con-
ner, DR. Rogers and Robert I. Chester
said commissioners, and they are now
vested with the high and responsible
trust of locating the asylum In West
Tennessee, not for the benefit of any
town, village or city; not for the benefit
OF the sane portion of the community;
not for he benefit Of any particular To-
cality, but for the sole benefit of the in
uwFAas.
AID who are the real benehcIaries.
FOurth-As the asylum is to be estss-
iished for the foregoing purpose, under
the act OF assembly, the question is,
where can a location be found most con-
ducive to public convenience and the
good of the benefieiaries?
l. Pu&c convenience requires that It
ought TO be located geographically as
/ near the center of West Tennessee as
practicable, so as TO afford the cheapest
and easiest access to all its inhabitants.
Is not Jackson nearer this point than
any other named? 1t preserves and
carries out the policy of the State in 10.
eating the others at the centers of the
oLher grand divisions.
.. 1t must be done where the site can
be had most eligible, having regard to
sOundful supply of free running water.
Is not Jackson the foremost point of
competition as to this?
| 3. 1t must be located where climatic
| influences are most favorable TO health
! and most exempt frOm epidemics. Is
not JacksOn superior to any other point
/ in West Tennessee? Look TO statistics
and see.
4. It must be located at q point
where facilities for inter-eommunicstion
for fuel and all the neeessaries of life
can be had at the cheapest cost and
greatest quantity at all times. Is not
Jackson superior on this ground?
5. Il ought TO be located where the
people would take interest in the well
fare Of its inmates. Can any place be
found superior to jackson? The ground,
containing three hundred acres, with
perfect title, is hereby rendered to the
State for the erection u said institution,
without money and without price, in
Madison county, near jackson.
ROBT. 1. CHESTER.
DR.. Rogers offered the following:
WHEREAS, A majority of this board,
at former meeting, recommended to
his excellency, Governer John G.. Brown,
a site near Brownsville, which was re-
ferred by him back to this board for fur
ther action.
RssoiDed, That the chairman of this
beard be authorized 70 carry out the
recommendation as set forth in their
communication to bis excellency, Gov
ernor Grown.
20 this resolution Colonel Chester OBJ.
jeeted, and read the following commu-
nication:
GENTLEsdEN-As director in your
board, appointed to I'LL the vacancy
caused by the resignation Of Colonel G.
w. Day, OF Humboldt, I have felt it
my duty TO examine the Brownsville
site, which was selected by two Of your
body, under the protest OF Colenel Day,
my immediate predecessor. After a
careful investigation Of the Shepherd
and Curry place, am forced TO reaffirm
Colonel Days protest, for the following
rea Chs:
First-The want of railroad facilities.
Brownsville has only enc railroad, and
with the exception OF the population on
The line OF this road, the asylum cannot
be reached from all other portions of the
western division Of the State except by
one or more changes Of cars; and, fnrth-
er, the want of competition must ever re-
suit in high rates OF freight charges.
An examination of the present scale OF
prices will prove that the rates to
Brownsville are far In excess of those to
jackson and Memphis. Nor is there
any hope of change In this state of
Affairs, inasmuch as the railroad now in
pFOghess and projected cannot result in
competing line Of railroad at Browns
vile.
Second-The supply Of water, not
Tithstanding previous investigations,
tain. Excavations have been made to
increase the visible supply Of water, but
an examination made at this time will
indicate that it would be very unwise, If
not criminal, to venture on the locating
Of an insane asylum where the water
supply Is SO exceedingly doubtful.
Third-rhe act of the State legisla- |
ture, authorizing the selection and pur.
chase Of site, expressly states that |
where location Is offered free of cost to |
the State, 81 things being equal, the di- |
rectOrs saott give precedence to such |
site. The Brownsville tract is OffeIe ed at |
cost OF sixteen thousand three buu- |
dred dollars, Of which amount the State |
is called upon to pay six Thousand three |
hundred dollars. The sites at jackson |
and Memphis with equal and, be- |
lieve, greatly superior advantages in !
every respect, are offered to the State |
free Of cost. l therefore beg leave to |
give notice to the board that in event of |
the purchase of the Brownsville site |
being confirmed by a mai 5rity Of this |
board, shall feel It my duty, not only |
to protest against the said purchase, but |
shall take immediate legal steps to resist |
the expenditure of any appropriation for |
the building Of the hospital until the !
legislature OF the StstR can take action 4
upon the matter. Bo III. CHESTER.
DR.. Rogers shove Bat unless the
board could agree up6n site yesterday, |
West Tennessee would lose the asylum, |
as their commissions expire to-day.
Colonel Chester put jackson in n0mi- |
nation for the site.
DR.. Rogers then proposed site near (
Memphis. He went on to show that /
the scl,izens of West Tennessee could /
reach Memphis without change OF cars,
by railroad and river, from every county
in West Tennessee except i've. To
reach jackson, il required 8 change OIL
cars IN coming from twelve counties,
Then he took up the freight question,
and read 8 communication from Tread
we'll Brothers, showing that freight frosn
New Orleans, st. Loi'is, Cincinnati and
Louisville, cost from en- TO fifteen.cents
q hundred by rivers a fifteen to twenty
i've cents by railro d, while freight TO
Jackson was fsrty cents per hundred.
After several ballots, a site four miles
south OF Memphis was selected.
RO8EHT 1. CHES fER, Chairman.
W. z. ROGERS. Secretary.
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Fifty more persona belonging 10
Con5risti have bssn arrested &C Naples. ;