Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1876-01-14

seemed to be necessity, and at the re.
Quest of the board OF trustees for COM
mittee to aid them, / appointed Hon. A.
G. Dodge, VIM. 81. Leas, Esq, and Mrs.
Deborah Cattell to visit and investigate
the finances and management of the
school and to report their conclusions 70
me. The committee and trustees met at
Eldors where joint investigation, ex-
tending through several weeks, was held.
1t resulted in two reports, one by ma
jority of the committee appointed by
me, and the other by the trustees, in.
dorsed, with one or two qualifications,
by Mrs. Cattell. These reports are sub
mitted for your information with the
evidence taken upon the investigation.
could not enter upon an examination
of these proceedings and conclusions
without occupying too much space for
this message. will say, however, that
Ibelieve thoroughly in the conscientious.
ness OF the'trustees, and that from my
reading OF the testimony the late
superlntendent's want of adaptation for
the position was more from lack of pen.
etration in the choice OF subordinates
than in any positive wrong in himself.
And when we consider that the school
under his administration was passing
through the developing process, cramped
for money and facilities, and that the
salaries paid minor subordinates would
not secure persons of the best intelli-
gence and established character, it IN
some measure extenuates the admitted
faults of his management. But, as he
seemed to be the principal object of the
investigation, his resignation at the close
of tho proceedings removed the cause of
the contention. The trustees filled the
vacancy by the appointment of a gen
tleman who I understand is well fitted
for the position. A physician and
assistant superintendent has also been
chosen whose we'll known character Is a
guarantee of arduous and intelligent
efforts for the honor of the State and the
reformation of these children.
should say further that one cause of
the irregularities which led to this in
vestigation was shat boys had been
sent to the school who were too old in
years and crime for its discipline. They
had been sent here however, at the ex-
pense Of the morale of younger pupils,
for the reason that courts shrank from
sentencing them to the companion ship
Of hopeless criminals. All this could
have been avoided through the agency
of an intermediate prison such as above
recommended.
ordered the payment to the COM
mite appointed by myself of three
dollars per day, as provided by the code,
for the time employed in the investiga-
ton. Their itemized bill for personal
expenses, together with other necessary
expenses of the joint committee which
the code does not provide for, are on
file in this flee, and / think should
be paid.
THE HOSPITAL FOR THE INSANE AT MT.
PLEASANT.
The duty will devolve upon this Gen
eral Assembly to GEEK some method by
which the hospitals for the insane may
lie relieved from their overcrowded con-
6ition. The reports Of the trustees and
of the superintendent of the hospital at
Mt. Pleasant and at Independence are
alike emphatic upon this point. at Mt.
Pleasant the appropriation of $4,000
made by the last General Assembly has
been applied as contemplated, and the
improvements are fully detailed in the
reports from that institution. Exhibits
accompany the report of the trustees,
showing that during the biennial period
$220,51S.17 has been expended, that the
average daily attendance was 500. SO and
that the cost per week of each patient was
$4.12. The board recommends an ap-
preparation for special repairs and i'm
provements. In this connection should
call attention to the report of Messrs.
Piquenard and Finkbine, who we're con-
suited by the trustees in regard to the
necessity for these repairs, and as to
their cost. From their report the ne.
cessity would seem to be urgent, and
they estimate the cost at $16,237.50.
These gentlemen having given this mat
ter personal attention, there is no CUES
ton in my mind as to the accuracy of
the figures, or the prop1iety OF imme-
diate action to preserve the building
from future waste and insure its safety.
The superintendent in the last few pages
of his report fo-cibly reviews tho need
of certain Improvements in and about
the hospital, and his statements should
be read and considered by each member
of the General Assembly.
HOSPITAL FOR THE INSANE AT INDEpEND.
EEcE.
The report Of the board of trustees
of the hospital for the insane at Inde-
pendence shows that eleven wards are
now complete, furnishing room for $50
patients. Out OF the appropriation of
$4,000 made by the Fifteenth General
Assembly for improvement of grounds,
building barn, &C., $16,7l8.22 has been
expended, leaving an unexpended bal
ance of $1,273.78. A fine supply of soft
water has been procured from a we'll
one-fourth of a mile from the hospital,
which is brought with facility and at
small expense to the reservoir at the
buildings. An appropriation of $4,000
is asked to erect gas-works. The rea-
sons given by DR.. Reynolds for this ex-
penditure are SO forcible, and to nv
mind SO reasonable, that desire to add
my conviction of its propriety and me-
cesssity. DR.. Reynolds urges the I'M
portance OF senolng patients to the
hospital for treatment before the cases
become chronic; and he very logically
concludes that this is one method of re-
lieving the over-crowded condition of
the hospital, as the cases treated before
they become incurable go out and leave
room for others: while If delayed until
TOO late for cure they will en-
cumber the hospital until removed
by death. The building commissioners
give reasons for the work in
the past having exceeded their
estimates. They ask for money
to put in double windows on the north
and west sides of the north wing and to
finish the main central building. all of