Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-02-12
The New Insane Hospital.

TIC new IuSdhC IhOSpltdls
To tie Editor of The Journal:
noticed in the columns of your Saturdays =
sue that bill for new Insane Hospital was re-
ported IN the Legislature on lay suppose
from many facts and the concurrent testimony o.
Governors, Commissioners, and the maj ayers OF
the present hospital, that this is move in the
right direction. The time has nearly # not quit,
come when the State should be called upon, in the
name If humanity, to provide asylum accommo'
cations for those numerous insane uLfortunaies,
who, crowded out Of our present no ptsl, can
uow be cared for only at their own homes or I
the alms-houses. .
But was surpiised-yes, almost astounded-ai
one provision of the bill, 1t reported in the
Journal mean the clause which forbds the new
hospital to be located "within twenty-five miles,
at least, of Augusta" Why this twenty-five
miles restriction, playl What has Augusta dont
or what baletul iuhuence boyers about her, that
juslifes such o,tracsm 10 such connection at the
Ia lnds of egisiatve committee Are not hei
citizens good citizens Do not they an,
he people of Kennebec county pay taxes foi
state pnIposesi And is it not contemplated thai
tney shall help pay for this new hospital Why
single her out from all the cities aud towns II
Maine and enact a statute that the Commissioner
10 locate hospital shall not for moment consider
any site, however eligible and whether donated
o the 5 ate or not, within arbitrary radius by
the surveyors chain of twenty five statute miles
aud this req uired, Whatever may be the judgment
Of tue COMM ssionois to the contrary, and what
ever nay be the policy Of true economy OF th'
demands and interests OF the people, who have 20
t pay the bills.
| nave no doubt the bill as a whole is carefully
rawn; that it i, practicable aud adequate 10 nee
The exiSency of locating, building and Furnishing
eady for occupancy the man building OF a los
pltal which shall fls.ly be p bic, after wing
from time 10 Time added, OF serving four hun
dred patients
IL IS grave undertaking, involving an ut-
mate building expense Of not less than half mi
ION dollars SO, great care should be taken l.
locating IT where it can be butt most convent, MT,
a I'D at the least cost, do not say that Augusta
r that KeDnebec county, o. that any OF those po-
ions OF adj ,uiug counties which plotrude insd
f the periphery of the proscr bed fifty mes dis,
GUY ut t, be the site OF tle new hospital; but dc
,aN, IN VI tue thApal ihS PSoplci Autt
10 inte dicion, clog or embarrassment should b.
put IN tie way oil locating il where /. shall seen.
20 be he most economical and best alter
uauslive consideration by the ConmssiJn of ,n'
,dvsntaIes and disadvantages presented by th'
VARIOUS towns and cities # the state. do ne
believe anybody is ready TO say that the operate
aud experience of The present hospital has bee.
,uch tlal it would not be well 10 locate anotht,
within twenty five miles OF IT., through far OF
conraglon of msmaua az ement and failure; no
will say, th!nk, that our present exceeully con-
Quoted hospital, would be better conducted If re
moved twenty five miles, at least from Augusta,
40 one will say it seems 10 me, that there woul,
ne any incompatabllity between our present hos
pital aud one in Richmond, or Gardner, or Water
vile, or Winthrop or Hallowel. or even Augusta
itself. If any oil those towns presents exuaord-
aary advantages in the line of heal,hiulness,
yranite facilities for building, pure water, ETC.,
and at the same time is easily accessible TO oul
leg lslatures and State officials, why should It's nam.
be expunged from the list of towns before the
|, tier is handed to the Commission Is there any
latent fear, that, it left TO their own good judg
ment. and acting conscientiously for the best in-
terests OF the people. without reference to locality
aud the desires of individual cities and towns, tht
Commits ssoners might finally conclude to locate the
lew hospital somewhere Within twenty-five miles
of Augusta ?"
would be content to leave the matter of loca-
ton with the Commissioners, whoever they may
ne /; but as citizen of Kennebec VINO expects to
pay his share of the expense of the new hospit'l
md who will do 80 cheeifully, | protest in the
name of our people land hope eur delegation will
do the ssme) against such provision in the pro
posed act may possibly operate to swell the
cost Of the new building by tens Of Thousands OF
dollars; ard which glaIir gly aud extensively dis
c inmates against an honorable section of the
state in the competition for site for a new hos
pital.
1t may not be out Of place to add here that II
was Kennebec benefcence that laid the lounda-
non OF the present hospital, two Of her citizens
alone contributing twenty thousand dollars.
KENNEBEC.