Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-03-16

III VIC Cl$aIe WHO nave lelt Iue eueCtS VI Lie
'courge, it has been thoroughly 'hopperdozed
Like Washington and Mankato. it is city of
distances. The most important
feature OF the town is the hospital for the in
sane. This mammoth institution is, located
on the West bank of the Minnesota river,
about one-and-a-half miles from the business
center of the town. It's proportions are i'm
mense, and impress the beholder with the
idea of solidity and business. rather than
any great display of architectural finish.
The building entire is of st. Peter stone,
quarried on the grounds, save some finish
ing stone from the Kasota quarries, across
the river, and the division walls, which are
of brick, burned upon the hospital grounds.
The hospital and fixtures, including the en-
CINE and steam heating apparatus, all COM
plete, has cost the State 100000, and is
perfect in all its details. The dormitories.
halls, dining rooms, kitchens, laundry and
other departments are well lighted, we'll
heated, we'll ventilated, and are kept scrupu-
lousy clean. Five hundred and five inmates
at present occupy the main building, while
one hundred more are to be found at the old
building in the city. which, though enlarged
to over double its original capacity, was at
the time the institution was founded, deemed
amply sufficient. We directed our especial
attention to the culinary department of the
hospital, and to the commissariat. We found
the kitchens clean and neat, furnished with
every appliance for cooking upon large
scale. The meats, steak and ham, prepared
ready for cooking for the next morning
breakfast, were as good as can be had at
any hotel in the land, and
the commisary department showed
life of a quality not to be disparaged. The
with abundant capacity, and under COM
quantities was exposed to view, and was of
a wholesome quality. In fact. the whole ar
engagements for feeding the inmates, which
was thrown open to>our inspection, even to
the minutia, was certainly perfect, and the
quality of the food wholesome. nutritious.
and abundant. If any one expects to see
the inmates of a State institution fed in a
metropolitan or Fifth Avenue hotel style, of
course they would be disappointed here, but
from close and unrestricted inspection to
which any private citizen of this State can
have access at any time. they find cause to
complain of the fare of our unfortunate in
sane, they will prove themselves capable of
more penetration and more sensitive oIfac-
tories than we possess.
Another fact in the management of this
institution which attracted our attention
was the facility with which communication
can be had with the outside world by the
| inmates. No restriction was had or attempt
ed upon conversation with any of the in
| mates with whom we wished to converse
! and letters were handed us by some without
any attempt at suspicion or inspection by
the authorities. We were shown into the
room occupied by A. Gaylord Spaulding
the ''Helpless Printer Martyr as he styles
himself, allowed unlimited conversation with
that unfortunate gentleman, and received a
communication from him to the press
which was not inspected by any one inside,
nor any objection or comment offered. The
public mind seems to be in state border
ing on fanaticism upon the subject of the
incarceration of sane people in institutions of
this character. OF late first class novel is
incomplete without romance of this
character. That such romances are some
times real, may, and no doubt is the
fact. but it is no less apparent
that in general the reported instances
of this kind are purely mythical. 1t is pro-
verbally the case that persons afflicted with
insanity invariably conceive the utmost dis.
trust, antipathy and, oftimes. intense hatred
toward their nearest aud best friends and
relatives. They fancy almost invariably
that their relatives are exercising some nat
ural or supernatural power or force to do
them harm. The public seize upon any
hint of the detention of sane person in an
insane hospital through the evil machina-
tlons of their relatives as an actual fact.
They devour the intelligence with avjdity
and if the sequel proves that they have been
victimized by lunatic, studiously refrain
from mentioning the subject further.
CHANGING to have copy of the Pioneer
Press with us, we called the attention of DR..
Bartlett, the superintendent, to the little
romance connected with one of his former
patients, one Charles II. Ploff. of Anoka
county. Without comment we were shown
this mans history as recorded by the insti-
tuition. This shows that previous to
his arrival here and after
ward the patient entertained
the idea that his wife and friends were exer-
cising supernatural agencies to iniure him.
Was discharged on December 5. 1876, in
company with patient from Saltwater. as
cured, and furnished by the superintendent,
with money to carry him to st. Paul accord
ing to his request. It seems too bad to thus
rudely rob our enterprising friend of the
press of the material for first-class ten cent
novel, but it strikes us that he has been sold
to greater extent than is usual with the fra
| Nv SC
of several letters of very friendly nature.
from Pfoff, in which he speaks Of visiting
the institution, as of an anticipated pleasure
We sincerely hope that the Senate committee
will give the hospital most thorough exam
nation, and treat the public to an exhaustive
report We also hope that private parties
will do as we have done-yisit and infinitely
inspect the institution. These poor unfortu-
mates are sacred charge to this common
wealth, and the instincts of pure humanity
demand that they should be well cared
for, and all the help that science
can bestow toward their recovery. be extend
ed. Let others do as we have done-yisit
and inspect this institution as private indi
vlduals and satisfy themselves as we have
done in regard to the management. This
great charity costs the State for repairs and
expenses annually about 100000. The
| only return we get financially is the amount
paid to the State treasurer by Dakota Terri
tory for her petients that are here. No pri-
vate patients are admitted, and any funds
furnished by friends are used solely for the
comforts of the afflicted. If the manage
ment be found to be honest, let not sickly
sentimentalism or love of romance prediu-
dice the public mind against faithful and eff
fcient men. If otherwise, let it be purged
at once. B.
The following is the COPY of the letter