Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1878-03-01

&c. The engineer attends to the engine
the heating and cooking apparatus, anc
does all repairing necessary for water
and steam pipes. Two fireman are un
der his immediate direction. One baker
bakes all the bread used in the hospital
averaging about twenty-six hundred
loaves week, consuming about fourteen
barrels of flour. Two cooks and five
assistants prepare the food. Two men
are employed to convey the food, when
prepared, to the wards, to attend to the
storage rooms, and assist in the kitchen
One butcher dresses and prepares all
the meat, takes the entire care of the
stock cattle, hogs, and poultry, and
makes the soap used in the laundry
Two girls. with the help of male pa
tient, do the washing for the entire
household. Three girls aided by female
patients, do the ironing. One carpenter
does the repairing, making coffins, &c.
Three chamber-maids and walters do
the housework in the main building,
wait on table, attend the door, &C. The
gardner, with the help of patients, has,
during the last summer, cultivated fif-
| teen acres of garden, beside attending to
the flowers, and yards. One man takes
care Of cows, fourteen in number, and a
part of each day is employed about the
| farm. Three teamsters are employed,
two at farm work in summer, and haul
ing coal in winter. One drives the hos
pital wagon, takes care of the barn, har-
ness, carriages, &c. There are four res
ident officers whose duties are suggest
ed by their titles-Superintendent, As
sistant Physician, Steward, and Matron.
WANTs.-Under the head of wants, /
would first repeat what was embodied
in your last report, in relation to water
and gass.
,, The sewer, from the junction of the
two branches, four hundred feet from
the hospital, is an open ditch, the odor
from which is at times very offensive,
and not conducive to the health OF our
household A sufficient sum should be
appropriated to construct good sewer,
at least two thousand feet, and at no
distant day cross-pools will be required
to prevent the products of the sewer
from becoming a nuisance to those own
ing lands in the vicinity.
A good road is needed from the hos
pital grounds to the track of the B., c.
r. & n r. r., for the transportation Of
coal. For several months of the year
our roads are impossible for loaded
teams, and the distance saved by the
contemplated road will be half mile.
The amount of coal annually used here,
is not less than twenty-five hundred tons,
and the amount saved in hauling would
be reduced not less than twenty cents
per ton.
The ceiling of the basement, and that
part of the fourth story OF the hospital
which serves as hall of communication
between the attic wards, should be plas-
tered. The cost would be little, and we
should then be relieved of great risk Of
fire.
Iwould suggest that the legislature
be asked to transfer the hospital farm
to Washington township. At present
all of our road tax is diverted to road
district in which we have no intrest.
AMUsEMENTs.- usual evening
entertainments, dancing, magic lantern,
&C.. have been continued. Our stock of
pictures for the magic lantern is small
Two years ago we exchanged with the
hospital at St. Peters, Minnesota, and
last winter DR.. Ranney of Mt Pleasant,
kindly loaned us three hundred, which
enabled us to keep up the exhibitions
through most of the winter.
CoNTRIBUTIoNs-W have received
a number Of boxes of papers, magazines,
second hand books, &c, which were very
acceptable. The American Bible So
cicty has placed us under great obliga-
tions by contribution of bibles and
testaments, the latter printed in both
English and foreign languages.
j. L. Pierson of New York city, lately
contributed a very valuable box of books,
pictures, stercoscopic instrument and
pictures, games, &c. 1t was truly a
God-send to our household. About for
ty large Autographs, chrome Autographs
and engravings were among the list.
The books were well selected and suit
ed to our needs.
NEWSPAPERS arc indebted to
the publishers of the "Des Moines Reg
ister," daily and weekly, Benton
County Record" Humboldt Indepen-
dent, 'Anamosa Eureka" 20 Brien Poi
neer," "Decorah Republican," Ger
mania" Milwaukee, Dubuque Demo
crat." e 2copies), Der Dutch Ameri-
cana. "Tama County Republican, ""To-
ledo Chronicle" Cedar Rapids Repub-
lican." Clinton Age" Lucas County
Republican" ''Ft. Dodge Messenger,
Charles City Intelligencer," West
Union Republican" BUCHANAN CoUN-
rY BULLETIN, Wright County Moni-
tor" 'Tama Press "Parkersburg
Eclipse" Semi Weekly Ft. Dodge
Times, The Peoples '.nI Paper The e
Postville Review THE Cronicle,"
Hampton), 'Monona County Gazette,
Detroit German" and New Hampton
Courier" for copies of their papers dur
ing the whole or part of the biennial
period.
Chapel services have been conducted
during the last two years by the pastors,
who have heretofore placed us under
great obligations, Rev. Thos. B. Kemp,
Rev. w. B. Phelps, Rev. j. G. Schaible,
and Rev. f. A. Marsh, whose place has
been filled for the last few months by
Rev. j. Patterson.
DIR. Gershom II. Hill, has for another
two years discharged the responsible
duties Of Assistant Physian to my en-
tire satisfaction. The care of the sick
has mainly devolved upon him. He has
also kept the records Of the hospital,
and prepared all the tables appended to
this report
George B. Smeallie and Mrs. Lucy M.
Gray, appointed to the offices OF Stew
ard and Matron, left vacant by the re-
signation of Mr. and Mrs, JOsselyn in
May, 1877, have shown their fitness tor
the positions, and justified the wisdom
of your selection.
George Ecles, Engineer, who has been
in that position since the opening OF the
hospital, deserves much credit for his
faithful attention to duty, and his readi-
ness to work at unusual hours to pro
mote the comfort of the household.
Mr.. Charles Hartwell, Apothecary
and supervisor of the male wards, and
Miss Mary Sisson, female supervisor,
have continued in the faithful perform
ancc of their RESPONSIBLE duties.
TO the attendants and other EN-
ployes, | would return thanks for their
strict and conscientious discharge OF