Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1878-05-26

NEVADA HN8HE
There has been considerable disc'is-
sion in the newspaper press OF b
State. relative to the care of our indi-
gent insane. The almost universal
conclusion reached is that these unfor-
tunate people should be treated within
our ow n borders. We were in favor OF
this policy at the last session of the
Legislature, but by reason of the Bull
lion Tax trouble there was no money
IN the Treasury, and the State in con-
seuuence was i'm no condition to pro-
vide for the erection OF suitable build
ings. There was also a strong pressure
brought to bear by certain state Of
fjcials to continue the contract system
with Messrs. Lspgdou & Clark. The
Governors office was particularlyactive
in this regard. Governor Bradley and
the contractors were old thine friends,
and hence the pressure from that
quarter. We have no reason to believe
that there was anything corrupt in this
matter, the Governors preference for
the contractors proceeding alone from
friendship. Prior to 1877, these con
tracts had been made fortwo years only,
terminating with each session of the
Legislature. Under the pressure al
luded to, the following bill was passed
by the Legislature and approved
by the Governor. 1t IA be found on
page l4I of the statutes OF 1877:
SECTION l.. The Board of Commits
sioners for the are of the INDECENT In
sane of this State, are hereby author
lied and directed to make a contract
for the proper care and maintainance
of the INDECENT insane OF this State,
with the parties at present in charge OF
the insane; proufded, that such con-
tract shall not be for less than four
years, and that the price per patient
shall be the same as under the existing
contract between the State and the
same parties.
In pursuance of the law a new con-
tract was entered into running four
years. 1t will not expire, we be
lieve, until March LIST, 1881. The Stale
is thus bound to continue the present
system until that time. The chief ar
gument advanced for this measure by
those who lobbied for its enactment,
was the followings II was as as
serted that certain improvements look
ing to the better care and comfort of
the patients were desirable. These i'm
provements would not be undertaken
by Messrs. Langdon & Clark unless
their contract was extended from two
to four years. There WAS no money
available for the construction of an
asylum of our own, and so the Legisla.
ture by an almost unanimous vote d.
racted the making of the four-yearc con-
tract. The Legislature at its next session
may appropriate money to build an
ASYLUM, but the State will not be able
to get her patients out of the hands of
the California contractors until two
years later.
A great many good things could
have been done for the State had the
hack bullion tax been placed in the
treasury at the last session. The new
prison at Reno, in all probability,
would be now far advanced towards
completion. AS events have since
shaped, however, it is extremely
doubtful if those walls are aver com
pleted. The title to the old prison
having been quieted. the Reno scheme
loses one of its strongest arguments.
There is little likelihood, at all events,
of the work being resumed for some
years.