Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-08-19
Letter from California.
SAN francisco. Aug. s. 1875
INSANITY IN CALIFORNIA.

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. y, 1873.
INSANITY IN CALIFORNIA.
The causes Of mental disorder IN California are
prolific and well to develope the disease
The number of insane people for the past twenty
five years can be numbered by thousands. The
disease is on the increase. and to-day the State
Asy lums at Napo aud stockton are crowded to
their fullest capacity with patients, and not day
passes hardly, but what there are applications for
admission. Tie Stockton asylum is much larger
than ours at Augusta in fact. 1t Is one of the
largest in its dimensions in this country. Among
its inmates there is scarcely State OF country I'M
represented. Two-thirds of the insane in Califor.
mia, fud, are If foreign biIth, the Irish taking
the lead and the Germans following next. San
Francisco furnishes the largest number of insane
people ia the State. The disease is more frequent
among single than married men, and more COM
mon among married women than single females.
of the male sex insanity is more common to labor
ers, miners and farmers than those who pursue
any other vocation, while among females those
most subject to uHsre housewives and servants.
1t is also the most common to those between So
aud 40 years of age. Ia the treatment of the in
sane at the state asylums am informed that but
small amount OF drugs is used The therapeu-
tics confined to tones and stimulants, sedative,
cathatic or Laxative 10 character. Solitary cou-
fnement i, rarely rssorted to. Patients kept
AS much possible in the open air, the same as
they are at our Maine insane hospital. The
recoveres il this State am told are between forty
and fifty per cent.
JUVENILE BIBULANrs.
Taking drink in this metropolis is common
practice, so common that the man who does not
imbibe his matutinAl cocktail, or take his whiskey
straight, is regarded rs a wonder. San Francis
cans take their nips early and often. A glass of
pony brandy will do more in bringing about
trade than rolls of double eagles. No man is
nominated for Office elected to office without
free flow Of wne pulling whiskey. Women also
take to the kinds of iuidical combinations
dispensed, and the increase of drunkenness among
the is becoming larger. But the most alarm
ing fact Is the number OF juvenile blbulants that
one sees. Il Is sad and deplorsble sight to wit.
ness boys from ten to fifteen years Of age step up
to the bar and of their tods with all the gusto
of old topers. Aud yet this is common sight in
California. Boys are not only allowed to patron.
ize bars in defiance of the law prohibiting the sale
Of liquor to minors, but in numerous saloons they
are permitted to follow the example of their elders
in sitting down at one of the tables provided for
card playing, and indulge in game Of pedro for
the drinks, or stake their coin in draw poker
There's many lad whose face is very red from
drinking California wine stronger potations,
and who is likely to fill drunksrd's grave before
be has attained his majority In the wild rush
and hurry OF life this State for wealth, these boy
To- Al. ~ nF ala r.
their fate. The other day my attention was at
tracted to a young man who hangs about saloons
so much that he is reg arded one of their fix
lures. A few years ago when In his teens, he
contracted the habit Of drinking. He WAS natur-
ally intelligent and smart and had good situa-
ton, but whi,key ruined him. To-day he is a
grant aud starving outcast. As stood looking
at him shverng in his rags and, in his inebriety,
Eugging a telegraph pole to keep HIM from fall
ing, he presented piliable spectacle. And yet
among the hundreds OF persons who passed the
wretched maudlia, not one appeared TO notice
him, not even when he swsyed, lost his balance
and pitched hea10ng into the filthy gutter, where,
as he lay sprawled out, the dogs smelled of hun
and passing hoodlums gave him a punch with
stick But this is only one of hundreds of cases.
Intemperance Is SO prevalent that the alcoholic
thirst with many is such that they would not hes
itate to murder for a single drink. There not
only thousands of men but hundreds OF boys 10
California who never draw sober breath from
one mouths end 10 another. \ few weeks ago
the youngest daughter of one of the weathiest
citizens here taken TO the home for lnebrlates.
There never a better field for temperance
formers than California.
FREE LUNCHES.
Free lunches at the liquor saloons in this city
are an institution. They were first introduced IN
1850 by Barry 4 Patten, old Boston boys, and to-
day no bar can be successfully run without them.
Two thirds of the down town merchants, brokers,
lawyers, book-keepers, clerks, in fine all shades
of professions, instead of going to their homes
hotels at noon, patronize the free lunches. AT
the heightened bar-rooms fifteen cents for single
drink is charged, or two for quarter, and one is
expected to take either a drink a cigar before
or after enjoying his lunch.
From halt past eleven o'clock in the forenoon
until two O'clock free lunch is served, and during
that time the stream of free lunchers going into
bsr-room and coming out is constant and unln-
termitied. In many bar-rooms one has TO wait a
long while before he regale himself on &C
|, count of the crowd. The repa,t at the best bar
rooms is cooked IN superb STYLE and is spread
snow white cloth. The edibles numerous,
and one Is allowed to eat much a. he wants.
Every day of the week different kind of soup is
served with either fish or clam chowder. The
menu is also composed of hot and cold meats such
az the incest cuts of roast beef, boiled leg of
mutton with caper sauce, chicken croquettes,
tongue, baked beans, mashed potatoes, condi-
ments of various kinds, the spOngiest and whitest
of bread, and the best of rancho butter. An cpl
| cure would never turn up his nose at the spread
After two O'Clock the patrons of the place are re-
galed with boiled muscles and CLANS lobster
salad or succulent crabs until five O'Clock. Then
come cold meats winch served until after the
! theatres out
! At every corner grocery liquors are sold, and
/ the lunch table is To be found. The patrons of
! such places are generally workingmen and the
lunch runs from the poorest edbes 10 the best.
I In some Of the common places two glasses of
lager beer are given for ten cents, which, with the
| lunch offered is great nducement for the low
! CIR classes to patronze them. There are scores of
moneyless chaps, as well regular tramps and
vagabonds, who avail themselves OF the free
lunch to sponge their living. Stepping up to the
lunch counter when the crowd is the greatest,
thew satisfy their gasronomIc wants and then
quickly disappear. II they think they will be
suspected of being "dead beats, to remove any
such suspicion they will approach the luach table
from the bar, engaged in wiping their mouths so
q a. to make il appear that they had just taken a
snlfter which little dodge enables them to pariske
of their lunch with the most perfect aOnchdtdRce.
As soon as they finish eating they make their exit.
This game they do not play 100 often at one place
for fear of detection. As the free lunch places
so numerous there is need of their paying a
visit to the place agsin for several weeks if
they make the grand rounds as they do. By this
meals their faces do not become familiar.