Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-12-15
Insane Hospital.

An editorial in the Rockland Gazette Of
September 9, and another December 2, also
an editorial in the Gospel Banner. December
4, are so unjust and uncalled for in their
open attacks upon Capt. Lakin. and their
covert attacks upon DIR. Harlow and the
Board of Trustees. from 1874 to 1879, that
they are calculated to alarm the friends of the
patients, and to mislead the public as to the
true condition Of the Insane Hospital. If
the writer's had examined the reports of the
trustees and superintendent for the years
| 1874 to 1873, they would not have fallen into
the error Of saying that ''of the real state OF
things the public or the Legislature have
never been informed By the trustees or Off
| GERS Of the institution" Neither would they
have said that the water-works were a pet
scheme of Capt. Lakin. The pumping of
water from the Kennebec river, is no new idea
of the writer but is an old exploded idea
| which has haunted some people about Angus
ia ever since the Hospital was opened for pa
! tients; but when brought to the test of by
draulic engineers and practical common
sense people, it has not met With much favor
The carrying Of water 900 feet. with YER
teal lift Of 800 feet, from point in the river
|
water from the City Of Augusta, does not
commend itself to thoughtful people The
Board Of Trustees, in 1874, found the Hospi-
tai crowded, with no adequate ventilation.
an inadequate supply of water. and no funds
| at their disposal TO make the Improvements
they deemed necessary for the safety ,conven-
fence and comfort of the patients.
They resolved that something must
be done, and settled npon the plan of erect
ing a building in the rear of the Hospital
| containing a kitchen on the lower floor, sew
ing room and sleeping rooms for help on the
second floor and hall on the third floor for
chapel. and place of amusement for the pa
tients This would remove the odors of the
kitchen from under the main building Then
| they would construct a system of waterworks,
| that there might be water sufficient for cul-
| mary and lavatory purposes, and to flush the
soil pipes and sewers, and then proceed to
ventilate the building as nearly as possible up
on the principle of the old fashioned fire place
with open fues. committee was appointed to
Law the plans before the Legislature, and ask for
an appropriation of $4,000 for the erection
of the building, which was granted, and the
building erected during the season Of 1919
and finished within the appropriation. Mr.
James Il. Frances of Lowell. Mass, one OF
the best hvdrauic engineers in New Eng
land, and Mr.. Luther II. Eaton of Bangor
were employed "a make surveys, plans and
estimates for the introduction Of pure water
and after examining the various localities.
decided upon the present system, and made
the plans which were faithfully executed by
/ Capt Lakin, under the supervision of the
Trustees during the season of 1876. During
| the summer of 1877 the water works were
completed according to the plan OF the en-
gineers, and the buildings thoroughly ven
| tilated The report of the Superintendent
in 1874 called for 1000 gallons of water
day for use in the Hospital, after the water
works we're constructed and the stock at the
barns was supplied and the sewers flushed
we used 20, 900 gallons daily, and we enlarged
| the storage capacity from | $50 900 gallons to
2 800 900 and could not further enlarge it
| economically at that time on account of the
wet season in 1879. During the drought Of
| 1880, the Trustees have doubled the capacity
for storage, as originally designed by the old
board, 50 that now they have storage capac-
ty of 10000 gallons in addition to the
artesian well, and all the water facilities they
had previous to 1876. The present storage
would last the Hospital $50 days without any
rainfall. Instead of one little spring there
are five: instead of few acres of watershed.
there are more than fifty, and instead of
the water supply being failure, it is a grand
| success, and will stand monument to the
| skill of the engineers, the ability and faith
fulness of Capt. Lakin, the wisdom of the
Trustees, long after these captious faultfind-
| ers are consigned to oblivion. Instead of
Capt Lakin having ga pet scheme he has
been one of the most upright, self-sacrifcing
men ever entrusted with the expenditure of
money in the State. And while the Trustees
have received valuable aid from him, he has
ever given his time, his strength, his varied
abilities to carrying out their plans to the let
| ter, and if there is any failure in improve
ments attempted. the fault with the Trustees
not with Capt Lakin or DIR. Harlow. Except
the S25 900 received from the State for the
erection of the chapel building and amuse-
ment hall. the expenses of water supply and
ventilation, have been paid from the savings
from the ordinary expenses. NOtwithstand-
ing the price of board has been reduced
fifty cents week, yet the permanent inn
provements such as building one of the best
barns in the State, an addition of twenty
acres of land. besides doubling the
amount of farm products, have been paid for
from the ordinary earnings of the Hospital.
The Trustees and resident officers have moth
ing to conceal but ask for an examination of
their work. and so far safety from fire is
considered they are provided with the best
apparatus known to scientific men and in a
few~minutes every room can be flooded with
water. II the present storage capacity is in
sufficient, it can be increased Indefinitely ut
small expense. and will repeat (and ask in
vestigation by scientific mem that the water
works at the Insane Hospital are not a fail
ure. but are a grand success.
i +. w. WooBURY.
Bethel, Me.