The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1882-03-11

crease OF insanity IN the state had crowded the
D Insane into houses not prepared to receive
| them. In this county, or belonging to it, are
, 100 insane. The county's proportion OF IN.
, mates IN the state institutions is only &c. yet
she has there now 40, of whom 90 are incura.
BILE, and occupying places others should occu.
py, who might be cured if they coutd get to
the asylums These are not sent home because
there Is no one to designate who shall be sent
lie, rs citizen Of this county, had Its fair
fame as much at stake as any man in It, yethe
was convinced by his own observation that
Mr. Whip was substantially correct IN his re-
port. He hoped and thought it would have
good affect IN opening the eyes of the Board
that tit place may be provided for this pur.
pose
In the afternoon Mr.. A. Lynch spoke on the
subject, pronounclng both Mr. Whips and
Mr.. Carriers reports exaggerated, and showing
from their contents that they were hastily and,
however honestly intended, carelessly pre-.
pared.
DR.. Hard, who, with DR.. Macarthur, were
the countys physicians in 1S70-S0, asked to
This report said the clubhouse was an improp.
er building for the purpose and that many
necessary appliances for use IN insane quarters
were wanting, but declared positively that the
building was carefully taken care OF to prevent
| filth, and that the treatment of the inmates by
Mr.. and Mrs Arnold was most excellent for
while the inmates immediate attendants and
the superintendent were paupers, they were
melted to do their duty both on account of the
"honor attached to the office" and by the fur.
ther incentive now made public tor the first
timel of small weekly pay for careful alten.
ton to the inmates, paid by Mrs, Arnold from
her private purse. There is no defending this
crazy house as a house, but there was then
plenty OF water, the hay and quilts in the
hunks were changed every day, and Ottener if
befouled, and all filth was removed as soon as
deposited, MS there was always a Waterman In
the house But it was nevertheless impossible
to keep the place absolutely clean. AS to this
part of the report he could endorse Mr.. Whip
But so good was the care OF the inmates that
they seldom got sick, having fairly good air
and an abundance of water. Indeed, two of
the men confined there in 1880 are now well
and have left the asylum! Yet many neces
sary appliances were lacking tor want of sui
ticent appropriation by this Board, and there
was no one but paupers hired 10y the Board to
assist Mr. and Mrs. Arlo, die added now
that he had no interest psrs)lally in the mat.
ter that the pay for medical attendance was
much too small. The Board at one time paid
$500; the year he and DR.. McA. were attend.
ants they were paid $500 for their services and
mediclnes-tor which Peoria county pays
$1,000. Last year the Board let the job to the
lowest bidder, and saved 5000 This amount
is much too small-entlrely inadequate. The
things necessary at the asylum are lacking
simply because this Board has not appropri-
ated the money to get them.-As to Mr.. Car.
ters report he thought it likely that man
constituted like MIR. c. might IN single visit
receive the impression he states he did receive.
and yet his report was much Overdrawn. Mr.
Whips report also does the county an injus-
tlce, but not so great as some imagine.
DR.. Macarthur thought the report of Mr.
Whip unjust; that while the building was not
proper one, it was kept clean, ana the in
mates carefully attended to. He thought the
county should have an insane asylum, but the
fact now is the county has had an insane asy-
lum, with large number Of inmates thrust
upon her before it was expected, and when IN
fact she was running simply an aims house
and not prepared for keeping an insane asylum.
In view of the fact that this Board had expect
ed, as did the state that the state would pro
vide for all of the insane in state asylums,-
that part should have modified the report of
the State Board.
Mr.. Flaherty gave history of the building
of the asylum and the clubhouse, showing that
there was no expectation that the county
would have to take care of a large number of
insane, and that the clubhouse was simply
makeshlft.
1t is but proper here to state that the build.
ing condemned by Mr.. Whip Is no longer in
use, but that new and better quarters for the
insane have been provided in the basement Of
the main building.
On motion of Mr. Fox committee OF five
was appointed to embody report of their
conclusions on the matter as obtained from
this investigation. The chair appointed Messrs
w. Hoge, Miller, Ferguson, Franks and Hof.
man.
The committee on roads and bridges report
ed on the petition of the Board of Trade Tele.
graph Co., granting right of way through the
county, subject to the law of eminent domain
This report was amended granting the privil-
eye of passing through this county when the
company shall have established their line and
procured the right of way.