The Russellville Democrat., 1882-12-21
THE INSANE.
What Arkansas is Doing for the
 Unfortunate.

recent date:
 The building is three hundred and
 seventy five feet long, four stories
 high, with two wings, and surmount-
 ed with a tower l25 feet in height
 The vestibule entrance is about if.
 teen feet wide, and a beautiful slab
 of marble ornaments it. bearing the
 date of erection and names of presi
 dent, board of trustees, architects
 and contractors.
 Entering the front doors, occupy
 ing the space of nine feet across and
 eleven feet high, the visitor Is ush-
 cred into the main hall, which is if-
 teen feet wide by los in length. On
 the right hand side are the suite of
 parlors, twenty one by twenty feet
 in size, and connected by sliding doors. Just behind them is the din
 ing room for the officers of the build
 ing, and behind tEis room lavato-
 " and dressing room for same off cials. On the right hand side, facing
 the first parlor door is the office of
 the institution, behind that is the chemists department, and back of
 this the stewards room. Then comes the hall which intersects the main one, and leads to the side wings Following the main hall back, the dining-room of the first ward is seen.
 h it are three dumb walters for transmitting food to the second, third and fourth stories. Passing out of the main hall into covered
 way, tho bake room, with two ovens, the engineers room, laundry, dry Ing room, kitchen and domestic rooms come to view, and the first story is thoroughly seen. Ascend ing to the second story, by the back stairway we come to the second floor. The staircase is built around hol- low cylinder, which prevents the danger of patients from throwing themselves oyer the steps. The cyl lnder extends to the roof of the building, and is so arranged that sweepings from any floor can be dropped to the first without trouble, and solled clothes and such things transmitted down without the neces- sity of ascending two or three flights of steps. Going up the hall, on each side, as on the first floor, the rooms of the patients are situated. They are eleven feet by eight, and four teen on each side, making. with others, ninety three rooms in each wing of the building. In the mid dle of each of the halls of the wings is large bay window, in winch settees will be placed and which will serve as kind of a gen eral sitting room for the patients. = In each of the wings is seen wash and bath room, with cast iron wash stand and tub. This wash room projects from the main part of the wing and is we'll lighted. Going up the hall we again come to the main or center part of the building, which is elevated above the wings by two or three steps. Cast iron shutters are attached to the door between the two halls, so that in case of fire in one part, the doors may be closed and shut off the possibility of it's catching the woodwork of the hall beyond. Here, at the back part of the main hall, we find the dining room of the patients of the second ward. On the second floor we also find the matron's room, and attached to it is the infirmary for sick pa tients. In the matron's room is a which connects directly with the office of the superintendent.
 Going by the nam staircase, up to the third story, the same admira- ble arrangement of rooms is seen as on the first and second floors, every one having it's bath room, dining room, sitting room, and is just as much to itself as though ten miles away. The stairs leading up the fourth story has railing, as the pa tients will not be allowed to travel them without being with keepers. In the fourth story is the chapel, large room of 36 by 60 feet, and will be used for weekly dances, concerts and other entertainments that the insane are SO fond of On this floor also is large room designated as a sewing room, in which the mildest 1f the patients only will be allowed to visit. The windows are not bar. ed as the others, and an experi need seamstress wlll attend to teach ng and directing the patlents. As. ending staircase in the front of he main hall, the tower.room comes O view, with it's oriel windows and ,rnamented sash. Another short staircase, the extreme top of the ,ower is reacled, and the city is ,een far of in Rahe distance. Here ,lso can be seen tfe reservoir, about , quarter of mile from the build nc, a horse shoe sL aAped pool one hundred and sixty fest in length md one hundred and tweiSy five in breadth. It has Capacity of>>one million gallons. In the fifth, or roof, tory are seen the watel' tanks which ,upply the building Two square ,nes holding cold water, and having ,ach capacity of three thousand md five gallons; a round one for hot
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