The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1882-04-13
AUSTIN. TEXAS, THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 1882

1Ol InC
support of said institution and to
enlarge its accommodations.
The annual reports of all of the
asylums will also be submitted to
you, that you may be informed of
the manner in which they have been
conducted.
For the purpose of ascertaining
the number of lunatics in the state,
not in the asylum, and the care taken
of them, information has been
sought and obtained from the coun-
ty Judges of a large number of the
counties, which show in 123 counties
3l5 lunatics, of whom 1872 are sup
ported by the counties, 68 are in
jails and 180 confined or kept else
where in the counties.
Very likely if all could be heard
from there would be over four hun
dred lunatics in the state not in the
asylums.
The asylum is kept full, while
many have to be refused admit
tance, for the want of room for them
at present.
The new building that will be
completed some time next year will
accommodate over two hundred.
The erection of cottages for the
officers, recommended in the report,
will make room in the old building
for thirty more.
L think it only necessary to eX-
hibit these facts to the legislature.
There can be no act of humanity
more meritorious, and of more ur-
gent necessity, than to make ample
provision for this most unfortunate
class of our population to the full
extent, so that it might never be ne
cessary to refuse admittance to a
lunatic, whether with or without
compensation.
The board have made such pro-
vision tor supplying water, heating,
ventilation and sewerage to the asy-
lum as the means furnished them
would permit. as shown i'll their re-
port. The water supply and sewer
age will not be sufficient for all pur-
poses, and emergencies, and hence
they have carefully examined into
the subject, and had surveys. plans,
and estimates made for supplying
water aud sewerage to the asylum,
in a manner, and on a scale large
enough to supply the lunatic asylum,
the university, and new capitol
when built, the blind asylum, and
the other public buildings IN Aus
tin, north of the Colorado river. 1t
is only matter of time, when this
must be done. We have a most col
vincing proof in so much of the
standing remnant of the old capitol,
as the fire could not burn, that it
should be commenced now, and be
completed as soon as practicable, at
each place as it may be needed.
The lunatic asylum on fire, and
no adequate means to extinguish
it, would be sight too
horrible to contemplate and
the failure to supply such
adequate means is a continual risk
of a grave responsibility not being
discharged. 1t is a thing not to be
weighed by money, if the money
can be commanded. But if we de-
scend'to the consideration of 1T as q
question of money, we have an illus
tration in the burning of our capi-
tol. Less than one-fourth of the
amount in value lost by It's burning,
expended in an ample supply of
water, and in the appliances for
quickly using 1t, that fire would
have been extinguishcd in thirty
minutes after it was discovered.
Furthermore, competent system of
sewerage will be necessary for all
of the buildings mentioned, and
that itself will require an ample
supply of water. 1t will cost less
money, and be more efficient and
permanent, to provide for a water
supply and for sewerage upon one
connected and comprehensive plan,
embracing all of those buildings,
when needed, than if it is attempt
ed efficiently for eacn one singly.
If this should now be undertaken,
only such appropriation need be
made, as will start and carry on the
work ON a plan that can be COM
pleted at such times as the wants of
each of said buildings may require.
THE PENITENTIARIEs.
A subject submitted to you is to
make further improvements and
regulations for the state peniten-
tiaries, and in regard to the penal
servitude of the state generally, in
anticipation of the expiration of the
present lease, which terminates on
the first day of January next, prior
to the regular session of the legisla-
ture.
The necessity and propriety of
legislative action at this special ses-
sion will be apparent from the in
spection of the reports of the peAi-
tentiary BOARD, and of the superin-
tendent, which are herewith SUBJ
mitted to you.
1t has been a subject of constant
and anxious attention on my part for
the last three years to enlarge and
complete the penitentiaries as
soon as practicable &; that as many
convicts should be confined therein
as possible, that the experiment of
penitentiary labor in this state may
be fairly tried, and that the con-
victs may be treated more humane
ly than they are, and can be, by
being subject to labor on the farms,
or wood camps. and railroads. In
the effort to accomplish this, our
able ard vigllant superintendent has
led the way, and has been aided
by the penitentiary board to the ex-
tent of the means placed under
their control. The policy, by which
they have been inspired, is to place
as many convicts as can be used to
any profit within the walls of the
penitentiary, and to have the bal
ance of them worked in large bodies
upon farms. To accomplish and put |
this in operation successfully at the |
termination of the present lease, it |
would be advantageous to have an
appropriation, at this session of the |
legislature, of money enough to fit |
up the two completed penitentiaries |
with new and improved machinery,
of the sort that might be desired to |
be used, so that the parties leasing
these penitentiaries might know in |
advance the amounts that the state |
would devote to that object, and the |
number of oonvicts that would be |
furnished for labor in each of them. |
1t is only in this, or in some such |
way, that the experiment of such |
labor within the walls can be prop
erly tested.
BY working the balance OF the |
convicts in large bodies on farms,
they can be taken care of better, and |
will be more healthy, there will be |
fewer escapes and fewer of them |
will be wounded and killed, in the |
effort to prevent escapes; they can
be made equally as profitable to the
state in that way, and portion of
them might be employed IN the