Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-01-25
THE INSANE.
Additional Accommodation
Wanted In East Tennessee
for Their Maintenance.

Representative Bearden has intro.
duced the following bill in the House
OF Representatives, which is meeting
with some favor:
A bill to provide for the erection Of
hospital for the insane in the eastern
division Of Tennessee.
WHEREAS, The State of Tennessee
is the owner Of tract of land situated
in the county of Knox, purchased By
commissioners appointed by the Gov
ernor in compliance with an act Of the
General Assembly, passed March 20.
1873, and approved March %, 1873
and
Whereas, Said farm was purchased
with the view Of erecting hospital
for the insane; and
-Whtreas, Said commissioners had
contracted for material and the cree
ton of said building, large sums Of
money have already been expended on
the same; and
Whereas, By an act of the General
Assembly, passed March %, 1875. and
approved March %, 1875, the work on
said building was suspended; and
1Whereas, 1t is an admitted facs that
not exceeding one third of Tennessee's
insane are now provided with hospital
accommodations, and no obligation can
be more expressing than that of
securing adequate aud impartial pro.
visions for all this unfortunate class of
our fellow citizens, therefore
Section l. Be it enacted by the
General Assembly Of the State Of
Tennessee, that the Governor shall
appoint three Directors, whose duty il
shall be to take charge of the farm
mentioned in the above pream bic and
erect hospital on the same
That said Directors shall not re.
peive compensation for the services
herein imposed upon them, except the
actual travelling expenses incurred in
the discharge Of their duties; nor
shall said directors DO concerned in
any way in any contract for the ereo.
tion OF said building, or for furnish
ing supplies of any kind for the same
See. .. BE il further enacted, that
the said directors shall have power to
select and appoint a gentleman of
thorough medical education, familiar
with the care aud treatment Of the
insane, who, together with themselves,
shall prepare plan for the proposed
hospital and superintend its erection.
The said plan shall be drawn out in
detail by competent architect, EN-,
ployed by said directors and super
intending physician, which plan shall
be in strict conformity with PROPOSE
tions on construction of institu.
tions for the insane and shall be
approved BY the Governor or such
experts as he may select to decide
upon the propriety of the same, and
no change shall be- made 10 said plan
10 materially affect its general charac-
ter or cost without the consent Of the
Governor or said experts in writing
Sec. 3. Be it further enacted, that
the directors shall fix the salary Of
the medical oaesrs herein provided
tor during the time he is engaged with
them superintending the erection OF
said building and also that Of the
architect aud all Others who may be
required IN the proper ooRsttT aottiion oi
the same.
Sec. 4 Be it further enacted, That
to enable the said directOrs to carry
into effect the provisions Of this act
sad make ell necessary preparations
tor the building provided foF herein,
a sum of $4,000 ia hereby appropri.
ated, aud the Comptroller shall issue
his warrants upon the Treasurer from
time to time for such sums as the
directors may order, in written Ger
tifcate.
Sec. 8. Re it further enacted, That
the said directors aud physicians shall
proceed to erect such building and
complete the same at as early a day as
possible compatible with the perlec
ton or skillful execution of the work
aud they shall annually make reports
through the sgperilteIding physician
to the Governor of the amount Of
money expended by them, and the
progress made in the erection of the
building.
Sec. 6. Be it further enacted, That
this act tqss eject from aud after its
passage, the public welfare requiring