The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1883-01-31
The East Mississippi Insane Asylum.
Az rRRoNEoUs 1880 CoRREcTED.

The following from the Meridian OBJ
server corrects the statement that the
fifty thousand dollars appropriated by
the Legislature for building the new in
sane asylum, had been expended in lay
ing the foundations, and that it would
not be in condition to receive patients
until an additional large sum is expend-
ed in in its construction, contrary to the
intent Of the Legislature. The COM
ments of the press were based upon the
statement of another contemporary at
Meridian. Having published it, we are
glad to reproduce the correction.
Says the Observer:
The paragraph and similar articles that
we have seen, does great injustice to the
Commissioners for the erection Of the in
sane asylum here. The act of the Legisla-
ture required that building of sufficient
capacity for the care and maintenance OF
two hundred and fifty patients, to be furn-
ished with necessary boiler power and en-
CINE, hot and cold water gas pipes and
appurtenances suitable for the proper
equipment of an institution for the insane,
should be built for $4,000 The Commits
sioners have done the best possible under
the circumstances. They have made con-
tract for the erection of an asylum for
the $4,000 appropriated, which will
have capacity for the requisite number of
patients and will be ready for use during
the summer, though there will be painting
and extra work necessary to finish it in the
style in which such a building should be
completed 1t is not true that the money
has all been expended on the foun dation
and basement of the main building, nor
that work has been discontinued. The
whole amount expended up to this time is
but little over $1,000, and whenever the
weather is suitable the work is pushed as
rapidly as possible. For the list month or
six weeks the rains and cold weather
have greatly impeded the work, but it is
still going on, and has at no time been sus-
pended. The conduct of the Commission
crs will bear the closest investigation. We
believe they have acted for the best inter
ests of the State They are all tax payers
and could have NO incentive to do other.
wise. We feel assured that the work will be
well done, and that the asylum when COM
the act of the Legislature and be the
cheapest building of the kind ever erected
in the South.
In addition to the foregoing, we will
copy the Suns explanation of its state
ment, which lead to the misapprehen-
sion:
In the first place, the Sun merely gave it
as its opinion, only for what that opinion
was worth, which we so stated at the time,
that the amount of the appropriation was
not sufficient to complete the building on
the plan begun. In mentioning this mat.
ter in this light we had in our mind the put.
ting in condition the building to accomo-
date the overplus of insane persons in the
State, outside the asylum at Jackson, and
the necessary Improvements to make it hab.
table. These prerequisites we classed as
: 1.-THE unfin shed condition" in which we
thought the building would be left after the
present appropriation should have been ex
pended. The bill, we think, authorized the
building of an asylum only, for which GER
tain amount was set apart. This could be
} expended on the building in strict confor
nifty to law and yet the institution be faI
from u condition for occupancy. We have
t never had any conversation with either
commissioners or contractors regarding the
n nd f,un
speak advisedy of the terms of contract Of
Of the amount of money already expended
on the work, but knowing the commission
ers to be gentlemen of integrity and intelli
gence we presume they confined themselves
to the law governing their action in thu
: premises. We have no knowledge of Their
having done otherwise, and are not disposed
to make such an unwarranted charge.