Morning journal and courier., 1884-01-10

cessora have freouentIv made in relation to typographical survey of the State, now urged by this board as sanitary measure, should receive your attention.
 STATE CHARITIES.
 The State has, during the year, wholly or partially, cared for two thousand, seven hun dred and twelve @, ,712) persons in it's hos pitfalls and other humane institutions, at total expense of two hundred and fifty seven thousand two hundred and sixty-one dollars and seventeen cents ($257, ,261.17); and the people have, it is estimated, at the same time contributed, in local taxation, to the same class of charities more than one half mil lion of dollars.
 CONNECTICUT HOSPITAL FoR THE INSANE.
 The over-crowded condition of the Insane Hospital at Middletown demands your i'm mediate attention. The institution is intend ed to accommodate only seven hundred and seyenty-five (775) patients; but at no time, during the year, has there been less than eight hundred and forty-two (S42), while the average number has been eight hundred and fiety-four(864) There are now thirty-four ap- pIications on file; and there have been, at all | times, patients awaiting admission from two to six weeks. In the opinion of those in charge of the hospital, ''such over-crowding in creases the risk to life, lessens the probabih- tics of restoration to health, and interferes with the orderly management and comfort so necessary to successful treatment" The fact that two hundred and seyenty-one (271) persons were admitted during the year, one hundred and ninety three C93) of whom be came inmates of such an institution for the first time is suggestive of the probable future demands upon the State for the care of it's indigent insane. The hospital now | comprises several cottages, besides the main 1 building and annex. If another building is constructed to provide for two hundred and l fifty (25O) more patients-and 1t can be at a moderate cost it would, in the judgment of | the trustees of the institution, be able to meet every requirements for the next ten | years; and Connecticut would, for the first 1 time, be among the few States that have ample accommodations for their insane poor.
 i REFORM SoHoo1.-The report of the off
 cers and trustees of the Reform school at 1 Meriden, containing a statement of it's con- dition, and a detailed account of its | expenditures, should receive your favorable | but critical attention. There was appropria- | ted last year thirty thousand dollars ($30, 000)
 for the ''erection and furnishing of two cot | tRges,' the contract for the building of
 which appears to have been awarded. under | an authority am unable to designate, for | the sum of one thousand four hundred and l eventy-four dollars ($1 ,474) in excess of the | appropriation, so that there is required to cover their cost, including the services of the architect, two thousand, two hundred l and twenty-four dollars ($2, ,22'.) And for l the furnishing of these two buildings, you l will be asked, I am advised, to appropriate
 about ten thousand dollars ($1O, ,OOO) more. 1 bill providing for the change of the name of this school passed the last House of | Representatives but the action of the Sen ate, in continuing it to this Assembly, was subsequently, conourred in- Many boys be l come inmates of this institution more on ac ! count of poverty and neglect than the com 1 mission of crime. And they do not deserve H.. |. sR1 1 been in their boyhood in a criminal school l If thsre is any opprobrium in the name, the l less it implies the less injustice 1t does them CONNECTICUT INDUSTRIAL SoHooL--The re, 1 suits of the school established at Middletown 1 in 1869 for the care and training of friend l less and neglected girls have been exceed. | ingly gratifying The statistics show that l more than two thirds of it's wards, in number
 not less than five hundred, have been saved
 from life of degradation and vice. During
 the year there have been forty-elght commit
 nsnts, and fifty four girls have been placed 1 in country homes or among relatives. There are now in the school one hundred and ninety two, between the ages of eight and nineteen
 disposed of in families, occupying five s=par
 ate buildings. The State contributes, fol
 each inmate, three dollars 8 week to dsfray
 the current expenses. There has been giveI
 in private charity for the maintenance of thi ! school, since it's foundation, one hundred aRC
 thirty thousand dollars (S130,O ,OOO), whicl
 seems to have been expended with judgmen
 and care Its present urgent need is a build
 ing to be used for a chapel, g school-roon 1 and hall. Such a structure, not costing
 more than eight or ten thousand dollars
 would relieve the present crowded arrange
 ments and avert the danger to be apprehendet
 from the assemblage of 8 large number il close ard unsuitable quarters from a pani
 or fire. This institution has overcome th prejudice and doubt it had at the beginning
 to encounter, and has proven itself, by it beneficent labors, worthy of the aid of tn
 State and the sympathy of the benevolent Years ago had the honor, as a member o
 the assembly, to advocate its charter, and is pleasure to be justified by it's record il 1 commenting it nnv-
 l T.