The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-01-27
IN SENATE.

n II
Legislative Reports
IN SENATE.
MosDAY. Jan. % 1852 p. m.
NEw INSANE AsYLUNs.
The Pres dent pro tenn. Nr. Mageel an
nounced IL . special order being his New In
sane Asylum Equipment bill IS. 65l, and
called the &c nstor from Jay Mr.. SMITH to
the chair.
The amendments reported by the Commit
tee on Public Buildings see psge - of the
Brewer Reports being read
Mr.. MAGE repeated the history OF the
legislation which resulted in the passage OF
the bill last session providing Cor the cree.
ton of three new insane ssylums. designed
to take care of about 1000 persons and ex-
pected to De ready for occupancy between
the months OF September and December,
1856. According to the census OF 1880 there
are 1892 insane persons in the State. One
thousand four hundred and twenty are now
a. the main hospital near Indians poIis and
The others are not subject to any hospital
treatment. From 1850 to 1850 the popula-
tlon increased two TO one, while the insane
ratio Increased six to one. Indiana has
Jess ratio OF hospital treatment than any
state in the Union, and spends sss money
for the care aud treatment OF the insane than
Any other State in the Union. 1t has been a
uniform rule that at insane asylums the cost
iE about 81 900 per patient. 1t viii cost in
this State something less than 5000 for each
patient 20 be taken care of. Indiana is
wealthy State and able to make
this expenditure. The State debt does
LIT exceed the debt of Marion County very
much, and her valuation is 100 per cent
more than that of this county. Two years
qvf1n tn m hat
f. advised. We went before the people last
year, and not a single newspaper or citizen
raised his voice in condemnation OF the GEN
ersl Assembly for making the appropriation
for this purpose. IL this bill be opposed on
the ground that we ought not to expend the
money under the present condition of bust
nets affairs, that objection can be met with
toe statement that We have more taxables
tbkn ever, as the NEXT assessment will show,
and the increased revenue at the present
rate of taxation vii. complete these build
lDgs for the care o. the most pitiaele aud
sorrewful condition Of human helplessness.
II the completion or these buildings is post
poned over two, three or four years, all the
work that has been done viii be lost. The
brick, lumber and tile on the grounds are
perishable property. TIE contractors have
entered on their work, and il is not to be
considered for a moment that this General
Assembly will break the faith of former Gen.
eral Assemblies.
located in different parts OF the State was
that IL FIRE should overtake one there would
be smother ssy lum which could afford pro-
tetton. Only the other day an insane
asyium at kanKakee, ILL.,, was destroyed by
FIRE. Reads letter from the Superinten-
dent Of the Indians Insane Asylum, stating
that institution to be without protection
from fire and urging legislative remsdy.
These buildings ought 10 he completed as
rapid y as possible. Ii tn insane increase
rs rapidly in the future as they nave in tne
past twenty years we will have TO b lid one
or two more.
Mr.. FOWLER N owed to amend the bill so
as to appropriate a sufficient sum to COM
plete but one of these insane ssylums ready
for occupancy, the present Board OF Com
missioners 10 determine which one. He said:
The Senate will not be called upon to act on
more important bin than this. 1t proposes
to appropriate a very large sum of money,
and before We vote this vast sum of money
out OF the Treasury we should know what is
absolutely required. There Is no Senator
upon this floor who would 90 farther to pro.
vide for the unfortunate, the INDECENT or the
feeble minded, or that other class of people
on whom God has laid the heavy hand of
affection, the insane, than he. But unless
IL Dahsoluteiy necessary to appropriate this
large sum OF money We ought not to do it;
We ought not to lay this additional burden
upon people already heavily burdened with
taxation, unless II Is absolutely necessary.
Let us see If there is not some way to carry
out the letter and the spirit of the contract
between the State and the contractors who
have agreed to erect these buildings, without
appropriating nearly million OF dollars
$500, O00-as called for in this bill.
The sum total that these three institutions
shall cost Is put down at s., 213, 785 09
Twelve hundred thousand dollars and ovar
is proposed to be appropriated now 10 the
short space OF q year for the erection of
these three Insane Asylum. detailed es-
innate Of essentials not vet contracted for is
put down at S263. 800. That is the amount
rot contracted for. and nobody will be in
jured If this Legislature fails TO make an
appropriation for that sum OF money, be-
cause nc body has taken q contract for auy
part OF it. 1t is shown by the report OF the
Commissioners that the amount of lis-
biiities for which contracts hsve
been entered into and ap-
propriations made amounts to S324, 1854
S4l6, $780, "a will enable the COMMISSIONERS to
carry out the contracts already entered into.
and complete one of these institutions ready
fer occupancy by the time the next General
Assembly well meet, and leave the session
10 provide for the reception OF inmates and
finish the other two.
This will make difference between the
amount asked to be appropriated by this
bill-S6s3 500. aud the amount appropriated,
S4ls,Ss6 34-S265, 4l3 Ga difference Of near
~ one-half.
nr. President, can we do more than this;
can we appropriate this immense sum of
meney without raising the taxes eighteen or
tsenty cents on the 500, or borrowing the
money to complete these buildings, or TO
carry on the State Government or main tain
the existing charities of the State? Many
other appropriations must be made. ought to
he made, they must be made. The State
Government must be provided for. The in
sane under treatment must be provided for.
The deaf, the blind, the soldiers orphsns
and feeble-mindsd are asking and must have
aid FOR their support and education. The
penal and reformatoTy institutions must be
locked to- and their needs provided for.
Cur COLLEGES and universities are knockiog
at the door OF this General Assembly, asking
aid and generous support. This Legisls-