Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1889-01-18
THE CHRONIC INSANE

Wisconsin mas a system peculiar 10 Itself Tor
The maintenance anu care of its insane. This
slSrem includes hospitals second TO none. be
lIeVe, in their appointments and management for
the reception and treatment of all recent and
hopeful cases. Two of these are exclusively STAG
institutions, aud the other, the Milwaukee county
asylum is both governed and maintained in part
by the state These institutions have normal
capacity for the care of 1870 PATIENTS and at the
close of the fiscal year had 1,425 inmates.
In addition to these hospitals proper there are
now sixteen county aSyiumS for the care If chruu-
&c Insane, with two others III process Of erection.
The combined capacity of these asymms will be
sutfic ent to Accommodate 1905 inmates. The pc
culiatiy of these aSl lumS is that, while they are
maintained and manag u by the counties exclu-
sively in which they are SIIu1tel, yet, when con-
Quoted in manner SatISfaC tory to the State
Board of Char ties and Reform, they become III
tul"i TO assistance from the State at the rate Of
Sl5O weekly for each inmate. From personal
observation of a mlted d. gree, | am convinced
that these aSy lums are furu shng practical So
luton of the veXed question, How shall we pro
vide for the constantly accommodating chronic in
sane IN way eCOnOm cal, humane and Consistent
with the civilized spirit of the age? The per
capita weekly cost for the maintenance of these
aSyums averaged for the year 1887, 81 63, and for
1885 ST CO. The ere lit for ugge~tiug per- citing
and maintaining this system in all its excellence
Is due to the Wisconsin State Board OF Charities
and Reform.
tn < BUREAU OF LABOR AND INDUSTRIAL STATISTICS.
This bureau was created by the Legislature of
1888 for the purpose implied il its tile. SubSe-
quent acts or the Legislature have greatly IN
Urged the scope anu character of its work. and
In sense conferred upon il executive pow erS for
the enforcement of the laws for the prevention
OF accidents to employees and others in eases Of
fire, aud from unsafe machinery, unguardt,.
elevators, hatchways, etc. The third biennial
report of this bureau contains much valuable
Information on great variety of topics. 1t l.
here shown that the annual per cap ia earui lgS
or 62,S35 employees in manufacturing establish
menls In Wisconsin, including men, women aud
children, average S316.75. and this is reported to
be SO more than the highest rate ever devt lOpe
by the United States census. The average annual
earnings of skilled mechanics IS reported at
I'LL. These statistics are very gratifying, but
they are not fu ly complete in their Signiti .aUce
without mention of the further fact that never
before in the history of the world did these
wages have so large purchasing power in the
neceSSarJeS OF life as now. Mr. Ed ard A kin on.
OF woi Id d.WlIe fame as statstcian, has pub,
hShed tables proving conCluSjvely that from 1850
TO 1880 the purchasing power in food. fuel. and
materials Tor clothing. of the yeS of SeciallY
Killed worsmen, incraa sci sew ntY per cent, of
common mechanics fftv-nine per cent, ard
Ordinary labOrerS forty three Ter cent.
The report Of this bureau shows further that
l,22l manufacturing and commercial eStabli III
mtntS, Win an aggregate of 6S, 4OI employees d
5l4 hotels and public buildings, were officially
visited and Inspected. AS a result Of this
inspection, fire-eScapes were or Tered to be
looking to the greater safety of employees we're
gwen III $50 iHstanCes-nearly all meeting with
cheerful ami prompt compliance.
ESTIMATES OF REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES.
The Secretary of State estimates that the
annual revenues for the vars be inning Jan. /,
1890 and Jan. 1, 1897, will reach s. 16l, AL IS,
from licenses and fees; and S 81 IS
from taxeSto be levied under existing
laws. He further estimates that these revea ues
Will be ample to meet al the ordinary and fixed
expenditures for those years. and that it will he
unneces sary to levy any further tax unless ext.
or ilnary appropriate ms are made by this legIS-
lature. II such aPprC prialions are made ii will
be necessary for you to provide for their pay
ment