The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-07-13
Adjourned to Thursday morning at nine
THURSDAY.

The committee on Attachments reported
favorably on the Cahill petition, fixing the
assessment Of the estate at somewhat over
81, 10000
The Goa! and gas committee reported the
coal expense for the three months as
$Sl2.20, and the gas at SS2!.S0 Report
approved.
Mr.. Taylor, city, presented the petition
of Chairman Mahsr Of the City Improve
ment Department, for leave to take gravel
from the county farm and of the Peerless
Brick Co., Of Twin Bluffs, for road through
the county COW pasture on the east side Of
the Utica road. Both referred 10 the sp,
propriate committees, with some growing
from the usual kickers.
Mr., Gibbs brought up the subject of the
County's insane by introducing the follow
ing resolution
Resolved, That a committee of seven be
appointed by the chair to make some pro-
vision for proper care Of the insane now at
TENDER meeting Of the board.
Norton suggested that such committee
would be given too much power and moved
to amend the resolution by giving them only
the authority of investigation and recon-.
mendation.
Or. Dyer, senior County Physician, was
called upon for an opinion. He said that
there were about two hundred insane in the
county, who must be taken care Of. Our
quota at the several state institutions had
long since been passed and we could send no
more insane to these hospitals, unless one of
our incurables was returned to us. There
must be some action taken. There are men
and women locked in cells in the asylum
like common felons, and not even given the
chance to walk out in their sane moments,
for the want Of attendants. The state had
committed itself to the policy of caring for
the insane and new hospital was now
about to be built. But while the superin.
tendents of the hospitals had the right to
return patients, the county must take care
Of those returned. These insane men and
women are on our hands aud must te cared
for. The county need not put up building
at once, but after this committee has inves-
tigated the entire matter. the county will be
in possession of information which will give
it way in which to proceed. There must
be attendants hired to walk these people out
and take care of them. They must be well
paid and Of such character and disposition
as we would place our own children under.
II the county would be little sharper in
in the admission of psupers, to see that
none entered whose relatives can be made to
support them, and none were admitted who
were able to work, there would be more
room for the insane, until such a time as it
may be advisable to build an asylum. As
the state legislature does not meet for two
years and the proposed new state asylum
will not be finished for three years, it would
be FIVE years before we could hope for relief
from the State, even if the State decided to
take care Of all insane patients.
Messrs. Gibbs and Donlevy spoke in line
with DR.. Dyer, and then Norton, in one Of
his usual bursts Of economy, said that the
one attendant now employed was enough
and in the same breath said that the atten.
dant was employed at other duties most Of
the time.
Mr.. Mcintyre asked if the county could
build an asylum without submitting the mat
ter to vote Of the people.
Mr.. Norton replied that we could build it
just the same as we could an ice house. He
was no lawyer, however, what, no lawyer! ]
and could not give the law on the subject.
Mr.. Donlevy asked as to the number of
attendants necessary.
DR.. Dyer said that two men and two
women would be sufficient at present
Mr.. O'Laughlin suggested that the present
matter of attendants be made separate
matter from the duties of the committee.
Here Messrs. McLoughlan and Norton
wanted the warden, county agent and coun-
ty physicians discharged for not having
hired proper attendants.
Mr.. Taylor suggested that they had no
authority to do so' They could hire, but who
would pay for the service unless the board
should order the work done?
Mr.. Gibson, county agent, spoke in favor
of new asylum and also of att endants,
fully endorsing DR.. Dyer.
Mr.. Read wanted the committee to fully
investigate the probability Of the State TAX
ing care of the insane.
The resolution, as amended by Mr.. Nor
ton, was then unanimously adopted.
Mr.. Taylor handed in a resolution author
izing the county physician to hire all the
attendants necessary for the insane, which
was also unanimously adopted.
Mr.. Truman, of Mendoza, moved that
the county attorney be instructed to prose-
cute John A. Lee, of Mendoza, for $549,06,
for back taxes. Carried.
The report of the committee to make an