Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1889-02-02
STATE INSANE ASYLUM.


entirely With them came members Of
the Grand Jury, Levy Court and Trustees
ofltbe Poor Of this county and delegations
| from Kent and Sussex counJy's Trustees
of the Poor. They were there to con
slider the philanthropic purpose of caring
for the insane of the state. They all agreed
in one respect and that was that this
class Of unfortunates should be well
taken care of. This county has one of
the best appointed buildings in the coun-
try for this purpose and II was to impress
this fact on the minds of the down state
men that this meeting was held They
took view OF everything, Wis
tied each one of the departments
and when they assembled in the parlors
OF the alnshouse building they were
more than pleased. A meeting was or.
gained, with ex-senator J. wilkins
Cooch as Chairman, and Governar Biggs
was introduced as the first speaker. He
said in part Il will express myself
freely. This is the first time / have
ever been through the build
ing, and confess that I have
been agreeably disappointed. The build.
ings, the order the condition md the
cleanliness speak volumes. Many years
ago was a trustee, when the buildings
We're IN Wilmington; those OF to-day are
much superior. The first question for
us to consider is, do the people desire
slate. institution. II is not a question
OF dollars and cents. We have been en-.
dowed by the Divine Creator with orr
lntellects IN good condition and we
should be liberal to those not SO fortu
nate. To you. gentlemen of Kent and
Sussex counties, we say we do not want
you to take these buildings simplv be-
cause we have them here. The thing TO
determine is, whether the people want
this institution. The second question
is location, and ! say 10 You locate
this state institution where you please.
In this day Of railroads location is moth.
ing and say to you as
Christian gentlemen and in the name of
high heaven locate it somewhere. The
building in this comfy is credit to It.
1t is comfortable. There is another
question for you TO ask yourselves is
there state in the Union but has a
building Of that kindg Every state has
one. Gentlemen Of the Legislature. you
have seen this building and I would offer
a suggestion that a committee of the
Legislature meet committees from the
the Levy Court and Trustees of the Poor.
II cou g. is now prepared TO make you
an offer, not for the whole of what the
building cost, but for a sum considerably
less than that. The letter that was
received from DIR. H. A. Harrison was
referred TO by the governor as stating the
case Our institution is kept in better
condition than the buildings in Kent and
Sussex counties, but the insane are not
as well cared for as they might be- Il
II is mere bosh to say that
this county wants TO ship
these buildings upon the state. The
buildings are here aud that is the reason
we recommend you to buy them for a
state institution. There is nothing like
politics in this. 1t is simply pure flow
OF soul. If the members of the Legisla-
ture make state institution, | believe
the people of the state viii sustain them.
SO far as this county is concerned we
do not want any favors. Locate this
building where you please
At Dover, at Milford or at
Georgetown, but let us have a building
Don't let Delaware be the only state in
the Union that has no state institution
am satisfied that there is not member
who will say that this building is not
good one. The building is calculated to
hold 800 persons. We do not want to
put burden on you
II. A. Rowland was next introduced.
he said he was anxious to take a little
better care of the insane. The present
methods he said were not in keeping with
the times He was in entire sympathy
with everything Governor Biggs said.
Speaker Hoifecker next spoke BE
said in part, II have been rratifed at
what l have seen. have been gratifed
beyond my expectations The size
and capacity of the buildings are ample
as state institution for the next cen
fury. What the Legislature win do in
this matter is more than / can say,
Man would be almost inhuman who
would ask that the insane Of Kent and
Sussex counties be kept as they now are
1t has only been my privilege to visit our
insane asYlum once, and / went there to
perform duty as a member Of the grand
| jury and what | saw was calculated to
cause human heart to turn away.
hope that the Legislature will do some.
thing, whether they select this building
or not. The building is already erected
here, and can be purchased at such
moderate sum that it may be prefer
able TO any other mode / am in hearty
sympathy with this movement.
In response to calls, Speaker Lewis
responded and said that he had been very
much pleased with what he had seen. and
could indorse everything that Speaker
Hoffecker had said He was IN favor Of a
state institution, and would vote for any
measure that viii in any way secure to
the unfortunate these conveniences.
From what ! have seen in the Kent In
stitution and even in this.
he said, their condition can
be materially improved. DR.. James
Richardson was then introduced and
said that all he could say would simply
be a reiteration of the previous speakers.
The insane needed peculiar treatment.
Physicians who attended to general prac-
tice could not give the same care to the
insane as experts can.
DR.. Nathan Pratt, representing the
physicians present. said his brother ply
sicians thought the buildings should be
under the control of the state. They
recognized the gravity Of the treatment
of people who are afflicted Here
under your eyes you see the necessity of
this. T. w. McCracken made a
hearty address. He said the trustees had
not invited the members there for the
purpose Of getting rid of the building
Give us a state institution. If this one
meets your appreciation we'll and good
We poor people Of the State of Delaware
need attention. The rich can take care
of themselves, and think if you do this
God will bless you for your good work.
Representative Downhan eombatted the
idea that the Sussex institution was in