Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-01-17
THE STATES INSANE.

An Effort 20 Provide Additional Asy- |
lums, One OF Which Rock Island
May e..-Representa,ive Fish.
er's BiiI.
Represents tive H. v Fisher has In
preparation and will introduce in the
lower house If the legislature, on first
opportunity. bill making additional
provision for the insane of the state. He
has been seen by press representative in
regard to his new measure. and says
Eyes, the subject in which l feel the
deepest interest this season Is that of adj
ditional provision for the insane of the
state. introduced at the last session,
bill providing for the creation Of two new
northwest and the other in the southeast.
The demand for increased facilities for
caring for these unfortunates was even
then so apparent that the bill would prob
ably have become law had it not been
that two existing hospitals. those at Elgin
and at Anna. were pressing for enlarge-
ment. and the division of opinion and of
interest which epsued resulted in the de-
feat of both propositions. This winter. l
understand that these institutions are not
| asking for any enlargement, and IL the
attention of the legislature Is directed to
tie demand of which I speak, there is
reason to believe that may be more sue
cessful At all events, shall try the ex.
pertinent. shall introduce the same
measure. and press it as vigorously as |
can. The present accommodations are
80 inadequate that the state institutions
are obliged 10 refuse many meritorious
cases, and they constantly have TO turn
out cases on hand to make room for new
ores. The Cook County Hospital for
the Insane, with a capacity for six hun
dred patients, has, | understand, nine
hundred. The county almshouses are
they are unprepared to care for in a
proper manner. The number sdiudged
to be insane in the county courts of Hi
nois is nearly or quite 800 year.
Something must be done, and | believe
that the plan which propose is the best
that can be suggested. 1t is approved
| by the State Board OF Charities, which
has given a great deal of study to the
question. The annual convention of
county supervisors at Decatur, the 9TH
er day, urged upon the legislature the
Importance of action upon this subject
county boards have passed resolutions
unanimously, without distinction to par
| ty, requesting their senators and repre>
sentstives to postpone action no longer
The governor said in his message tina,
something must be done. 1t seems to me
that the tine has arrived for the passage
of my bill. 1t takes two or three years
to select site and erect buildings. This
is the most important measure that
| snail rather.
Should this much needed provision be
made by the passage of Representative
Fishers bill, R ok Island should certain
ly stand a good show of securing the one
| for the northern district. 1t should be in
a position for favorable consideration
among the applicants not only because OF
its location, its railroad advantages and
importance as city, but owing to the
fact of its being so far remote from any
of the present hospitals. In the event OF
action looking to the erection of another
asylum, Rock Island will be awake to Sc
cure it and it will see, too, that it fare:
better than 1t did in the matter of the
Soldiers no me location.