Arizona republican., 1890-06-04
AT THE ASYLUM NOW. The New Board Inspects
 the Institution. Need of Better Sanitary
 Arrangements.
The Present Condition and What Is Proposed to Be Done to
 Remedy Affairs.

The sanitary condition of the Territo- rial Asylum for the Insane has been dis covered to be in horrible condition.
 In fact, but for the wonderfully health ful climate of the Salt River Valley, it is unquestionably a fact that the death rate amongst the inmates of that insti- tuition must have been appalling.
 It is not the province of THE REPUB- LcAN to just now fix the responsibility for this sort of thing. The asylum, save for its superintendency and minor official positions which will no doubt be ? changed before long-is in different hands now, and the new commissioners propose to go about remedying the exist ing condition of affairs as soon as that work can possibly be accomplished.
 On Monday, Commissioners Monihon and Hardy, with Secretary Knapp, paid an official visit of inspection to the in- stitution, going over it thoroughly.
 Naturally, the first matter to attract their attention was the sanitary condi- ton. It is perhaps due to the old man. agement and to the present Superinten- dent, Dr. Titus, to say that affairs are kept in as good condition as is possible with the present facilities. The closets are as clean as they can be kept, but there is no adequate means of carrying off the sewage accommodating from so large number of individuals, many of whom, besides, can take no care of themselves. The attendants do what they can, under very discouragng cir cumstances. But there is absolutely no place to which the slops can be carried.
 The new Board at once appointed a committee to suggest remedy for this sort of thing, and it has been almost decided to put in a sewer three and quarter miles long to the river. That would be the best method of caring for the sewage, and competent engineer is to be em- ployed at once to ascertain whether the scheme is feasible. If it is not, then cesspool will be built at a sufficient dis tance from the building, and of sufficient capacity to at once carry the refuse so far away that it will not be offensive and, at the same time to contain all the sewerage.
 The grounds are to be laid out in som sort of ornamental shape, to provide a pleasant place of resort for the un-
 
 will probably find available that much talked-of sSOO0 appropriation that the old commissioners would not touch and perhaps the hot yards, walled with brick, in winch the inmates are com pelled to take the air, can be made pleasantly habitable by the planting of grass and shade trees. As it is, they are prison pens, pure and simple, scarcely more habitable than red-hot ovens.
 Another improvement in comtempla- tion is the lighting of the grounds and building with incandescent lights, ne- gotiations being under way for the run ming out of wires by the Phoenix Elec. tric Light Company. It has been found that this will probably be the most eco nomical ,as it is certainly the most desir- able method of lighting the building.
 The water supply is found hardly adeduate to the needs of the institution, largely for the reason that the pump used to supply it is in bad working order, and negotiations are pending be- tween the water company and the com missioners looking to the laying of a main from the Phoenix standpipe to the Asylum, thus affording constant, uni form supply of the purest water and af- fording the only possible protection against fire.
 As it is, there is little or no protection, and in this dry climate blaze would quickly reduce the whole structure to ashes, with, perhaps, an accompanying loss of life only surpassed by some Of the greatest holocausts of modern times.
 The new commissioners, on the whole, have begun in exactly the right way, and their course doubtless will receive the commendation of the people and the press of the entire Territory. There IS no duty more sacred than the caring for the insane, who, in olden times, were regarded as sacred beings, upon whom rested the hand of God.