Arizona republican., 1891-03-29
THE INSANE ASYLUM Improvements Noted About the Institution. The Directors Effective
 Work. Transformation of the Grounds From a Sage Brush Plain
 to a Garden.

the exception ana progress at the ordl
 nary rate is apt to pass unappreciated
 by the bustling residents of the sun.
 kissed land. Yet at the eastern edge O.
 Phoenix, upon the grounds of the Terri
 torial Insane Asylum, the improve
 ments have been SO noticeable and of SC attractive character as to elicit ex
 pressions of unqualified praise from all familiar with the present condition of affairs as compared with those of year
 ago.
 From the road the great brick struct- ure was then unsightly Tn the extreme, rising from the baked earth without a sprig of green around to break the monotony. There had been some effort at tree growing, but no energy was apparent and even the scanty vege- tation seemed to share the general lack of spirit.
 Quite different, however, was the prospect displayed to the eyes of RE PUBLICAN representative the other day, when, turning in through the arched gate, he drove over the gravelled road way that leads to the asylum. Emerald fields of grain and the darker hued al- falfa had taken theplace of the dry and melancholy sage brush, young and thrifty fruit and shade trees gave evi- dence of intelligent attention, and of to the left the blow was at work upon what seemed to be a o all was cosely-trimmed hedge, just showing it's first green under the kindly sun, and in the center the garish hue of the red brick building seemed soitened in tone by contrast with a beautiful lawn that spread away from it's base.
 Steward Wilcox was met at the door and under his guidance tour of the grounds was made. "So you especially notice the lawn?" said he. "Well, that lawn covers more work than you would at first imagine. When the present board took possession the building stood in hole; that is, the storm water for rods around ran into the cellar by gravitation. That was one of the first things to be cor rected, and about 1900 loads of dirt were dumped around the walls, leveled, and then planted in blue grass as you see.
 "Yes," said Mir. Wilcox, replying to a query, "the whole of the quarter-section is now in cultivation-that is excepting the space occupied by the building and it's yards. Twenty acres are occupied by orchard, most of the trees being young {; forty acres are in alfalfa; the vegeta ble garden, the most important part of all, covers ten acres, and the balance is in grain, most of it barley. We have also started hotbeds where tom atoes, to- bacco and number of other tender plants are now about ready to set out"
 A round in the rear is an interesting place for the curious mind, for here most of the work of the institution is done. The hand of improvement has not been idle here, even if it is hidden from the road. Repairs have been made to the barn, large poultry house has been built and one of the useless brick "corrals" has been torn down and the material used upon the engine house. Then, not to be despised, how ever commonplace, is the piggery, where | sixty hogs are being fattened, largely | from the refuse of the asylum.
 Though the institution IS now SUD- | piled with water from the city works. l the boiler is still an important adjunct, all the laundry work and dishwashing, | and much of the cooking being done by | the use of steam, it proving both econom- ical and effective.
 The building is practically fre-proof yet no chances are to be taken, One | thousand feet of hose has been placed | in four reel houses at as many points. fire gong has been placed in the third | story from which depends cord, reach- Ing to the lowest floor, and simple system of signals arranged. Telephone communication has been provided with the city water works and, by actual test, lire pressure can be put upon the asylum mains in one minute and ten seconds. The danger of fire has also been de- creased during the last few months by the introduction of the incandescent light.
 In the general improvement the build ing has received as much attention as the grounds. The roof, which had been about as serviceable for the purpose as colander would have been, has been reconstructed of sheet iron, and broad and serviceable gutters placed under the caves.
 In casual inspection of the wards it was noted that all the locks had been replaced with Yale locks of the most approved designs. The fastenings found by the present administration upon the doors could have been picked with stout thumb nail or dime. The rick ety door casings, too, have been made firm by being set in Portland cement. { The cell window gratings have been hinged so that the windows might be ( reached from the inside, and secured by { strong Yale padlocks. The plumbing, which had been defective and trouble | some, has been changed by the intro duction of the most modern and sani- tary, fittings. New paint had further brightened up the not unattractive ward s interiors, and it was apparent that , scrnpulous cleanliness was the first law to be observed. Nearly all the milder patients are al- C lowed the freedom of the grounds and, ( from the front stairway dozen could be ' seen about the farm, some intent upon 2 work Tn which they seemed to take { pleasure and others stumping around in ! enjoyment of the bright sun and balmy | air. In a thousand instances does the t asylum show the results of careful and skillful management and, after q visit, | indeed 1t would be man hopelessly pretudiced who would not be pleased that Arizona should possess so admira- g I.I .-t.s n