The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-08-14
What THE INSANE COST
Interesting Statistics Gath
cred at Morris Plains.
REASONS FOR A NEW ASYLUM.
Freeholders Authorize a Commit
tee 10 Select a Site-They
Nay Use Their own
Judgment in the
Matter.

It required but ten minutes last night
for the freeholders to transact the busi-
ness of the meeting. DR.. King sent the
Board a communication, which, after be-
ing read, was ordered spread in full upon
the minutes. It was as follows
sSAKx HnL n. J.. Aug. l3 1901.
To the Hororable the Board Of Chosen Free
holders
Gentlemen:-I desire 70 again call the atten-
ton Of your Honorable Board 10 the over
crowded condition Of this institution. At the
present time there are - patients In the instr
tuition " hich is great deal more than the
buildings are aole to Accommodate Livery oed
By beds.
II is very expensive TO keep Hudson county's
insane at the state institution at Morris Plains,
but / see no other way TO relieve our present
overcrowded condition than to transfer ABOUT
twenty five CS5J Of our present number TO that
institution. This county Is very much
now being used as such are entirely
unfit for that purpose. Architects and builders
experts and non-experts have condemned theta
and are overcrowded, and without exception
they are the poorest OF a considerable number
that it has ever been my privilege TO visit.
Most Re- pectfully.
GEoReE W. KING. NJ. D.,
Medical Superintendent.
NEW SITE.
Freeholder Phngsten offered a resolu-
tion that the Asylum Committee be au-
thorized TO select a site for new asylum
at Snake Hill or elsewhere.
This was adopted without discussion,
and then the Board ordered paid some
claims of the County Board OF Health
and the Penitentiary. and adjourned TO
meet August 20.
l asked Director Bruggmann what he
thought Of the communication from DR..
King.
truth. The asylum is in very bad con-
dition. l know that there Is not nearly
enough room to accommodate the pa
tients. l suppose We will have 10 send
the twenty five patients to Morris Plains,
as he recommends, and it is pity that it
must be done"
"Why2"
Because. for one reason. it is great
expense to the county. l will give you
some figures that Will convince you am
right, and also that q new asylum ought
to be built at once"
COSTS AT MORRIS PLAINS.
1--WE have now one hundred patients at
Morris Plains State Asylum which cost
this county to support annually $4,000
We must send twenty-five more there at
additional expense OF "a, 600, or an annual
total cost of so, Goo For each patient
kept at Snake hlIl the State paws US 81 a
week, but for those kept at Morris Plains
we receive nothing Therefore IL the 125
patients at Morris Plains were kept in
the County Asylum the State would paw
us S13, 600 year, which we now lose. We
can care for those l25 patients at Snake
Hill for S15, 600 rnd save On board alone
s5, eco year. This. added to the rebate
OF $13, COO from the Slate that we would
receive if the 125 patients were cared for
here, would make a total saving Of SIS, 600
annually.
''The proposed new asylum is to cost
$50, 200, and the bonds TO be issued are
to be at four per cent interest. This
would be 5000 year, which would al
low $l2, 900 TO be used annually to pay of
the bonds. The new asylum would prac-
tically be self supporting so Tar as the
cost Of construction is concerned. Il costs
this county now but 81. SEQ 20 support the
294 patients at Snake Hill with the 81 d
head allowed each patient by the State
added. The actual cost to the county is
So, 500. The total cost TO county and State
is bout $4,000.
'You can see by these figures that IL
costs this county but &, 800 more to sup
port 294 patients at Snake Hill than IL
does TO support 125 patients at Morris
Plains"