Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1892-10-13
FULLVR'S MES AGE.

L JILL II y M ED AUU,
erection OF new and commodious buildings for
the bet care of certain classes of patients and
believe II Is In contemplation to carry these I'M
provements to completion at no distant day.
WATERBURY,.
The completion of portion of the state asylum
at Waterbury aud the removal to 1t of large
a%hef pisnts mark the the he, Ifaat
OF this asylum, devoted toihecape Of the insane
poor OF the state new responsibilities attach that
will for some years call for considerable appro.
the state demand, Without any of the financial
benefits that accrue to the old asylum by reason
of its private character.
The new "a ylum Is conveniently ana pleasant'
ly located, with ample grounds, Inc pan OF the
buildings appears from such examination as
have been able to make to be well adapted for
the purposes for which they Were originally de-
signed but there are some doubts as TO the aue-
quacy of the heating and ventllatlng iacihues.
The supervisors call attention 10 the over
crowdng OF the w a-ylnm; the buildings al
ready o. ected were originally designed, am In
formed, for about 80 patients; but at one Tune,
however, the n amber rea he'd 2oI. -
1885, The reasons given for this oVercroWuihS 90
not commend thems elves to my Judgment, ques-
tions of this kind should not be decided on mer-
cenar grounds, or from pressure from any
The kitchen, laundry and storerooms are tenn
porariv in the basem ent; although 1T would seem
that quarters could have been arranged IN tenn
porary buildings in the year at about lhe same
eynense greatly conducting to health and COM
fort. An appropriation will beasked to complete
the erection of the remaining buildings PROVIDED
in the origina plans. $50,
A portion or ali of the administration buildings
may be necessary but the silent tesumohy a. tn u,
vacant wards in the old asylum does rot p int 10
any immediate pressing need for dormtory
facilities.
Insane FOor.
Your attic ntion is called to the laws relating to
the in ane poor Under the legislation OF 1850 the
N
shifted from the town to the state without an
ADEQUATE means for enforcing good falth so tnat
there re confined in the various asyianss .ae
poor and feeble who are the proper WARDS orIei
atiyes or towns, and ought not to be charge up
on the state; provision should be mate That me
relatives of the party and the seltctmeh OF IN"
town shou d be examined under oath and the
states attorney Their suitable person oblgeu
to make a careful investigation; and after the
person il confined in the asy um inquiry from
time to i'm should lie made as to the ability ana
duty of others 10 participate ~ the support.
1t is believed that ther" are those now conhneu
in the as> lumS who have had property tail to
them or who gre. of themselves, able to pay, TINS
being conc altd or property Wlthhela or Mno nav
relatives who bv law should contribute their
share There is no power at the present time
adeuuate to lcat h these ami other cases PEN Vtu
to be improi erlv charged to the state 1T might
be well to enlarge 1hc duties OF the Supervisors
of the insane hat AN order from them w"u'a
compel the stale's attorney TO prosecute Grain
of this kind; but more eHtctual way OF 'eac!'-
ing lhts is ly competing u G towns to snare IN
the expense If suppo ting their insane poor
The I ild by the slate LOT tne supp'il
of this cl - OF patients appear to have het n
$l22 4O3 81 for the biennial term, to winch Is TO ne
added the cost of maintainlngt ose transferred
to Waterbury.
The legislation of 1884 W hich removed from the
towns the responsibility for having good ioa's
has in many cast.s cNused neglect of ordinary Oh.
Jig ,tions and toslrrcd n use. with the tendency
of the times Ia shit tinan' la burdens from the
town 10 h" state tire surN, towns are ttmrleu l''
he = ,JN n II
reason VIII. III" state should aid in the support of
Highways in ther communities.
If The state assume supervision or the
highways, then Il state road commission should
be formed to take the whole matter IN charge;
and even If the 81 H. Is imply to co operate WIN
the different WINS in cases of excessive hardship
on III main lines of ua,el, ih' n II should be
made OF lieat"ry upon the states attorney Of
every county tn attend In person every nearing
and protect the interest Is of the state.
Good r,Ids are of the greatest importance.
An ohie, ton against the present custom Is, that
it is without Nrlrn order, with total lack OF
unifor nifty that the results TO &C nslierabie
extent are seen and known by the people only
when the hi, nia report of the state lreael Is
publish d and the deman upon the treasury,
after the money has been spent, are made known
as it appears by the sta e treaSurers reports,
during The biennial term upon The puDilc nigh
ways.
law to provide for any suitable publication of the
conditions, ctrcnnstance- or localities where this
money has been expended
Railroads.
The act Of 1885 creating board of railroad
" n in direct response to the pun
nc demand. There has been considerable crili-
cfsm b reason of what might be termed the In
adequacy OF the legislation. Each year the com
mis- oners have reported the results of their do
ings and all have had an opportunity to study the
same to know the eft ct of the working OF the
law.
The contemplation of the law is that the public
may lie able 10 reach and l, fluence the acilCn "f
the railroad corporations through the board, to
the end that justice may be done without li.isa
ton.
By reference to the last report of the commits
sioners are informed that
GAN complaints made have been acted upon
by the board and that there has been refusal
on the part of the railroads to comply with their
recommendations"
There has been considerable reduction in
freight rates, whether equal TO the requirements
of the condition of our people or not have no
means of knowing but all the people of the state
who have any complaints to make against the
railroads or find it difficult to secure those privi
leges which the, believe are reasonable, should
freely communicate with the commissioners
The statement of the commissioners above quoted
warrants this confidence.
Since the act wen, into operation nearly all the
railroads in the state have very largely reduced
passenger fares tor single tickets and made
m1leages good to bearer.
so"e III, roads entering or operated from
without the slate have failed to comply with this
demand of the public; ! invite your attention
therefore to the recommendation heretofore and
now made by the board, tending 10 strengthen
their hands, to the end that none may escape
from or fail in the performance OF their duties to
the public.
By operation OF the inter. state commerce law
the use of free passes has nearly ceased. be-
neve that the time has arrived when a law com
pleting their adjustment would be cheerfuly
accepted.
Wise legislation to prevent abuse is better than
sumptuary laws to remove the same.
Militia.
There is provision in the organic law for the
maintenance of a well regulated militia. The
Wisdom and Mt cessity of this has been shown on
many occasions. When Sumter was fred upon
It was four weeks before Vermont put a regt.
ment int, the field; when the st. Adams raid oc
CURED 1t was a still longer time, but since that
time the state has kept a small force available at
all times. Constantly recurring events admODish
us that this cannot be neglected with safety
The national guard of Vermont consists at
the present time of . brigade formation with
three battaione of four companies each, organ
lied as a regiment. armed with As caliber Spring
field rifles and battery of light artillery,
armed with four 80 inch 8. B l.. rifles. The
gray uniform has been changed to the blue of the
regular army, which looks more businesslike and
is very serviceable. This expense will not have
to be incurred again for ONE years, lessening to
that extent the annual expenditure.
The troops are well drilled and in every way
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