The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1894-03-10
THE BOARD MAKES REPLY.
Why the Contrao. for the Insane
Was Given TO the Highest
Bidder
They Give the Reasons Which
Influenced Them in Their
Actions.
The Difference OF $4,000, They Say,
Didn't Compensate for the Advan-
tages ~ Warm springs.

the insane, yesterday gave out e'atemeh NJ
in regard 20 the recent award Of the con
tract for the care OF tho insane Attorney
General Haskell, the other member Of the
board, is out OF town. The statement Is as
folovt;
III sluavs an easy matter for 60 IN
successful bidder to air his grievances when
90 isclined, aud no loss easy for she inai-
vidusls not acquainted with the facts TO
lend ready ear 10 the tale OF woe. lntell-
gent and fair minded people. however, are
aifted With abe ability Of acquiring
knowledge OF the facts before theJ reach
conclusions. The state board Of commits
sioners is utterly Indifferent to the false
statements made by an interested disap-
pointed person in tho columns OF IHh IN
DEPENDENT, but as the contract was not
awarded to the lowest bidder the public IL
entitled TO a statement relative TO the rea-
sops why M.tchsll 4 Mussigbrod we're re-
tanned as custoiians
"Ihe proceedings OF the board. including
the conversations had with bidders in ex-
planation OF their bids aud the purposes
thar had in view. are matters OF record,
having been Geographically rspo ted
and are accessible 20 the public In type-
written manuscript. A bsisf reference 20
these proceedings may not be uninterest-
ma at this time IN view Of the misstate-
ments published.
The difference between the bid sui
mittsd by Messrs Mitchell q Mussigbrod.
10 whom the contract was awarded and
that made BY Msssrs. French a steuwe
amounts TO about $4,000 per annum. or
nearly $50 600 for two years. As the writ
Ia NJ fmnludo the
removal OF the insane from their present
quarters to the Child's ranch the expense
OF this removal would have been paid BY
the state. conservative estimate. taking
into consideration ths bsdriddsn and the
violent patients and their attendants /
places the cost Of removal az S2OOO' thus
reducing the difference between the Two 4
bids TO that extent, or total difference OF, /
say. S2s, 900 In two years
IA the Warm Springs asylum the insane 4
have been SO we'll cared for shat for many /
years the percentage OF cures has been
large. and in no case has patient who has
recovered his reason, or bis ffiends Grill /
cised the treatment accorded uniortunatos /
IN that institution. Everything possible |
has been done TO add TO the comfort OF the /
insane and 90 contribute 20 their cure. /
Not only have the present contractors taken /
special pains for the welfare OF the unfof- /
Inmates bot the sanitary conditions
Afforded aud the medicinal properties Of
the hot water from the spIings have pfo- !
duced such favorable results as 20 make
equally as good surroundings sssenhAl 70
the care aud comfort OF the patients.
1.-The bid Of French q Stuews involved !
the care of the insane upon tue Chud's
Eanoh, the main building TO be used as an
asylum. being the stone barn, which was to
be out up into rooms. The architect en-
ployed by the bidders stated that the sun
light would be wholly excluded from some
of these rooms. BY reason OF the construc-
tion Of the stable. Nothing was said about |
deodOrizing the barn. With mortar used
Ia It's construction this 10 practically i'm |
possible The other buildings on the
ranch, such as the cheese house and a
building used formerly for tbs hired men /
20 eat IN. we're TO be used for insane wards. |
10 accommodate the remainder OF the |
patients new building was 10 be erected. |
In the meantime a large number OF the |
unf0Ttu ates we're 10 be confined in the /
Pierce flats and the Iron Font IN the city /
of Helena, OF. as the attorney for Messrs. /
French stueWs stated TO the board /
would be cared for temporarily /
ibe Pierce fats A COMPUTATION By
the board showed that these bIddeis
had made no provision for the care Of 100 /
Of the insane in their oAlculations. and 4
verbal promise 20 make satisfactory ar
IanRensnts' was made. Referring 10 the
barn. Air. Steuvs said 10 the board: In /
speaking plain TO ths board l wish TO say /
that without that barn there ia mol ample /
room 90 care for the patients.
The problem for the board 10 solve WAS
whether to thwait the purposes Of the law
providing for the care and maintenance Of
tne insane by incArcs -atinR these poor IN |
fortunates In an old stone stable IA sunless
rooms. and q large number Of them tenn
DOTarilY IN buildings located upon LEAD
Ing thorouRhfare and residence street In
the city Of Helena, thus neutral!zlnR the
good Work already done looking toward the
manent recovery OF many, OF sxpend
$4,000 per AMMAN more for their proper
care aud treatment The board decided that
the welfare OF these poor unfortunates
should be first considered by the state.
J hrs WAS a duty tbs board Owed 10 the
state, to tue unfortunRtes under its care
and 70 their friends interested In their
treatment and cure. The statement that
any mem Der of the board was Influenced
by personal motives Is unqalihedlY false
and malicious. They would have been IN
tree 10 the dictates OF humanity and fsck
less OF the purpOies OF tue Law had they
permitted the difference Of fsW thousand
dolla IN the bids TO nave blinded them TO
the rights OF the great army II insane"
Gov. Richards says IN regard 10 One part
OF the SteuWs interview: III The ISDFPESD-
KST correctly quotes Mr. SteuWe when he
said tue governor told me no preferred %
keep the patients at Warm Springs Asylum
a. he had friends thers,' 1 want 20 say be
states what 10 absolutely and unqualihs1ly
false. ] made no such statement. nor did
say anything that could be construed 20
mean ANYTHING OF the kind
The oiiisisl report Of the proceedings OF
she board show tue following.
After duly considering all bids in hand
she following resolution was unanimously
adopted by the board.
Whereas, An examination OF the Chilis
ranch, proposed as an asylum for the iu-
sane bV some OF tia Bid1sra for tina con-
tract for she care and maintenance OF
these unfortunates. has been made bY tbs
boafd and the buildings thereon found in
adequate tor the purpose and. ia our
judgment incapable u being femOdsed 50
as 10 insure the best sanitary effects and
the highest comfort for tho inmates, alOnI
the liuss proposed; and
Whereas. That feature Of the PROPOSE
ton which cOhtemplatss the care aud Gus
tody of me insane females ia bulld ings
temporarily leased for thu purpose u on
leading thorouRhfares IN the city Of Helena
am ia thiekly populated sections Of the
city, pending the construction and re-
modelling Of buildings for their acoommo-
dalton on tins ChIlls ranch, cauuot for
obvious reasons be consIde ed b. this
board; and
Whereas. The first duty Of the state in
the matter of eiesmosynaTy institutions OF
thia character 10 to provids for ths com tort
and cure Of the uufortunAtss deusndsnt
uGou ite charlty, and As enperleuca has
shown most beneficial results from tue care
and maintenance Of ths insane AZ Warm
80 iuga FROM tne use OF medicinal uatars