Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1894-11-15

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the individual counties will be called
upon to make provision for the care and
custody OF it's own insane persons which,
without taking into consideration the
care and treatment necessary for their
comforts and recovery. would be far more
expensive than should the state con.
s'der the matter in lts entirety and make
provision for all the persone of this class
and place them under state care and
supervision which to all minds must
seem the most reasonable and judicious,
leaving out Of consideration the expense
per capita.
| He calls attention to the abundant
water supply which is furnished by the
two wells-one artesian-having total
capacity OF 1900 barrels per day, either
one of the wells being sufficient alone to
supply much larger institution. Any
additional building which may be erected
would not entail any expense in the
direction of water supply. He renews
the reasons urged two years ago for
refrigerator and Ice house for the preser
vatlon of:meats and vegetables, and
also asks for a chicken house. A
workshop which would furnish needed
employment for the idle patients would
be source Of much good to them and ar
the same time assist in the reduction Of
expenses Of the institution.
The use of Ignite coal has been sue
cess. BY the ingenuity of Engineer Pet
tigrew system of draft has been inaug-
urated, regulated by fans operated
automatically, SO that the engine is self
regulating and requires no attention.
This apparatus is arranged for consum
ing the gas that otherwise would escape
and makes saving of at least from 10 to
15 per cent in the expense for fuel. With
the presen: appliances there is no differ.
ence in the labor of firing between that
and bituminous coal.
The health of the inmates of the inst1-
tuition has been good during the past
two years. 1t is worthy of remark. the
superintendent adds that in the ten
years this institution has been in opera
tion it has not been visited by a single
epidemic.
In spite OF the most watchful care and
discipline, three accidents have occurred
within the past two years. One patient
jumped from window and broke his
neck, i'll the fall upon the ground. Rus
tad, who escaped by crawling down the
elevator shaft and whose body was found
several weeks afterwards in cellar, was
the second. The third accident, the re-
suit Of which to the patient is unknown,
was that Of one who escaped while out
taking exercise with others under the
care of an attendant. Dillieent and ex-
tended search and notification of his
friends OF his escape, have failed thus far
to discover his whereabouts or his fate.
| In relation to the feeble minded,
Superintendent Archibald says: There
are few sad cases of feeble minded per-
sons IN the institution and am led to
believe there are many others in the
houses OF the people of this state or per-
hsps, still worse. thrown upon the cold
charities of busy world who should be
cared for by the state, which canno. be
done until the facilities contemplated by
the constitution in creating such an In
stitution are provided from legislation.
This could be done IN connection with
the hospital by the erection of suitable
building on the grounds, which would be
about all tie additional expense 1t would
incur. 1t could be supplied with water
and steam heat from the hospital wells
and boilers and conducted under the
same management. 1n closing his re-
port the superintendent expresses his
appreciation Of the valuable services of
Steward Lowell. Or. Anderson and En-
gineer Pettigrew.
With the report is Submitted tabu-
lated statement Of the movements OF the
population during the past two years.
On Nov. lst, 1892, there was total OF
254 patients in the institution. Since
then there have been admitted for the
first time 235, of which number II were
re- admitted. There we're sol cases
treated; l46 we're discharged ard ~ died.
The number remaining Oct. 3lst, 1894, is
306. OF all that have been treated dur
1rg this biennial period. % per cent have
recovered; while 50 per cent Of all ad-
mitted have recovered. These averages
are very high and speak for themselves
OF the efficient management and conduct
OF the institution. The average number
OF inmates present daily is 294.
Railroad kumbiings.
Supt. Wilson has had the snow fenc-
ing on the division put 10 good shape.
Fire had burned out considerable fenc-
ing which has been replaced with new
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