The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-11-22
A MANSION FOR COWS.
The New Barn at the Insane Hospital al
Augusta,

Ex- Governor Robbie, the chairman OF
the trustees of the Maine Insane Hospital
at Augusta invited the directors OF the
First National bank of which the
Governor is president, and several others
to visit the hospital yesterday, and see
the improvements recently made at the
institution. The party was composed OF
ex- Governor Robbie, Messrs VIM. w.
Brown, J. H. Hamlen, Mark 2. Emery,
Albion Little, Hon. VIM. G. Davis, DE-.
E. E. Holt, Joseph r. Harrington,
superintendent of the Reform school aud
Clark II. Barker. The party went to
Augusta on the a. m. train yesterday.
Through the courtesy of Superintendent
Sanborn, they were taken in carriages
from the Augusta railway station to the
hospital. The gentlemen saw some OF
the improvements as soon as they alighted
for, instead of the old granite portico
which was unsafe, the entrance to the
Administration building is now through
handsome porte cochere. The new
porte cochere is constructed of granite
from the quarries of the Maine and New
A administration building, changes have
been made which add greatly to it's con-
yenience and comfort. The old granite
stairway has been replaced by one of
marble, the corridors have been broadened
and finished i'll hard wood, and a new
dining room has been made possible by
the removal of the treasurer's offices to
the ground floor These changes have
been in progress for several years, the i'm
provements being made little at time.
The improvement in the plant to which
the visitors paid the most attention, how
ever is the new COW barn, the erection OF
which was authorized by the legislature
mt it's last session. This is no ordinary
barn. 1t is brick building nearly 200
feet long and nearly so feet in length,
covered W it'll a slated roof. 1t contains
quarters where the large herd of COWS
will certainly be comfortable and ought
to be healthy, for about as much care has
been devoted to the sanitary arrange
ments as is expended Oh school house
alter some of the pupils have been sick.
There are stalls for one hundred cows, 81
on SIDE The COWS stand facing broad
passageway, which runs from end to end
of the barn. Behind the stalls is an iron
grating through which the manure drops
into tight boxes hung in the basement
beneath. The boxes are so contrived that
they may be emptied into carts. all the
contents, both solid and liquid, thus be-
ing saved for Sc as fertilizer.
The roof of the barn is built with a
long trunk rising above the line of that
part of the roof over the stalls, so that
this upper portion of the roof serves as a
ventilator. No hay or grain is kept in
the part of the barn where the cattle
stand. At each end Of the COWS quartz. S,
is large space devoted to the storage CT
feed which is carried to the cattle on d
tramway extending through the corridors
between tho stalls. In one Of these hay
barns are three large silos. The barn
also contains sleeping quarters for q
number of the employees. In the basement
of this elaborate home for COWS, is assteam
heating plant to provide heat for the
mems quarters, and also an opportunity
| for cooking food for the animals when
that is necessary In the basement is also
large amount of room, which may be
used for the storage of wagons and nipple
ments. The new barn was modelled on
one at the Danvers, (Mass. hospital, but
is, in many respects, an improvement on
it, The barn is now ready for occupany
and the rs cows and % heifers on the
farm will just fill it.
The party also carefully inspected all
the departments of tho hospital and Mr..
Little, who has recently examined ten or
eleven hospitals in connection with his
| work as member of the Eastern Maine
hospital commission. said last evening
that the hospital at Augusta in both its
condition and discipline ranked with the
best.
Portland Cadets.
The Portland Cadets are requested to
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