The Portland daily press., 1897-03-04
THAT COMMISSION.
Why the Lawmakers Think 1t on BX-
pensiVe Luxury.
THE HISTORY OF THE EASTERN
MAINE HOSPITAL.

The Com missioners Thought They Should
Be Paid Ten Dollars Day But the
Council Cut tho Figures Down-The
Commissioners Reported Methods OF
Banking and Purchasing Lime Subjects
of Comment.
ESPECIAL TO THE PRESs.l
Augusta, Me-, March 3.-The
history Of the Eastern Maine
Insane hospital commission Is
an interesting one. Incidentally,
it gives the history of the hospital itself
but interest this winter has conferred
more in the doings of the commissioners
than in the institution which they were
to build. At the beginning of the ses-
sion of the Legislature handsomely
framed picture was fastened to the stair
case railing in the lobby. 1t showed an
imposing group Of buildings, some OF
which are built. 10 complete
these and build the others,
the commission estimated that $500, 0O0
would be required and a resolve was pre-
sented appropriating that sum. Now,it Is
one of the rules of the Legislature that
when resolve appropriatinR money Is
presented. it must be accompanied by a
statement of fact. The statement of fact
prepared to accompany this resolve con-
tanned the material on which Mr.. Ham
ilton of Biddeford based that somewhat
q IN vcb ioh no catd that tho
commissioners had licked the platter
clean. The statement also includes his
tory of the hospital and that adds some
what to the interest in it. Here is the
document:
THE STATEMENT OF FACT.
"six years ago the legislature after a
full discussion, Thought it wise to build
hospital in eastern Maine, at or near
Bangor, and appropriated $25, 600 to pur
chase site and do other preliminary
work.
"The governor and council appointed
a commission consisting of tbr rec gentle
men to perform that work. They, after
Que consideration, purchased the site on
which, the new buildings now stand.
There their labors ceased. Two years
later the legislature did not make any
appropriated SIS, 900 for 1895 and $75, 600
for 1895.
"The governor appointed three COM
missioners to proceed with the work,
and build and complete hospital on the
site purchased by the first commission.
They have the boiler-houss, kitchen,
laundry, amusement roomfand admins
tration building all up and covered in,
f1nors laid and partly finished. These
buildings are all fre.proof and first class
in every respect as to material and work
manship. The estimated amount re-
quired to finish the buildings and fur
nish the heating and ventilating appRra-
tus and to build two pavilions capable of
accom- m odatina 200 patients is $500, 600.
The reasons advanced six years ago for
starting In to build new hospital were,
the hospital at Augusta was crowded
to Nver-fowing, patients that were there
then could not be cared for as they
should be and this state of things has
continued ever since in a much larger
degree there being now 731 patients in
buildings the comfortable capacity of
which does not exceed 500 and the statis-
tics show that there are now large
mum Der of insane In the State that the
State should care for, but cannot do so
forswant ofssproperss aoccmmOdations.
ga schedule showing the expenditure
of the amount appropriated for the East
ern Maine Insane Hospital under the
resolve of 1895 Is hereunto appended.
Engineering, s.69a.77
Grading and eXoavating, %, $50. %
Advertising andsprinttng, 1891
Roads a, 600 TT. }, 3,4Sl. So
Sewers and drains, 1,242. SO
General construction cement,
etc., Is. s47. IS
paid $44, $500
Unpaid, 16, 5000
---- 81, 331. 90
J. @. Stevens, architect, $3.50. SO
Columbia fire PROBING
Co., paid $4,000
Unpaid 3,994.O0
---- s. 934. 90
Miscellaneous, 70s. 90
Hospital farm, IT'S. 80
Megquier & Jones, $500 GO
Office rent, fittings. retc., 255. 81
D. K. Jewell. clerk. 1906. Is
Commissioners, service
as fixed by Governor
and Council. S., 10000
Unpaid Decem her 81, $4,000
---- sc. $50 90
"Paid al follows:
Albion Little, chairman, 20
months, $3.50. 90
S. N. Bird, 30 months. 1,4lo. 90
S. N Campbell, 30 months. 1890 90
Expenses OF. commlSSlOnerS IOf
twenty months, a,419. 81
Bills outstanding unpaid Dec.
81, 1895, 5,S67. 81
Dec. 81, 1896, balance of appro-
priation unexpended as per
account rendered governor
and council, 1902. IA
$50, O00. 100
This statement of fact shows what the
commission did and what they were