The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-10-16

The directors OF the Scranton Poor
district are tired of doing favors for
the Central Poor district of LuZarne
county and getting in return criticism
OF county asylum methods. The Scran-
ton district gets S1.75 per week for
maintenance of Wilkes Barrels insane
confined in the Hillside Home but the
Scranton directors prefer that Wilkes
Barre should do its own care-taking or
cease to criticise.
Such Is the situation as revealed at
yesterdays meeting of the directors of
the Scranton Poor district in their
rooms in the city hall Members Full
her, Shotton, Murphy, Terppe and
Paine We're present. In the absence of
Mr.. Langstaff, the president, DR.. Paine
was chosen to preside.
The Wilkes-Barre matter started
with DR.. Painc's suggestion that it
was time to regulate the reception of
Wilkes -Barre's insane at the Home
where an average of 25 from LuZerne
county are inmates during each month.
Mr.. Fuller stated that two Wilkes
Barre directors st the recent state
convention of poor and charity direc-
tors in this city had misrepresented
the Scranton district and it's asylum.
If their statements indicated the gem
eral sentiment Of the Luzerne district
1t was time, Mr.. Fuller said, for the
board to take action and decline to ac-
commodate people who did not appre-
ciate.
EXPLANATION WANTED.
Secretary Lynett was directed, on mo-
ton of Mr.. Shotton, to correspond with
the Central Luzarne directors and ask
for an explanation.
The trouble is traceable to the differ
cnce of opinion between the two boards
as to county or state care of the in
sane. At the convention this week it
was the consensus. of opinion that
Pennsylvania should adopt the Wiscon-
sin plan Of county asylums for the
insane. 1t was agreed, however, that
this plan was not wanted unless Gre
ated by q state act and not special
legislation. as in the former case each
county would have it's asylum and the
whole would be under state supervi-
| sion. At present counties pay $3.50 per
week per inmate for the care of their
| insane in state asylums, while the state
| pays $1.75 per week per inmate in
county asylums, a difference Of 1925
| in favor of counties like Lackawanna
| which have their asylums.
LuZerns county, ana its Central dis
| trict in particular, has for years been
J plugging" for the locating within its
! borders of a state insane institution for
! the northeastern part of the common
! wealth. While Luzerne has been plug
! ging it has had TO pay $1.75 per week
| for the care of each of its insane in
| Danvile, Hillside Home and other in
! stitutions outside LuZerne county and
| is frequently Obliged to confine its
| subjects in the Lu2crnn county Jail un-
| til a place can be found for them.
| Meanwhile the other counties OF the
state are almost without exception
drifting toward the county asylum plan
| Of Wisconsin, in which state there is
! not an ovarCrowded insane institution
HOSPITAL CHARGES.
Mir. Fuller entered protest against
the district paying for patients at hos
| pitfalls which are bcneficiaries of state
| appropriations. His motion, seconded
| by MIR. Terppc, provided that no direc-
! tor should give an order on a hOspita
! Of that Kind for a patient whose main
| tcnance is charged against the district
The usual number and variety of ap-
plications for relief We're heard dur.
ing the meeting.