People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1897-02-18

announced his intention OF working
toward securing an appropriation for
this purpose, He communicated with
some OF the members of the CONNER
clal club, and the result was that a
meeting was called for Yesterday
afternoon to talk the matter over.
After the grounds were thoroughly
gone over by the club, they decided to
draft bill for presentation to the
Legislature, Offering a site of 100 acres
OF land near the city and the use of a
building for the care of insane for a
period OF one year, or until the pro-
posed asylum was completed. There
Is every reason to believe that the
project can be carried through, and if
1t Is successful it will be the greatest
thing that has yet come Wellington's
way in recent years.
The facts are, the state at present
Goes not have sufficient facilities to
care properly for her insane. By an
old law each county is given the priv.
ilege to care for its own insane when
there is not sufficient room for them
in the asylums. There are only two
insane asylums in the state, one of
them being located at Topeka, the
other at Osawatomie. For years they
have been OvercTowded and the num-
Der OF insane to take care Of has been
constantly increasing. Every two
years the different counties in the
state present bills to the legislature
for caring for the overflow" of in-
sane. The amount OF bills presented
to the present legislature for this
Item alone fOOtS up considerably over
100000. This sum represents the ex-
ira expenses for the past two years.
Mr.. Harbaugh proposes to work
through measure requiring an addi-
tlonal insane asylum to be built, and
he sees no reason why Wellington
should not have the benefit of il.
Sumner county certainly stands in
with the present administration, and
with the influence of Lyman Naugle,
II. F. Harbaugh and Ed T. Hackney,
there is room for the firm belief that
the institution can be secured. The
most prominent Republicans of the
county have put their shoulders to
the wheel, and nothing will be left
undOne toward the success of the en-
terprise. Wellington's only opponent
for the asylum is Clay Center. There
is no reason why that town should
not be knocked out without much
trouble, for several reasons. Clay
Center, Topeka and Osawatomie are
practically in one corner OF the state,
and the giving Of an additional state
Institution to that portion o. the
state would raise a howl not to be
soon forgotten. There are no public
buildings of any consequence in the
southern part OF Kansas, and the
next gift Of the state properly belongs
somewhere down here. Clay Center
has offered no inducements for the
location of an asylum at that place,
and Wellington has the advantage
over her in the point of liberality.
The greatest obstacle to be ovei-
come is the hoggishness of Topeka.
That town evidently thinks the state
was admitted into the union solely for
the purpose Of making public i'm
provements up there and building up
a city at public expense. There is a
bill already in the hands of the senate
committee donating $500, 900 for addi-
tiOnal buildings, which if not killed,
will mostly 60 for additions to the
Topeka asylum. An effort will be
made to kill the measure, and then
the way will be clear for the bill nam.
ing Wellington as the place for a new
Institution. Information received
from Topeka this morning stated that
Representative Harbaugh has already
roughly drafted bill which has gone
before the committee and is making
as much progress as possible. They
are rapidly gaining ground in the
fight. The bill introduced by Mr..
Harbaugh, which will probably he
succeeded by the one drafted by the
Commercial club for the reason that
IL will be the more complete and con-
tains the offer of an inducement, pro-
vides for an appropriation of $4,000,
to be available as follows: Fifty
thousand on June 80, 1898, and the
balance of 100000 one year later. 1t
also calls for $4,000 running expenses
and provides that the asylum shall
be located within three miles from
the city limits. 1t is probable that
the other members of the Commercial
club composing the special committee
will 60 up to Topeka tonight or to-
morrow to lobby in behalf Of the bill.
1t may be little premature to en-
large upon the benefits ard advant.