The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-12-19
LOOKUP AT AN0KA.
Secretary Hart Says 1t Is Not "a Fit
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Secretary Hart Says 1t Is Not Fit
Prison.
Secretary H. H. Hart, of the state
board of corrections and charities.
yesterday visited the lookup at Anoka,
which Is also used as Jail for the
county, which pays s72 a year rent.
Mr.. Hart condemns the building as
very poorly adapted to the purposes
for which 1t Is used. The cell room
Is 16 by 80 feet In size and IA feet high.
poorly lighted and without facilities
for ventilation. When Mr.. Hart Wis
tied the Jail, the floors were dirty, ana
the one prisoner had blankets on his
bunk, but no mattress or pillow. The
bed had iron Stats, and was apparently
cold and uncomfortable. There is no
provision for the separation of differ
ent classes Of prisoners, nor any cell
for women, children, or insane per-
sons. Mr. Hart will recommend to the
county commissioners that they have
their prisoners kept in custody in the
Hennepin county Jail at Minneapolis.
Mir. Hart also inspected the poor
farm, which is now rented The board
had considered the ACCESSIBILITY of pur-
chasing the property and remodeling
the building on it for use as a poor
house. Mr.. Hart, however, suggested
that no endeavor be made to rear
range the old building, but, if any
work was done, to make it of per-
manent character
Senator John Peterson, of st. Peter,
who has just been appointed collector
of customs was the author of bill,
which passed the legislature at it's
last session, providing for the return
to the counties of such inmates of the
state insane hospitals as an examin-
alton nigh, show to not be insane.
Under the operation of this law
there have been returned to the coun-
ties: From the st. Peter state hos
pital, 29 patients; from the Rochester
hospital, patients, and from the Fer
/ gus Falls hospital, IA patients; making
total of 48 patients. OF these forty
eight patients only two have been re-
committed
In addition to these patients thus
discharged there have been recon-
mended for discharge: From the st.
Peter hospital, 20 patitnts; from the
Rochester hospital. IL patients, and
from the Fergus Falls hospital, about
10 patients; making a total of addi-
tional patients recommended for dis
charge of 81.
/ Most of the patients discharged thus
far under this act have been in the
hospital for some time Out of the
( Falls hospital since the act was pass
+ ed, six have been returned to the coun-
ties as not being proper subjects for
treatment in the hospital
The state board of corrections and
charities has sent out of the state,
under the law providing for the re-
moval of nonresident patients, thirty
insane patients, SO that the combined
reduction of the hospital population
by this law and the Peterson bill
was total of seventy-six patients,
; which gives a very appreciate relief
to the hospitals for insane
The number of patients in the hos
pitals for insane Nov go 1895, was
$50; Nov. 80, 1896 1888, an increase
or 1873 patients. The number of pa
tients Nov.3O 1897, was O9O,an increase
of only ninety-two patients. The re-
duction in the rate of increase an
proximates very closely to the number
OF patients disposed of under these
two laws.
The New Brighton lookup. as far
as constructed, has been approved by
Mr.. Hart.