The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-01-11

State Industrial School.


During the biennial period the title
deeds to the new site of the State
Industrial school at Ogden have been
secured and a tract of land consisting
of eighteen and one-third acres for
farming purposes has been purchased
adjoining the school grounds on the
east, but the cottage for girls, -
authorized and appropriated for by the
secoad session of the legislature, has
not been erected. The reasons Aor the
delay are represented by the board of
trustees to be that the state warrant
of $500 for this purpose has only re-
Gently been redeemed by the state
treasurer and that the trustees have
decided not to build a cottage upon the
grounds now belonging to the institu-
ton because the legislature directed
that the male and female inmates
should be entirely separate. They
have. therefore, determined 10 purchase
ten acre tract Immediately in front
of the school wherein to erect the cot
tage for girls. Such a purchase they
believe will greatly enhance the value
OF the present property by affOrding
desirable frontage on Washington
avenue and render the grounds more
accessible and convenient. They eX-
pect to accomplish the purchase of the
ground and the erection of the cottage
for an amount not exceeding the ap-
preparation already made therefor
and they intend that the work shall be
commenced early in the spring.
The grounds have been neatly fenced
large barn erected, walks and drive
ways laid out, sewer put in and a
complete water pipe system, consisting
of reservoir and 1856 feet of two
inch iron pipe, affording the institution
an ample supply of pure water, has
been constructed.
The superintendent report shows
that 1856 boys and thirty girls. making
total O. rs lnmGNS, have been ad-
mitted to the school since it was
opened, Oct. 81, 1889, to date, that most
of these came from the larger cities and
towns, Salt Lake City and Ogden
furnishing more than one-half the num-
Der. At present there are twenty-four
boys and one girl in the establishment.
The general health of the inmates
has been good and the efficiency OF the
school for the next two years are sum-
married. as follows:
Maintenance. s.. 900 per month. .s24 900
danua training departments ...... 600
New buildings, new steam boiler,
remodeling present heating plant,
fire escapes, fire plugs and extern
sion of sewer system ........... u 900
1otn --.-.----- $500. ...........,S4 81, 600
The Industrial school. or Re
form school. as it was for
merly called, has always been an ex-
pensive affair, based upon the actual
reformatiOns accomplished and the
number of inmates cared for If one
We're to sit down and figure the cost
of caring for the present inmates upon
the basis of the appropriations asked
for the next two years. he would say
1t represented cost of over $500 per
annum for each child. If each of these
were certain of reformation the tax
payer might be satisfied even with the
large expense per capita, but the re-
suits are and have ever been far from
satisfactory. In these remarks no crit
icism is made of the present manage
ment. have recently paid the insti-
tuition a visit and am satisfied that the
trustees are energetic. progressive,
conscientious and solicitous for the re-
formation of the children.
I believe that proper economy has
been exercised in the expenditure of
the states money also. but the results
that l would be most pleased to see.
the education and reformation of the
children, are not so apparent. 1 am
impressed that this failure is largely
due to the lack of proper educational
facilities.
Unmistakable progress is being
made, however, and the institution
must be maintained. The laws provide
for it and the incorrigible and criminal
children OF the state Rannot be taken
care of. instructed and reformed any
where else.
/ quite agree with the trustees that
manual training department. where
useful trades may be taught the pupils,
is indispensable and should be supplied
In fact, l think if the institution were
given more of an educational than a
penal aspect that greater benefits
would result. | recommend the ap-
preparations asked for.
State Insane Asylum.
The population of the state Insane Asy-
lum has increased from 236 in 1896 TO 273
in 1885, an increase Of 81. If the ratio
of increase for the last two years con-
tinues it will be but a short time until the
legislature win be called upon TO provide
greater accommodation.
l recommend that some action be taken
to prevent the commitment to the asylum
of imbeciles, idiots and feeble-ninded per-
sons who are not harmful to themselves
or. society. They cannot be cured. and
once sent TO the asylum, they become life
members of the institution They should
be cared for by the respective counties or
relatives of such unfortunates. and should
not be permitted to encroach upon the
facilities provided by law for the truly
insane.
The affairs of the asylum have been
economically administered, the health of
the patients is excellent and the material
affairs of the institution are in good con-
dition.
The actual expense of the asylum for
the two years has been Sl9S31.lS. and
SO ,0166S of the amount appropriated by
the legislature has not been drawn. The
term has been marked by an improvement
in the discipline of the institution, in
creased opportunity for recreation and
AZ n
thorough cultivation and greater Weld of
the farm, garden, orchard. dairy and hen
merry.
follows: General expenses. including care
and maintenance repairs, renewals inn
provementS and contingent expenses.
three years from December, 1900. 81, 400. a
total of ssh, 600.
The estimates are carefully drawn and
the amount stated should be supplied
The State Prison.
The biennial period has shown
marked improvement in general con-
ditions respecting the health and oc-
cupation of the convicts in the state
prison. A pipe lire $500 feet long, con-
Meeting with a reservoir of $4,000 gal
Ions capacity and fed from Parley's
canyon creek, now supplies pure water
to the prison; the sewage is conveyed
by a f1ume 1900 feet long away from
the enclosure and used for fertilizing.
new water closets have been put In,
the workshops enlarged and the gen
eraI appearance of the place immense
ly improved The prisoners are all re-
ouired to work, some of them having
been engaged in making the improve
nents noted, some as laborers on the
farm, some in the internal working of
the prison, some at rock breaking and