The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-06-02
ANGRY PEOPLE.
Location of New Asylum Creates
Much Dissatisfaction
Western Portion of the State
Demanded the Building.
HAD BEEN PROMISED.
Bill Was Passed For Relief of
Western Counties.
Three Asylums Within Seventy
Miles of Missouri.
HELPS nj. TX. & t. R. II
Parsons Can Be Reached by No
Other Line.
80
Bill Was Passed For Relief OF
Western Counties.
Three Asylums Within Seventy
Miles of Missouri.
HELPS nj. X. & t. R. r
Parsons Can Be Reached by No
Other Line.
What an Analysis of the Vote
Shows.


There is a great deal of dissatisfac-
ton in Kansas today over the action OF
the asylum locating committee in Civ
ing the asylum to Parsons or course
th@ ClSappOintment is keeneSI IN the
towns y hich did not get it, except lola
Iolst does not care whether it has any
old asylum or nOt-but the dtsappolnt-
nent is general over the state, Whl'h
had a right to expect that the institu-
tion would be placed in some part OF
the state where it would be available
and here the legislature intended it
should he when the law was passed to
build a new asylum.
ON the final vote thinner, Fulton.
Wright Of Stevens. Moore and Consad
voted for Parsons; Anderson, ReeG'r
ard BlSham voted for Clay Center; anG
I.ewellinS voted for Salina-
There are rumOrs OF Doodle flying
around. but no definite charges have
been made against any member of the
committee. Most OF the delegations
tnat were here roofing for their towns
became disgusted and left yesterday
afternoon.
The members of the committee those
that voted for Parsons at least, will go
down there today. and tomorrow they
viii pick out the site for the institution
from the five sites offered.
It seems rather peculiar that a town
in the extreme southeastern part of the
state, within % miles Of one state line
and 80 miles of another. and only three
hours ride by rail from Osawatomie
where the largest asylum in the state
is located, should have been selected for
the site in preference to other parts of
the state which will have to continue
TO send their insane patients to Topeka
and Osawatomie on account of the un-
favorable location of Parsons.
BY the action of the committee two of
the asylums are~within forty miles of
the eastern boundary of the state. and
the third is only seventy miles, and the
rest of the state $50 miles to the west
Of Topeka. has to bring all it's insane
persons either to this place or almost
to the Missouri boundary line
There's one advantage in having it
at Parsons" sarcasticaIly said S. c.
Wheeler, one of the delegation that had
been roofing for COncordia 1T is so
close TO Osawatomie that it won't be
much trouble to move the patients from
Osawatomie down there"
When a patient is sent to an asylum
he is always accompanied by one or
two officers and the expense to the
western counties is very heavy. Another
reason for the third asylum being want
Cd In the western part of the state is
that trlends OF patients, living several
hundred miles from either Topeka or
osawatomie, can not visit them as cas-
lily as they could if the asylums were
When the question of building a new
asylum for the state was brought up
IN the legislature last winter. the argu-
Inent used in favor of it was that the
western part Of the state needed an in
stltutlon of that character so that il
would not have to bring its patients So
Tar east If it had not been for that
argument the present asylums would
nave been enlarged. and the same
amount of room could have been Sc
cured to the state at a far less expense
thah can be secured by the erection Of
the new asylum. The argument that the
western part of the state needed the
asylum in order that money might he
saNeu IN the transportation of insane
persons Is the only thing that secured
the passage of the bill for an additional
asylum.
The action of the committee in giving
the asylum TO Parsons virtually defeat tS
the object which the legisla ture had in
mind in building another asylum. This
Is the first time a state institution has
ever been located by a junketine com
ihlttee, ana 1t will probably never hap
lesson.
Parsons belongs to the Missouri. Kan
SaS q IeXaS railroad. All of the lines
OF that road center there, and there are
situated the NJ. K. & T. shops and Off
yes NO other road enters the town
except little branch of the Mempb;s
Whlch runs over from Missouri In or
DER to reach Parsons it is necessary to
travel over the M K. & T road The
northwestern part of the state can only
reach 1t by going into Kansas Citv. and
tnen taking long run down the
,-,y Katy almost to the Indian Territory.
me only practical way to get there
from this part of the state is to sro tbe
same way. People from the can+ral
and western part of the state can come
10 junction City and enjoy an all dav's
rlde on the Katy" from there to Par
sons. The Seventh district can ta1-a
either the Rock Island to White CitI,
or the Santa Fe to Emporia. and catch
a slow train over the Katy tn Par
sons. 1t is necessary to 20 over tba
Katy no matter from what direction
one approaches the town
OF course. this is a good thing for tho
N h. & T. There is no other place in
I Kansas where one road would bava
such a monopoly on the business of me
asylum. The NJ. x & T was corras
pondlngly interested in seeing tba.
PARSONS secured the asylum
r L Foley. who was a candidate for
place on the board of railroad con1-
1nlssloners, but who was beaten nv Tit
rum came to Topeka Wednesday and
iaoored With individual members Of rho
committee till far into the night Fo1aIJ
Is connected with the legal Department
OF the NJ K & T. and he left NO erC,,,e
unturned that would secure the asvI1I1,,
for his town. W
It is alleged in some quarters that
the asylum was given to Parsons To an
pease Foley and the NJ K & r he
cause the latter was not given a place
on the court of visitation by Governor
Stanley While this is probably true
TO certain extent. it cannot have been
&he only reason, because Parsons did