The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-07-23
REPORTS FOR TWO YEARS
IMPROVEMENT IN ALL THE IN
STITUTIONS.
CURES AT THE RALEIGH INSANE ASYLUM
Remarkable Expense Record Made by Or. Mil
Ter, Superintendent Of CoIofed Asy.
Ium at GoIdsboro. Reorganization
of OM,rd Orphanage.
of Oxf.rd Orphanage.

The biennial report of the Board O
Public Charities Of North Carolina fo'
1S.'1'9S was issued yesterday.
his report. which contains upwards
OF 300 pages, was prepared by Capt. l
i. benson, the very efficient secretary
TO the Board. 1t is filled with interesting
reports from the various State institu
tious and shows continued Improvement
in the. county jails, warehouses; and
homes for the aged and inrm through
out he State.
The steady and gratifying expansion
IF the accommodations for all charitable
purposes. which has been a marked feat
ture of the State history in recent years.
says Capt. benson III his Introductory
letter. presents n new and admirable
development this year, under three dis
tinct heads: The utilization of the means
of cure of the insane to a greater extent
than ever before: the largely increased
accommodations now accessible to the
deaf and dumb and the blind: and the
effective reorganization and valuable al
ditons to the Onphanage at Oxford.
When contrasted with the immediate
past. the growth of the charities of the
Site is almost phenomenal.
Touching the care for the insane in this
State. he says
LESS than twenty years ago the aver
age number of the insane provided for
in North Carolina was about two hun
dred and fifty crowded into one build
ing constructed for 224 patients. Now
the three admirable hospitals for the liz
sane accomnlodate |. o;51 patients. and the
wlH,le number under treatment the past
year exceeds this by several hundred
1t may be fairly estimated that nearly
or quite two thousand persons will re-
ceive the benefit of the latest modern
treatment of insanity i'll the coming year
In our State. This means that North
Carolina is treating eight times as many
of the insane for about three times the
cost of the original number
The report calls attention to the eX-
tension OF accommodation at these insti-
buttons and the removal of all barriers to
prompt admission and speedy treatment
Your attention is especially invited
to tile record sof infprort.laeilts as Aye.tis
Ivy year passes. and to the unparalleled
success of the treatment. which has at
tracted attention in other quarters OF the
Union 1t is particularly gratifying 10
note That during the last year not Il sin
gle case which gave a reasonable hop"
of successful treatment. or could proper
", under the law. be accepted from the
district Of the Central Hospital. was re-
fused admission for want OF room: a
fact unprecedented except for two brief
periods in its history of over forty years.
'.YGu will next note the still more rapid
increase of facilities for the education Of
the deaf and dumb and the blind. mark
ed as it is this year. by the addition Of
lx. hull IL 70. u
Carolina School for the Deaf and Dumb
at Merganton. and To both white and
cnlcred departments practically separate
institutions as they are) of the blind and
the colored deaf and dumb at Raleigh.
Here the advance has been within five
years past. Superintendent Ray points
ont that in enrolling 316 for the present
session mot three months old, it is
13 more than for the whole of last year,
and , more than for the whole biennial
term two years ago. Yet we have to
add now tne entire enrolment under Su-
perintendent Goodwin at Morganton Of
200. When his new building is completed
he can accommodate 300, and at Raleigh,
with certain changes for which a limited
sum is asked. 500 can be cared for
making total Of 500 afflicted blind anX
deaf and dumb which their mother State
..sn take into skillful and loving arms
and render them capable of self-support.
and thus restored to that measure Of
self-respect essential TO happiness.
1.-THE third subject of congratuaton is
the Improvement in the Oxford Orphan
Asylum. This refers mot so much to
increase of numbers. as to the addition
Of the four brick cottages. with two
stories and a basement each. for girls.
opposite those in the northern are. re-
Gently completed for boys; and besides
many minor improvements, is the thor
ouoh REORGANIZATION and economical and
systematic arrangement now introduced.
The hospital is spoken of as Il model Of
neatne4s. The Superintendent regards
the cottages system as offering the best
solution OF many vexed questions i'll asy-
l.. Il life.
Deeply apprcciatve Of what has been
done. we should not be unmindfu 81
what remains. and urgently presses for
its share Of the public care and means.
There are likewise three of these sub
iccts 10 which careful consideration is
due.
"Of these. the first is the Soldiers
Home While all Other existing instl-
tntions nave been aided and EXTENDED
with liberal hand. This refuge for The
heroic veterans has been struggling with
insufficient support. until III SepiemDel
last the appropriation was exhausted and
private benevoIence was invoked for It's
rescue from destruction Its needs will
be more fully referred 10, and the "ca
sf1ns which should inpe the State "a
immediate action.
i1ie see9Ad IL the necessity for the
creation of u State Reform School FOR
5pYel8i" Offenders, 50 often the subject
~ earnest appeal by thls Board, na The
great BHait* ~ ibe prevention Of crime,
g3ttsig ~ te sought Than the punish
tGnui ~ tue saGle, after commission,
g1p ATTENTION ~ 1nyjted In This ron
motion ~ syjiie fats obtDjped III the ;id.
slliieaDj gf4Due Dlade BY the neigRiy
EDaRds ~ Visitors and @tiefs VI police
5B ,4yiaiD hjNDs ~ the State, from tbs
f.HVgas If fgiiBieila pJjne stations
4 aese afe neoeegat3jy 5uoofHDjpto,s bpsf
breansA IA sgitia 1g1uiiaH % age3l statioj