The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-01-01
UTAH'S HOME FOR THE INSANE
DESCRIPTION OF THE ASYLUM
AT PROVO.
a Well-conducted Institution In
Which Nearly Three Hundred
Patients Are Confined.
Special Correspondence.)

k6DSNidl Ol1SopOAOShOO'(
Provo, Dec. 31.-The history of the
state insane asylum at Provo oates
from the 10th of July, 1885. At that time
the institution was opened, and has
been running up to the present time
| adding from year to year necessary al
ditions to the buildings. Situated at
the very base of the mountains east Oh
Provo City. the building presents an
imposing appearance TO those in the
distance.
one NAV have visions of madmen.
raving and yelling, while one is at home
thinking of the home for the insane.
but, once in that home, such
! visions, are Immediately diSpelled. Few
homes are quieter. None are
more perfectly. The grounds lmme-
diateIy about the building show tae
skilled hand of the laborer. whose duty
it is TO clip the grass. TO care for the
tender lowers and watch oVer tnal
special department.
The asylum consists Of administra-
ton buildings, with two wings. chapel
workshop. etc. The administration
building has a frontage of SO feet. /
inches. with a depth OF 90 feet, and. to-
gether with the north wing, was built
in 1892. The walls of the main build
ing are built OF kyune sandstone. OF a
thickness of twenty-five inches. There
are seven other courses Of stone enclrc-
ling the buildings, used as sllls. fniets
and arches. The main entrance to the
building is entirely of stone, consisting
of tWenty-seVen steps. made of Reber
stone. The building is 1our stories high.
with an attic, central and Two olnef
towers.
There are nine rooms in the base
ment. average size, 16XiS feet; two bath
rooms, w closets. laundry n
kitchen, fan and radiator rooms Tor
heating apparatus, corridor and starr
halls. On the first floor there are Ten
rooms. corridors and stair halls. two
bath rooms. four closts, two a~lcoves,
one vestibule and porch. The second
and third stories each have eleven
rooms. Number of rooms. Al; bath
rooms, s; corridors and stair halls. l.
The building is foOred with Georgia
pine. and polished. The building IS
thoroughly ventilated and heated with
the Plenum system, together with di-
rect radiation.
PATIENTS DEPARTMENTS.
These buildings are to the north and
south OF the main building. They are
three and four stories high, with tower
and cuooIa on each. The basement is
of rubble masonry, the walls above the
basement are of Provo brick. with
white SanDete sandstone trimmings.
There are eighteen cell-rOomS on each
floor, with five rooms in The transverse
sections; also attendants rooms, al
cove, two clothes closets, evato
clothes chute, and two bath rooms. Inc
construction is %freproof. consisting Of
steel beams and hollow tile arches.
These wings are all heated n ven
tilated by the Plenum system. The
kitchen, bakery, butcher shop. store
room. scullery and pantry are to the
rear of the main building. The total
number of rooms is 4SO. The entire
building is lighted with incandescent
electric lights. Water is had from the
city system, from the reservoir or
mountain water, and from springs on
TIA mountain side. if needed
STATISTICS.
Total amount appropriated by the
legislature from 1850 to 1899. for pulid-
ingS, grounds, furniture and operating
expenses, in round numbers, $4,000.
Total cost of grounds, buildings and
furniture, in round numbers. to Nov. 80,
1888, $390,G00.
Total for operating expenses of asy-
lum, in round numbers. from July 20,
1885, to Nov. so, 1898. 1897 200.
Operating expenses for fiscal year
ending Nov. 80, 1898, S34,334.65.
Cost per capita per diem for fiscal
year ending Nov. so, 1888. "a 3-5 cents.
Number of patients in asylum NOV,
so, 1898: Males, 1873; females, 49,; total
27S.
Number admitted during h year;
Males, 81; females. 46; total. 107-
Number under are and treatment
during the year: Males. 1913; FEMALES
162: total, 256.
Number discharged during the year
Males, 43; females. 20; total, 63.
Number died during the year: Males
10: females, 6; total, 10.
Number who eloped during the year.
Males, 1; females, none; total. 1.
The only tragedy that has ever oc-
CURED at the asylum was the death o.
a Chinaman named Ching Lee. 1t was
in the spring of 1892. before the mar
building was completed, and all the pa
tents were in the south wing. One pa
tient, whose insane impulses had {
homicidal tendency. took an intent dis
like to the Chinaman. and watched him
thinking he was the devil. until one day
in April he caught him and
with q razor which he had 9urloined
cut the unfortunate Celectiais throa
from ear TO ear.
, Tuesdays the Day We Give Rabbit.
AWAY.