Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1899-12-30
TIE MARSHALL ASYLUM
Board Of Controls Report on the
Marshall County Pauper Farm
Made Public.
The Inspection Shows 1t to be
Among the Best So Far
Visited.
Webster County Election Contest
Taken to District Court
Other State News.
Special to imes-Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Dies Moines. Dec. 3O.-Judge Kline. OF
the board of control, recently inspected
the county poor farm and insane asy-
| lum of Marshallcounty. He found it to
be one of the best yet visited and made
a very favorable report. The report,
just made public, is as follows:
| On Oct 10, 1899. j visited the insane
asylum of Marshall county, which is
situated about eleven miles southwest
| of Marshalltown and three miles south
west of LaMoille Understanding that
no conveyance toithe farm could be pro-
cured at LaMoille. I went to Marshall
| town and drove out from there. There
| is one large building, the front portion
built of brick, but the rear and larger
| part of wood. size 3Ox140. two stories
| high, and an attic and basement The
rear part is the insane department 1t
| was erected five years since. The insane
are kept separate from paupers. There
are screened porches which they can go
| out on for an airing. All insane and
pauper women eat in the same dining
room and at the same tables. Insane
men eat by themselves. The stewards
wife prepares daily bill of fare. Some
4 times the insane attempt to escape. but
| they always find them. They are all
l locked in their rooms at $50 p. M. and
lat 9 p. m. the steward goes through the
building to see that all is right. No sane
person sleeps in the insane department.
The man attendant sleeps in the next
| room, with his door open. They have.
an insane woman Who is instructed to.
iIreport if anything happens in the wom-
ems ward. Have a day room for men
Ialso one for women. Most of the insane
patients have access to the grounds ev-
cry day. One man and one woman are
violent and filthy and are locked up all
/ the time. Have two attendants, one man
land one woman; they have had five
years experience in this institution. DIR
i Singleton of Marshalltown is the coun-
.|ty physician. and visits the paupers and
4 insane when called. also visits outside
paupers. He. it is said. had experience
lin the hospital at Mt. Pleasant. There
i is a telephone connection with his office.
i The superintendent gets $500 per year
land keep for himself and family The
] main attendant receives $500 per month
and the woman attendant S11.14 per
4 month: both are kept Have no nurses.
only in case of sickness. they hire a
4 nurse. Physician receives 5000 for all
. his services; he is the lowest bidder; he
B furnishes a part of the medicines. He
& is hired by the year. They keep medical
= lstores. No record is kept of cases and
prescriptions. but there is of changes in
4 condition of patients. Sometimes they
fasten patients hands. though this is
i seldom done. III is ordered by the sll-
perintendent and done by the attend
ant. No record is Kept of such action.
Physician only sllpervses the dietary in
lease of sickness. They produce most Of
their own meat: kill twenty-five Deeves
3 a year, and 100 hogs, averaging 300 lbs.
leach; raise wheat and get it Toured and
buy some flour patent: they have Jer-
4 sey COWS. have a separator; use all milk
and butter produced. Drugs are pur
ichasad from Morgan and Lander in
Fl Marshalltown. Beds are mostly iron
and have springs: straw ticks are useae
double all-wool blankets. common COM
lforts and white spreads on women's
beds: feather pillows. Bedding is
i changed weekly. or oftenar if necessary.
lOnly one patient in 4 bed No watch
man at night and no right attendants.
Water is procured ffoin a Well ii2 feet
deep: have wind mills. three dug Wells
ard two cisterns. Get ice from river. it
costs 50 cents a ton delivered: use nine
Ity tons. They have iron bath tubs,
porcelain lined all patients battle week
lly: hot and cold water. Only one batile:
in the same water. Have two fire hyd-
lrants in the yard. several inside the
house and ample hose: clothing costs
for mems pants 81 pair. Women have
Bingham or calico dresses. Have fleece
lined underwear for men and better for
women. Shoes cost SIS d pair for both.
Men have felt boots in the winter and
wooden stockings il they wish. Food is
E !well cooked and served. Women eat
from earthenware and tin cups. Men
nave tin cups and plates. Table cloths
are oil cloth. Have three meals a day.
Formerly there We're complaints of the
farm foreman and he left. Steward says
he never knew him to strike except in
self defense. They have now twenty
three men and twenty-four womn: two
Iatrendants, one man and one woman.
Have four epileptic women and three
men, One woman / did not see. she is
kept locked up all the time, and is said
to tear all her clothes Oft. \ woman is
in charge of the woman. There are no
considerations. Sixteen men work In
the garden and on the farm. Twelve
women do work: only four women who
do not work. Have music, dancing and
entertainments. Have occasional re-
ligious services, and have singing every
Sunday. 1t is said two have recovered.
No separate account of per capita cost
kept of insane. For insane and paupers
it costs 6is cents per meal, and that in
cludes all salaries and moneys paid out,
but not farm products. Two hundred
and forty acres in the farm, worth $75
, Iper acre: they heat with steam and
!. light with gasoline. The building was
/ remarkably clean and neatly kept They
have sewer. There is very little bad
] smell about the institution. On the
+ whole. it is we'll run institution, but
they need yet more help, SO as to get
!, all people out daily. The superintend-
ent is evidently humane man. and has
: right ideas as to care. The board OF
I supervisors often send children here tc
he kept; they have a baby there now
Respectfully submitted.