The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-03-16

Amendments to the Bill Are offered
Some Favor Cutting the Down
River Town Off Entirely, Others
Willing That Moderate Appro-
priation for the Purchase of a
Site Be Made.
The house spent all but half an hour
of its sessions yesterday in the considera-
ton of two bills. One was for increasing
the state appropriation for schools, and
the other locating an insane asylum at
Anoka and the purchase of site for an
additional asylum at Hastings.
The measure increasing the appropria-
ton for schools throughout the state
passed, but the insane asylum bill was
left in the air by the. sudden adjourn
ment Of the house at 6 o'clock. AS the
house was considering the asylum bill
under special order, 1t is claimed that
the special order will be under considera-
ton when the house meets this morning
The Combination, as Mr.. GrondahI
calls it, behind the bill is not certain as
to this point, and will probably not press
it, as there yet remains some missionary
work to be done in order to assure the
passage Of the measure
1t was not until the afternoon session
that H. F. 260, by Mr.. Staples (Rep.), Of
Dakota, was reached The bill, as
printed and reported out by the commit
tee on hospitals for the insane, provided
for the location of one hospital at Anoka
on the site already acquired by the state
and the purchase of a site and the loca-
ton Of a second hospital at Hastings
Nt,0 1,f1 al,
$4,000 for the purchase of the Hastings
site, and authorized hospitals at both
points to be constructed on the cottage
plan, as adopted by the commission ap-
pointed in 1885, under chapter 157 Of the
General Laws of that years
IN FAVOR OF ANOKA.
Mr. Staples, before commencing his
talk on the bill, presented amendments
which provided that but one hospital
should be provided, and that should be
at Anoka. That the structures should
consist Of an administration building
which should include a detention ward,
with a capacity for fifty patients, and
cottages not to exceed two stories in
height, to be built in such manner as
the bord of trustees might direct The
entire cost of the buildings for the hos
pital not to exceed the sum Of $500 per
patient. Other sections were amended so
as to provide that nothing Should be done
toward the Hastings hospital except the
purchase of the site, which was to con-
tain CAB acres.
In speaking on the bill Mr.. tSaples
said the house had sat down on the pro-
posed plan for county hospitals for the
insane, and, this being the case, in the
near future would need a site for another
hospital. The point had been made that
the price for the Hastings site had been
raised from $4,000 to $685. 900, at which it
was offered two years ago. This was
because at that time there was competi
ton. The land was very valuable and
beautiful tract. It's purchase would net
the state 5 per cent on the investment,
last year at $3.50 per acre.
He alluded to the bill introduced re-
Gently by Mr.. Guttersen (Rep.), Of Blue
Earth, providing for the erection of an
nexes to the hospitals at Fergus Falls,
Rochester and St. Peter and for which,
under the bill, 100000 had been appropri-
ated.
Mr.. Guttersen objected to his bill be-
ing considered for the reason that it had
been introduced and referred to the COM
mittee on insane hospitals, and was not
before the house
Mr.. Staples replied that if it was not
the fault was with the author who had
requested that 1t be not reported out.
DISPUTE AS TO FACTS.
Mr. Guttersen denied this and there
was a jangle as to the facts, which re-
suited in a motion being made by Mr..
Guttersen to postpone the hearing on the
Staples bill until his bill could be printed
and placed before the members.
Mr.. Grondahl (Rep), Of Goodhue sec
onded the motion, and said both the Gut
hi He el,0 hno eli
cred together.
Mr.. Yale (Rep), of Winona, declared
that he was not on the inside of any
ring, but the question was most trouble
some one and he should oppose delay.
Mr.. Roberts did not favor the building
up Of great cities for the insane, and
that was what the bill of Mr. Guttersen
did. The trustees of the insane hospitals
were also in favor Of this, but he was
satisfied the house was ready now to set
tie the question without delaying action
Mr.. Plowman favored delay. There was
no reason why the state should buy
site for O second hospital when the in
tention was only to build one. If two
hospitals were necessary then buy the
second site and order the two built. BY
the combination between cities the hos
pital business was becoming menace
to the state treasury. Gus
lay, and Mr.. jacobson RepD, Of Lac qui
Parle: Mr.. Riley CRep.), of Jackson, and
Mr.. finland Dem.), of Ramsey, opposed
any continuance of the special order to
consider the Guttersen bill.
On roll call to postpone the consid-
Grafton of the Staples bill for one week,
the motion was voted down by a vote Of
81 to "a.
Mr. Staples resumed his argument and
spoke against the proposition to build
colony hospitals around the present asy
lums. There would be no saving except
in the salary of superintendent, and the
system was not what was wanted. The
Guttersen bill only appropriated $4,000 for
the three additions, and this amount was
about $220,0O0 less than what such build
ings would cost.
Mr.. Donohue offered an amendment
striking out all parts of the bill which
provided for the purchase of a site at
Hastings. He contended that hospital
at Anoka was all right and was needed,
but there was no necessity of purchasing
another site. There would be just as
much sense in buying a site for another
reform school or another university at
the present time.
A BIG ITEM OF EXPENSE.
Mr.. Mallette quoted figures to show
that it cost Minneapolis and St. Paul
dpoul @io,ouV III Tie laSt ten years W u dis
fer patients from the Twin Cities to st.
Peter and Rochester. The building of
hospital at Hastings would save these
two cities large amount, of money.
Mr.. Foss (Rep.). off Grant, inquired If
1t would be possible to- take insane
patients to the site at Hastings even II
the bill passed. ~ -fusf
MIR. Won Lehe CRep.), of lie Sueur, OBJ
posed the purchase of a size at Hastings
hot
there was need of a hospital at Anoka
then build one Tue .-oo rsi % 90 the st