St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1900-10-03

A great majority of the towns nave
with the spirit of the law,
elected trustees, and received their
proportion of this fund.
The law provides that the state
treasurer shall retain the share appof-
toned to the towns which have not
elected trustees and the shares OF I'M
organized towns and cores, and pay
the interest to the towns and cores to
which it belongs.
Eleven towns have failed to elect
trustees and are being paid interest
at the rate of six per cent per annum
on this fund by the state.
would suggest that the statute reg
ulating this matter be amended and
the state treasurer directed to pay to
the towns interest at the rate Of. three
per cent per annum.
1t is not equitable for all of the
towns to pay part of the towns more
than the market rate of interest on a
state loan.
The foregoing observations are in
tended to be suggestive rather than ex-
haustive and your attention is direct
ted to a consideration of the whole
matter of state expenses yourselves
without the aid of commission.
Biennial Reports.
I wish to call your attention to the
biennial reports of the state officers
boards, and commissions. The fact
that no special allusion is here made
to several of them does not depreciate
their Importance. Each one of them
should receive your careful study and
candid consideration.
On account of these extended re-
ports, it will be unnecessary to call
your attention to all of the various in
situations and interests of which they
treat
Hospital for the Insane.
But | wish to speak briefly in refer
ence to the insane poor supported by
the state.
The trustees report that the full
capacity of the hospital at Waterbury
is five hundred patients and the re
treat at Brattleboro three hundred and
fifty; total of eight hundred and
fifty. The present number at Water
bury is five hundred and fifty-one, anC
at Brattleboro two hundred and nine
ty one, making the total number of pa
tents now under state care, eight hun
dred and forty-two. They predict thai
both hospitals will be overcroWdeG
within one year and recommend the
feasibility of erecting cottages for the
feeble minded inmates who do moi
require constant medical attendance.
1t is notorious that the hospitals are
being filled up with demented paupers
| who only need care and comfortable
place in which to live. They require
neither restraint not treatment.
Now instead of erecting new build
ings at large expense, would it not be
better to enforce the present law OF
enact new one, if necessary, so that
demented persons, who require neither
restraint nor treatment, would be sup
ported by the several towns where
they belong. The present law does
not seem to sufficiently protect the in
terests of the state. This whole mat
ter should receive your careful consid
GRAFTON.
Board of Health.
Your attention is particularly in
vited to the report of the state boar(
of health. From a careful examination
of their work, it appears that they
have done much to stamp out an(
prevent the spread of contagious dis
eases.
The application of special knowl
edge in this direction has resulted il
one of the greatest triumphs o
modern science. The results are al
beneficient in the security to human
life as they are economical in the say
ing of money.
In connection with the board, there
has been established the laboratory o
hygiene at Burlington which is thor
oughly equipped and is a model O
it's kind. The director of it, DR.. }. H
Linsley, is very competent and en-
thusiastic worker in this department
of special knowledge
Where the public health is involved
the question of cost is secondary.
The appropriations for this boar(
should be sufficient not only to NEE
the necessary but probable demands
that will be made upon it.
Libraries.
The library commission has done
very efficient work for a very small
outlay of the money of the state.
1t has demonstrated it's usefulness
And you ought to inquire If the ap
preparation for it's work is sufficien