Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-05-05
LAND FOR INSANE ASYLUM
PROPOSED PURCHASE FOR ST
ELIZABETHS DISCUSSED.
Mr.. Mudd DcnOunces the Price as Ex-
Necessity for More Room.

just before the House adjourned yesterday
afternoon a discussion occurred over the
item in the sundry civil appropriation bill
appropriating S21O.OOO for the purchase of
not less than 148 acres of land adjoining
the Government Hospital for the Insane in
order to construct additional buildings for
the asylum.
The debate was precipitated by Mr. Mudd
of Maryland. who first raised a point of
order against the item, and when that
failed. moved to strike it out.
Mr.. Mudd states His Objections.
II want to say in the beginning said Mr..
Mudd. that most certainly l in favor
of making adequate and even liberal pro-
vision for the care and the maintenance of
the insane. But my objection to this partic-
ular section in the way it reads is that
from the information that comes to me the
price proposed to be paid for this land is
excessive. We are proposing to pay 81 800
an acre for land which is assessed at
S10o and | cannot believe there can be that
amount Of difference between the assessed
value and what the land is really worth.
Another objection is We propose to buy
certain specific piece of land from GER
tain particular individual syndicate
That. l understand, is the intention, and
that will be the consequence if this pro-
vision is adopted. / think that is an OBJ
noxious method of buying land for gov
eminent purposes. And. further than that.
itiS lttltlllidtkuU Is ludl lulS tract lana
takes in a part of a subdivision known as
Pencote Heights. This subdivision the ex-
act size of which l do not know, has been
laid out in streets, lanes and alleys, consti-
tutlng IN area about third of it, in pursu-
ance of law which, l understand, was
upon the statute book some years ago, if
not. now
Now. there is a bill before the committee
on the District of Columbia, having already
passed the Senate, for the repeal of this
subdivision. and providing that the streets.
lanes and alleys shall revert to the original
owners. The language in this bill does not
provide that we may buy such portion of
the 40 acres of land that we choose, or
that we may buy no more than 40 acres.
but that We shall buy at least 40 acres of
the land. Therefore. if the information that
comes to me is correct, if this section of the
bill shall remain. will have to include
these streets and lanes and alleys, and we
VIII pay $1,000 an acre for land that has
been 50 laid out over there, the title to
which is now in the government of the
United States.
Il say that l am not quite clear as to
whether this information is true or not,
but 1t came to me in such shape that it
seems to bear the earmarks of truth, and
therefore L think would be better that
this paragraph should go out of the bill
now and let the bill go to the Senate. and
in the meantime more definite and accurate
information can, and l assume will be OBJ
tanned, and this matter be considered
ana passed upon with more of reliable in
formation and knowledge than the COM
mittee seems now to be in possession Of"
Need for More Room.
Mr. Cannon. in advocating the appropria-
ton recommended by the committee said:
The present buildings are huddled close
together without protection from fire so
that if one of those buildings should burn
i would be absolutely impossible to get the
patients out.
Not having been over there for a quar-
q of og,,, I
examined the institution and grounds with
some care. After doing so / felt that as
one member of this House of Representa-
ives, was culpable OF account .Of the con-
d!tton now existing there. Patients are con-
stantly coming there from among the great
number of people who were engaged as
part OF our army or navy in the war for
the mon. All the rooms for the reccD-
ton OF patients are occupied, and neWcon,-
ers are now put in the halls or corridors
1t may be said that the institution is abso-
lutely running over. / found the CONDITION
there to be such that it absolutely alarmed
me- ana the subcommittee found a similar
condition.
Mr. Pearre suggested that the land might
De secured through condemnation proceed
lngS. but Mr.. Cannon said his experience
was that no saving could be made in this
way. ~ ''-''
Crowded Condition of the Asylum.
Mr. Moody, member of the committee.
bore testimony TO the necessity for reliev-
ing the crowded condition of the ASYLUM.
The situation at the insane asylum is a
depiorable one" said Mr.. Moody II never
| mad been at the asylum until 1 went over
there Tor the purpose of looking at this
ground l was shocked to find the condi-
tI3A IN "nlch those poor, helpless people,
VINO are In our charge. are found and
there IS nothing more pressing 1Inon ms
than an immediate expenditure of a very
large amount of money for the care of the
insane So there Is no question between us
upon that subject. But the question in
this particular paragraph is that Of the
purchase of large quantity of land adj
Joining the land already owned by the gov
eminent.
The committee ought to understand lust
the situation over there. The government
owns large tract of land upon the right
hand side of the street. upon which the
present hospital buildings are situated
That tract Of land is not large enough for
our purposes. The United States owns
about 40 acres of excellent land adapted
to the purpose Of building new buildings
for the hospital, which land lies lust across
the street. We already own that 1t is
the present time.
Regards the Item Cnwise.
Now. the tract of land which it is pro-
posed TO purchase Is in private ownership,
and is a continuation, on the same side
Of the street, Of the land already occupied
by the buildings of the asylum The promo
sition is, instead of crossing the street and
using the land which we already own for
the new buildings, which land is adapted
Tor that purpose, to keep upon the same
side of the street where we now are and
buy this 40 acres additional. If / thought
the hospital was forever to STAY where #
now Is, l think should be in favor of that
proposition at any reasonable price; but nv
view Is that the hospital ought in time be