The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-06-11
FOR THE INSANE.


The Eastern Maine Insane hospital at
Bangor was visited by the Governor.
members OF the council, an Of the menu
bers Of the board Of trustees Of the Maine
Insane hospital and several Of the citizens
Of Bangor, on last Thursday, and gen.
eral and careful examination was made OF
the several departments OF the Institution
now under the process OF construction.
The general plan Of the building, as first
exhibited by the architect, John Calvin
Stevens, has not been changed In any re-
spect, and the plan and work shows great
ability, convenience and desirable COM
bination and adaptation to meet all the
demands of modern hospital.
The foundation story, and rooms there
in for the engines, boilers laundry, eleo-
trio lighting, heating, cooking, convent
ences for food, etc., are finished, and are
complete and show great skill and fore.
sight and in every way are thorough ana
satisfactory. The dormitory department.
Of the hospital will give the patients
pleasant rooms, convenient passage way
and suitable apartments for the use OF
the patients during the hours OF Daylight.
The different rooms are 80 Tar flnished
that IL Is an easy matter to understand
what they will be when completely nm
ished and furnished. The several parties
who examined the building were well sat,
isfied with the character OF the work, and
the present condition of the surroundings.
The State authorities have already ex-
pended 1895, 900 and the completion OF the
work and the furnishing OF the rooms
will demand an additional outlay of, at
least, SO, 900 to meet the full requirements
The Governor and Council have given
the subject careful consideration. and find
that an expenditure Of not less than 80,
900 win put all the rooms OF the building
In suitable condition TO hand over 20
the Board OF Trustees for the purpose OF
purchasing the necessary articles for fur
nishing the rooms and thereby rendering
IL suitable for occupancy.
The last legislature appropriated
sufficient monsy, at then existing prices,
which was tss5, 90. but the unexpeco-
ed rise Of nearly every article that en-.
tered into It's construction has exhausteo
the appropriation, and renders It impossi-
BILE, without further money, to bring
about this desirable result.
The crowded condition Of the hospital at
Aug usta Is very obvious. The number OF
patients today represents population OF
700. The number during the summer
months Is always less than during the
winter months, and 1t IL expected that
the number will reach 500 patients during
the months Of winter.
The hospital at Bangor, when cofnplet-
ed, will accommodate l15 male and the
same number of female patients, and there
are rooms in the present building which
can be utilized for nifty more patients
when the necessft les Of the insane OF the
State require It. The crowded condition
of the hospital with it's influences upon
the inmates of the hospital demand that
the new hospital shall be finished ut the
earliest day. -,
The superintendent informs the public
that the mortality Of the hospital oontin-
ualIy shows large increase OF deaths,
particularly from dropsy and It's attend
ant complications, which he Informs us Is
the necessary result OF the impurities
which follow the very crowded condition
of several Of the wards of thehospital.
The governor Of the state. after obtain
ing the Judgment and opinion OF the
Board of Trustees of the hospital, and
many OF the first citizens OF the state, has
concluded to advance the $35, 600 necessa-
ry to build the building, that they may
be occupied by our insane ut the earliest
day and thus the evils WHICH hang over
the unfortunate insane wards OF the state
may be avoided.
This is done in the line Of philanthropy
as we'll as economy. and good business
considerations for IL will save the state
several thousand dollars. and open the
hospital six or eight months sooner than
would be the case II the opposite course
was ufrsred