Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1900-09-21
NOTES FROM THE CAPITAL
Des Moines. September 81, 1901

school Cor the deaf has been received
y by the board of control from Superin-
n tendent Henry W. Robert. It shows
the were 2sS pupils enrolled during
the year ending June 80, 1900 Twen-
ty-one lett the institution, and three
died in the year. The largest number
received from any one county was
sixteen from Pottawattamie. Polk
came next with thirteen. Several
counties sent but one pupil, and four
teen counties of the state were not
represented. The farm products for the
wear amounted to $1,42s.S4. The map
ufacturing departments, including
shoe shops, sewing rooms, carpenter
shops, rirting Offices and bakery,
produced goods to the amount of $780,,
1882.
The court docket for the September
term of the district court of Polk
county mas been issued. It is the larg-
est ever known in the history of the
1900 cases noted for trial. OF these
cases l62 are divorce eases, probably
which is many more than have ever
been called up for trial at one time
in the county before. Nearly all OF
these cases are new ones. having been
commenced since the last term of
court. Counting seventy-fve days
since the close of the spring term of
court. it makes an average of three
new cases that have been commenced
daily, including Sundays, since. The
number of wedding licenses that are
issued from the office of the clerk of
courts average five or six, so that
the number of divorce cases COM
menced in the county is not far from
equalling the number of weddings
that take place.
The board of control does not pro-
pose to leave any stone unturned to
get to the bottom of the recent Mt.
Pleasant disclosures, which resulted
in the arrest of John W. Stone, SUI
perintendent of the Industrial de-
partment of the hospital for the in
sane. The examination of witnesses
at Mt. Pleasant will begin shortly.
The plans for the investigation there
have not been matured fully. 1t is
expected one member of the board
will go to Mt. Pleasant and examine
all employees and others that have
any means of acquaintance with the
affairs of the hospital. Judge Robin
son will probably take charge of the
IN estigation, although this is not
fully decided and circumstances may
make some other arrangement nee
essary. The board has completed the
examina ton of John j. Hamilton of
the Daily News. AS in the case of
Eli Hardin and Tony Valid, the testi-
mony was made a matter of record.
1 ne board will not divulge this tes-
timony for the present, but will make
it public when the investigation is
completed. . .+&
Judge Robinson has returned from
a visit to Independence, where he in
vestigated the facts as to the typhoid
fever epidemic at the hospital. In
the past six weeks the total number
of cases among the patients and en-
ployes was los, and there were eight
deaths. The patients had been drink
ing city water, the same as the peo-
pie of Independence, who have not
been afflicted. The cause of the dis
ease was found to be large tank
in the attic of the hospital. This
tank had been opened, and it was
found to be in filthy condition, and
to contain typhus germs. 1t has been
cleansed thoroughly, and the fever
is now on the wane. All the cases
are eonvalescing.
Cards Of instruction for the coming
election are being sent out to the
county auditors from the Office of
the secretary of state. These cards
are prepared by the attorney gen
~ral, and are modified from the usual
instructions, SO as to conform to the
changes in the election laws made
by the Twenty-eighth general assem-
bly,. Attention is called to the fact
that for voting upon a constitutional
amendment OF other public meas
ure, . separate ballot of yellow col
ored paper is used. The yellow bal
lot this year contains two PROPOSE
tions. One is, "Shall there be a con-
yention to revise the constitution and
amend the same?" The other is q
proposition to amend the constitu-
ton SO as to provide for biennial cleo
tons The instructions are varied
to accord with the measure of the
last general assembly in regard to
the necessary marking of cross in
square below marked circle which
does not aIect the validity of the
vote.
BAe annual report from the hospi-
tai ct Independence for the year end
ing June 30 has been submitted TO
the board of control. It shows that
June 20, 1899. there were COZ male in
mates, and 443 females, or total of
1879. There were in the year 2ls men
discharged, and 100 women, while 215
men and 1872 women were admitted.
This leaves as the population of the
institution June 30, 1900, 604 men and
43s women, or 1899 as being the total
inmates. .l--n'-
v-alaePses Arrives.
Hong Kong, Sept. 19.-Field Mar
shall Count Waldersee, commandments
chief of the international forces in
China, has arrived here.
Alvia Appeals for Aid.