Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-04-17
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TIE KNOXVILLE HONE
Board Of Control Will Close Up
Affairs Of the Home
May /.
Unfortunate Inmates to Be Sent to
Their Homes The Property
Abandoned.
Improvements For the State Fair
Grounds Capt. Hull Returns
to Washington.
Special to Times Republican.

s1s' 5e---------ti
Special to Times Republican.
Des AIoines, April 1.-THE unfortu-
nate blind in the Knoxville industrial
home for the blind will be sent to their
homes, or rather to the counties from
which they came. and the institution
|sclosed about the first day of May.
Only thirty-five persons are now in
mates of the Institution, nine Of whom
are residents of Marion county. The
/ others are pretty we'll scattered over
the state. The law providing for the
closing of the institution permits the
board of control to give each inmate
mot to exceed $25 to pay their incidental
expenses in returning to their homes.
This is in addition to railway fare. The
superintendent has estimated that the.
entire expense of sending the inmates
4 home, including railway fare and cash
4 given to them, will not exceed $500. It.
was the general understanding that
each of the inmates was to receive $25
4 in cash, but the way the law reads the
i board of control is under no obligation
i to give them that much. All they are
] absolutely required to give them is
j on the way home--that is, from 81 to
i 81 each. The board is debating upon
J. how much to give these unfortunate
I. people who are to be turned adrift
! without any means of support.
! The theory of the legislature in clos
J ling the institution was that it was too
expensive for the number of persons
!. cared for. The population of the home
ran from thirty-five to fifty and the
support fund was $500 a month. This,
says Secretary Wilkinson, of the board
of control. is little more than half
, what it costs to support the convicts in
the penltentiaries, and he suggests
that on this theory the conyicts should
! be turned loose, as they would appre-
lciate it more than the blind people will.
), One fact that operated to close the in
stitution was that the state was oper-
! ating manufacturing plant in the in
: stitution and was not making any
III money out of it. The fact is that the
: proposition to close the institution wa:
8 adopted without very careful invest
! | cation. The inmates VIII have TO b
{ cared for at public expense in som,
: way, because they are unable to sup
: port themselves. On the theory upoI
i
!, closed nearly every charitabe institu
! tion IN the state would have to be si1ua
/, up and the inmates turned adrift, bu.
! ii is nov too5la to kick about it. Tn,
;, only question is, what will become d
{ these blind persons that the Nnoxviilt
people desired To have removed from
their midst?
The state&abandons property wortf
4 a inc h.,c
: acres Of land that is estimated to bs
: Worth from $1,000 10 $4,000. The build.
n ings are valued at sS5. 900, the machiner,
c and furnishings a s.. eco and other. prop.
l.erty belonging To the institution at Sc.
q Geo. The building vii, be closed and thu
d farm rented fer what twill bring. Sucl
II furnishings and supplies as are availa
: BILE for other Institutions may be trans
e |ferred.
q The executive council yesterday di
$. rected the stae architect to prepare spe
n citicatioHs for the finishing and furnish
ing of the new state historical building
d both interior and exterior, and the worl
> Twill be speedily pusllec 10 completion
10 With the expectation that it will be al
& done this summer. The council ha
elected a. Y. Swan from Carlisle, War
Irens county. Who as$journals clerk of tn
$. house, TO be assistant clerk to the exec
le Iutive council, as provided for by tn
u legislature.
= State Auditor Merriam is in Colorad
g Springs with his brother. and is report
ed to be rapidly regaining his healt
+ and strength. He Will. however, tax
N plenty OF time to entirely recover befor
lc he attempts to resume his official du
s.. ties
J. The executive committee of the Stat
Agricultural Society is examining tn
le state fair grounds today, With the il
ie5 tentionI of making some Improvement
s. The things most needed are seweraG
and walks, and these needs will be pro
lVided before any more buildings are pl
lo |up. The sanitary conditions on til
are about as bad as they we
"a could be. There is no system of sewer
Z age and it may be very hard to provic
-. for 1t this year. The expense will /
:. !. very great because of the distance fro,
z. the grounds to the Raccoon river. or
a connection with the city sewer sy.
= tenn. The society has money on han
- however. and is in a better position
make improvements and provide Il
tirst-class attractions than ever befol
er in its history. With night attraction
Mt and other first-class amusement fea
to ures arranged for, nothing is require
e. but prosperous agricultural season
10 make this years fair the most success
lie, full ever held.
III ssSs
d. The walters have begun their fig
to secure recognition of their organic
tion but their prospects for success a
not the brightest. The waters ha
some cause for grievance, as they Il
y not well paid and girls are given on
-. ~ about half wages. hut they are n
.s strong enough in this city to make
~ :, fight that Will win against the unit
efforts of the employers. The resta
rants that have signed the waite
scale are only small affairs. None
en- the larger hotels are involved, eth
In way. II the entire force of organic
10 labor in the city is directed to punis
ST. ing the non-union restaurants it m
rs, make more trouble.
he 80
capt. :. =. =. HUI r.turn.d last nia