Evening star., 1901-10-15
THE WORK BEGUN
Ground Broken for Addition to Hos
pital for the Insane.
COST OF CONSTRUCTION $l,O0o,0o0
Recommendation. Made in Annual
Report of Institution.
ADDITIONAL FUNDS NEEDED

Work on the new extension to the Gov
ernment Hospital for the Insane has finally
been begun. There have been a number of
unavoidable delays since Congress made the
appropriation of 81 900, 600 for its construc-
tion. but Horton & Hemenway of Provi-
dence, K. l., to whom the contract for the
twelve bufldings-all 1T was found possible
to construct within the sum available for
buildings-was awarded, have sent General
Superintendent Holmes Of the firm and sew
eral assistants to superintendent the build
ing operations. Excavations have been
made on the main hospital tract in the
vicinity of the Toner group Of buildings for
two of the new structures, each Of which
is hospital building-one for males and
the other for females-designed to accom-
modate 120 patients each. East Of Nichols
avenue and directly adjoining the village
of Congress Heights the surveyors are en-
gagged in stalking out for the four buildings
that are to be constructed there, and ex-
cavations for these, 1t is believed, will be
begun by tomorrow. The material for all
the foundation work is arriving daily,
brick is being ordered and large number
of teams and men are on the grounds.
DR.. A. 3. Richardson, the superintendent
of the institution, has the assistance of
Engineer John Berran in looking after the
governments interests In the construction.
Mr.. Berrall has of late supervised other
new work at the hospital.
Building Omitted.
On the original plans of the addition to
the asylum there was shown what was de-
signed to be an administration building,
with three stories In the central part and
with wings. This was to be located be-
tween the two buildings for which ground
has been broken. It was decided to dis
xr-;+h Lfr I1v,fII 49,,
it became necessary to eliminate certain
buildings on account Of the total cost OF
the extension exceeding the money avail
able. The hospital buildings referred to
are to be SO constructed that the admins
tration building, to connect with which by
colonnades Is planned, may be built accord
ing to the original design, as additional
funds for its erection have been asked for.
The plans for the extension show long
subway to be built beneath Nichols ave-
nue. to conect the site near the Toner group
of buildings with the site adjoining Con-
gresS Heights, but it is not understood that
this subterranean gallery will be construct
ed for quite a time, as, 1t Is stated, no ap-
preparation was made for 1t when the sum
was made available for the asylum addi-
tion, and none has been asked for in the
forthcoming estimates from the institution.
While the subway Is not held to be abSo-
lutely necessary, yet II it is not built the
transaction of all business between the
main asylum and the annex adjoining Con-
gress Heights over the public thoroughfare
of Nichols avenue will be necessary. The
whole extension is designed to provide ac-
commodations for 1000 patients and 200
employees. Eight of the buildings are to be
arranged near the Toner group, while the
others are to be located on the plateau
near Congress Heights east of Nichols ave-
nue..
The Hospital Report.
The annual report of the government hos
pital has been submitted to the Secretary of
the Interior and it is now In the hands OF
the public printer 1t has been brought
down to October 1 and contains q number
Of recommendations by the board Of visit
ors which are looked upon as important.
The board discusses the building of the
new extension and makes q recommends
ton that the sum of s145O00 be appropri-
ated for the erection of the administration
building referred to above. The sum of
S150,000 is asked for a central heating and
power plant, to serve for the entire insti-
tuition. 1t is proposed to use as much of
the old machinery as Is At for use, but in
the main the plant will be entirely new.
The board makes recommendation that
$40, 900 be granted for the enlargement of
the kitchen at the Toner buildings This
nection with the buildings of the extension.
For Support of Insane.
For the support Of the insane the sum OF
s495, 600 is asked. this being based on an
estimated cost of $22O per capita for an es-
timated number of 2,25O inmates. Other
matters touched ~on in the report are the
installation of the new water system the
new railroad switch, which Is now complet-
ed: the work of the training school for
nurses and the erection of the new stable
east of Nichols avenue, all Of which have
been mentioned from time to time in The
Star.
System of Surface Drainage.
An extensive system Of surface drain
age Is being established about the Toner
group Of buildings, the detached buildings
and the new central store house. Twenty
four and ffteen-inch pipes are being used
in the work.
A fine road Is being built from the up.
per end Of the railroad switch past the
central store building to the site Of the
new structures near the Toner buildings
! 1t Will be macadamized, and around the
stone house asphalt block will be laid. The
| boulevard that is to be built from the pres
ent administration structure to the Toner
removed, which may be about January
next. The new stable is progressing rapid
| iy, the first story, which is Of brick, having
been completed Lumber will be used IL
the remaining part of the building.
Eleven insane soldiers who have been Will
the troops in the Philippines arrived at ths
institution today. Their arrival brings the
number of insane at the institution to thu
| present date up to about 2,200, those in
mates who are out on visits not being In
cluded-