Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-03-05
FINEST N TIE West
Hospital for the Insane At Chero.
kee to be . Model In.
stitution.
Judge Robinson Tells About the
Improvements Contemplated
in the Future.
Something About the Work Of
the Iowa State Board Of
Control.

\
Control.
Sioux City. March 5.-Judge G. S.
Robinson, member OF the state board OF
control, is in the city to remain over
until Wednesday morning. when he viii
go to Cherokee to meet the members Of
the body and discuss plans and details
towards the completion Of the hospital
for the insane at that point.
Judge Robinson said that it was the
esesire Of the board to make the hospital
y model for the state and perhaps for
the whole country. Every modern con-
venience will be obtained and the heat
ing, the lighting and the sanitary plants
will be of the most approved and the
latest models.
At the present time the building is
completed as to the walls and roof, bu.
the floors have not been laid and all the
heating apparatus and other necessary
improvements are to be put in. The
board will advertise for bids at once for
the completing of the hospital and it is
the intention to have the building ready
for occupancy at the beginning Of next
year.
The engine and boiler houses, laundry
buildings and other outbuildings will all
sc be planned for during the visit of the
board. The building when complete
will have accommodations for 900 pa
5tients, but it is so arranged that wings
and extensions can be added as they are
reeded and the probability is that 1000
patients will be housed there soon after
the main building has been finished.
Judge Robinson said the statistics re-
ceived by the board showed that Insane
cases were increasing about 100 year.
At the present time the hospital at In
dependence is over-crowded and the
other institutions are full. The board
has under its supervision 4bOO insane
persons which are distributed in the
three state hospitals, the four private:
hospitals and in the forty EIGHT county
hospitals of the state. This does not in
Guide all of the infirm of mind in the
sstate. as many are considered harmless
and are allowed to live in their homes.
While the inmates of the different
hospitals are increasing. the numbers
in the different penal institutions are
decreasing rapidly and have been for
years past. The penitentiary at Anano-
ssa has fewer inmates, and this is also
true Of Fort Madison. The College for
the Blind at Vinton is not over-crowded!
and the institution for the deaf at
Council Bluffs has plenty OF room for
more inmates.
The Industrial school for boys at Ell
dora is another institution where the
numbers are decreasing, and this has
been quite noticeable during the past
two years. AT the Soldiers Orphans
Home the applications for entrance are
falling off perceptibly.
The legislature set aside something
like 100000 at its last session for inn
provements to be made III the twelve
state institutions and the result is that
the board has been busy all the year
making additions. extensions and REIN
forcing the different plants turnout the
state. AT Anamosa, one of the most im-
lportant additions has been the the war
Gen's house. This is one of the most
lcommodious and handsome edif1ces Of
I the kind in the west and had il not been
| built with convict labor would have cost
1.-the state great sum. This house is
closely connected with the main build
ling and is a fine Improvement. Another
Improvement there is the new indus
trial building for women. This is now
lcompleted and about ready for, occupan-
ley. 1t was erected to house those girls
who are considered too bad to put in
the girls Industrial school at Mitchell
willie, and not bad enough to incarcerate
in the penitentiary.
\ Owing to neglect to appropriate
galaries for the officers Of this departure
| but 1t is thought the ditficulty may be
| operation with a matron in charge and
Tendance.
| At the Industrial Home for Girls at
Mitchelville new heating plant has
been installed with new boilers and
lother appurtcnances. Larger closets
have been put in and some minor Inn
provements made. A we'll Is being sunk
lat the present time which promises to
be very deep before good water is OBJ
|tained. At the present a depth af 400
4 feet has been reached.
Is Inc luuuSLEldl OQIlultlS WHICH, OuENeO
at Mount Pleasant a year ago has been
rebuilt and Is now being fitted up for
Occupancy. New heating and lighting
lplants have been installed there and
will be ready for use soon. The build
.|ings are now being wired for the new
electric light plant to be installed For
merly the state paid 5000 per year for
gas and this innovation will do away
with this enormous expense Some new
reservoirs have also been put in and
very extensive changes have been
made.
One especially fine addition is that OF
four Kirker- Bender IRE escapes These
consist of metal tubes about six feet
lin diameter with central post around
which spiral descends to the lower
floor The patients are placed at the
top Of the tube and go down the spiral
easily and with no efforts upon thei,
part and with perfect safety. The es-
|capes are considered very fine for in
sane people and those who are unable
to care for themselves. AT the pres
ent time many patients and attendants
use the escapes to reach the lower
floors, as they afford an easy and rapid
mode Of descent