The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-12-17
State Insane Asylums to Re-
quest Larger Appropriation.
Osawatomie Wants an Ice Manu-
featuring Plant.
NEED MORE BUILDINGS
Supt. Biddle Explains Topeka
Institutions Requirements.
Enlarged Facilities Would Stop
Private Asylum Scandals.

Large appropriations will be asked for
at the coming session of the legislature
both for the Topeka and Osawatomie
insane asylums-
At Osawatomie more land is asked for,
an appropriation for ice manufac-
turing plant, a stand pipe for the water
service, all tin roofs to be replaced by
slate
The legislature will be asked to make
appropriations for the Topeka insane
asylum for new buildings, more land,
fire protection and Improvements. A new
building for chronic insane women 70
cost $4,000, a laundry building to cost
S25, O0O, fire protection system to be com
pleted and extended at a cost of $4,000
and additional land to cost $4,000 Will
make the total OF $135,O00 in appropria-
tons, besides the regular appropriations
for maintenance.
The board of charities has been pay
ing a high rent yearly for land needed
at the institution for many years In
times gone by the land could have been
bought for one-third of what it viii cost
now.
The crowded condition of the insane
asylums has caused many insane WON
en- to be kept in iails and poor houses.
At the Topeka insane asylum there are
Is wards Tor men and nine wards Tor
women. The laundry is said to be too
small and also dangerous as fire trap
The fire protection system was allowed
S. 900 for the erection of a stand pipe
and more money is needed to complete
the work.
In his recommendations Superlntend-
ent Biddle saws:
The total number Of applications fol
admission during the two years has been
1873 while during the preceding blen
Il .l.f.,. - mil inns
was 1893; an increase of 1856 applications
during the past two years. OF this num-
Der, it has been necessary to refuse lZ9
applications for want of room, IL as i'll
engible. and seven on account OF non
residence. During the two years the
capacity of the two state hospitals has
been increased by the addition of about
120 beds, sixty beds having been added
at each hospital.
This increase has been rendered prac-
ticable by reason of the opening of u
basement ward at OsaWatOmIe, and va
cation of the ward rooms at Topeka,
that have formerly been occupied by the
officers, upon the completion of the ad-
ministration building. This room, in
addition to a number of beds having
been placed in available space, has thus
enab led us to materially increase the
population of the two hospitals. But for
this. the number of reflections for want
of room would have been proportion
ately larger. All of this room, however.
is completely occupied, without any ad-
ditional room in prospect except that
afforded by the completion of the hos
pital building at Osawatomie, which viii
not be sufficient to relieve the embar-
Tassment materially
The most distressing feature of the
present embarrassment is the fact that
all room for female patients Is now occu-
pied and we are compelled to refuse APP
plicatiOns for women, on account Of nc
room. 1t seems humane proposition
that the state should at least, provide
sufficient room for the accommodation of
the female insane The thought of insane
women having to be cared for in jails
and poorhouses is most repulsive. and is
an uncomplimentary reflection on the en-
terprise of our state To provide suffi-
cient room, therefore, for the female in
sane of the state. suggests itself the
most pressing necessity.
ITO do this, | recommend the erection
of a detached custodial building for the
accommodation of chronic insane wOnen
at the Topeka state hospital I do this
not only on account of the urgent neces-
sity of providing additional room for wo-
men, but the plan is also suggested he
cause of the desirability of removing the
chronic fncurable and untidy patients
from our receiving and convalescent
wards. Under our present arrangements
It is not practicable to classify our fe-
male patients properly 1t is not whole
some influence upon acute and con
valescent cases to have them associated
in wards with chronic dement's and other