The Indianapolis journal., 1902-12-08
INSTITUTE MAY BE MOVED
LOCATION OF SCHOOL FOR DEAF AND
DUMB NOT SATISFACTORY.
Legislative Committee on State Insti-
tutions May he Asked To-Day
to Favor New Site.

The legislative committee on visiting
State institutions will start to-day on its
third weeks work The Deaf and Dumb
Institute, in this city, will be visited to-
day and then the committee expects to in
spect the Soldiers and Sailors Orphans
Home at Knightstown. the Eastern Hos
pital for the Insane at Richmond, the
Northern Hospital for the Insane at
Logansport and the School for Feeble
minded Youths at Fort Wayne. The order
in which these institutions will be visited
has not yet been determined, but they will
all be inspected this week.
Next week the committee hopes to con-
clude the part of its work necessitating
visits to the various institutions and it
will then devote the remainder of the time
before the convening of the Legislature
to the compiling of its reports and recon-
mendations. Two of the institutions to
which the committee desires to. give
especial attention have been deferred until
the last-the Woman's Prison and Girls
Industrial School, in this city. and the In
diana Reformatory at Jeffersonville.
At the Deaf and Dumb Institute to-day
1t is expected that the officials will lay
before the committee the question of re-
moving the institution. This question was
considered by the Legislature two years
ago and it is understood that a bill will
be introduced this winter providing for the
sale of the East Washington-street grounds
and the purchase of a larger and less ex-
pensive tract near the CITY,
The reasons given by those VINO are ad-
vocating such a measure are that the pres
ent grounds of the institute are in
adequte that the school has outgrown It's
xxyhi oh
part ramshackle affairs that must soon be
replaced, and that If new buildings are
erected they should not be placed on the
present site because the State will be forced
to remove the school within very few
years.
The trustees and superintendent of the
institute want more ground avaliapie LOT
tillage. One OF the best departments OF
the institution Is that in which the boys
are instructed in agricultural work ana 10
carry on this instruction to the pest ad,
vantage there should be plenty OF ground
for practcal work. 1t is argued that this
work can be made profitable to the State.
the school in time becoming largely sell.
supporting, o. a. n r1ast t,e annSaI exnenses
materially.
FOR NEW BUILDINGS.
The trustees, it Is said, will insist that
the coming Legislature either give them an
appropriation for new buildings or author
ize the sale OF the grounds and the pur-
chase of a new site where, of course, new
buildings will be necessary. They prefer
the latter course and argue that the sale
of the present grounds, which are very VAL
liable, will yield a sum sufficient to pur-
chase a much larger tract of cheaper
ground and to pay a large part of the ex-
pense of new buildings. A railroad COM
pany is known to be very anxious TO pur-
chase a part or all of the East Washing
ton-street property and would make the
State an advantageous offer.
The recommendations of the committee
i'm this matter cannot be forecasted, but II
Is understood that at least two members
favor the removal of the institute.
1t is not anticipated that the committee
will be met at Knightstown with any re-
quests for large appropriations for the Or
phans' Home. The home is said to be in
good condition and needing little In the
Way of improvements Last session IL asked
for an ornamental iron fence to inclose
the grounds and the request was turned
down by the Legislature. This request may
| be renewed this year.
The officials of the asylum at Richmond
have been having some difilculty with the
sewerage system and they may ask the
Legislature for an appropriation for a new
system The sewage from the asylum at
present empties into small stream and
| there has been considerable complaint from
property owners in the vicinity.
| At Logansport the asylum is in good con-
dition and little is needed In betterments
| No requests for special appropriations are
expected from that quarter.
| The School for Predetermined Youths al
| Fort Wayne may come forward with re-
quests for some special consideration al
| the hands of the Legislature. Two years
/ ago a bill was passed providing for the ad-
| mission of feeble minded women between
| the ages of sixteen and forty-five at the
| institution. Forty thousand dollars was
| appropriated to carry out the provisions
| of the bill and further funds for this pur.
| pose may be needed by the school.