The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-02-06
OKLAHOMA
INSANE
ASYLUM
Bill introduced Providing for
Same in Council.
ACCEPTOFFEROF CONGRESS
To be Built Upon the Old Fort
Supply Reservation.
ACCEPTOFFEROF CONGRESS

Guthrie, o. T., Feb. 5.-The present leg
fslature has a new phase to consider rela-
tive to the care of the territorial insane
owing to the fact that President Alex
ander this morning introduced a bill in
the council accepting the offer made by
congress to the territory of Oklahoma
granting the territory the use of Fort
Supply Military reservation and build
ings on the reservation for an insane
asylum for the territory. The measure,
as introduced by President Alexander.
provides for the care of the insane or the
territory at Fort Supply, the institution
to be known as the Oklahoma Insane
asylum. The management and control of
the proposed institution is vested in a
superintendent who is TO be appointed by
the governor, and must be a graduate
of some reputable medical college, and
must have practiced regularly as ply
sician for a period of ten years.
There is a provision giving the super
intendent power to fit up all buildings on
the reservation for the reception of the
insane patients now confined in the Sani-
tarium at Norman, and before entering
upon his duties he is required to give a
1NsFSts
snce of his duties.
Three practicing physicians who have
been in regular practice for ten years. not
more than two of whom shall be of one
political party, are to be appointed by the
governor and will constitute a board OF
medical examiners The board will be re-
quired to visit the asylum once every
three months to carefully inspect the in
stitution and to check over the accounts
of the superintendent and to generally
observe the conduct of all physicians and
employees Of the institution, and TO re-
port the same, with recommendations, If
necessary, to the governor. The examin-
ing board, with the consent of the gov
ernor, shall have power to discharge the
superintendent, or any OF the physicians,
guards or employees, and il then shall be
the duty of the governor to appoint some
suitable person or persons to fill the va
cancies existing should there be dismis-
sails. The examining board also has
power under provisions of the measure
20 subpoena witnesses and take testi-
mory. the witnesses subpoenaed, other
than employees or others connected with
the institution, TO receive compensation
as allowed by the district courts of the
territory for similar services
Other provisions of the bill are similar
TO the laws in force in adjoining states,
and refer to further duties of the super
fntendent and the admission of patients.
Some four years ago there was a con-
eressional act allowing the territory OF
Oklahoma the use of the Fort Supply mil
itaTy reservation to be used as an asylum
for the territorial insane, should the ter
ritory see fit to accept the offer There
ale over seventeen hundred acres of land
ir the reservation, and on this land are
many splendid buildings, having been
erected there by the government for the
ouartering of troops. There is water
works system and sewerage system now
in operation, and the majority of the
buildings are occupied by families. The
town of Supply is larger than the average
western town, possibly because of the
fact that there were such good buildings
there ready for occupancy. The reser-
walton is eighteen miles northwest of
Woodward, in Woodward county, and one
of the objections at the present time to
the passage of President Alexander's
measure is that there is no railroad direct
to the reservation. 1t is said however,
that in the event that the territory should
locate an insane asylum on the reserva-
tion a spur would be built to Supply in
order to take care of the traffic which
would naturally result from the location
of an institution in that portion of the
territory.
The buildings on the reservation are
said to be in good condition. and the men
favorable 10 the location Of an asvlum
there state that they believe that the
amount OF money necessary for the main
tenance of the territorial insane for one
year under contract price will not only
ft up the buildings, but will provide for
the maintenance of the latients as well.
Whether this is correct or not, cannot be
known unless some contractor goes over
the buildings and makes en- estimate.
The Oklahoma Sanita-ium is practi-
cally the only place in the territory where
the insane can be takel care of, If the
legislature deems il advisable to renew
contract While there has been plenty
OF talk relative 20 that institution. pro
and con, yet recently there have been no
complaints of anything like serious ma
ture against the institution, everything
teing favorable.
The bill introduced by President Alax-
ANGER is sure TO receive serious considera-
ton, and If the committee to investigate
the asylum should present an adverse re-
port, 1t is very probable that the offer Of
congress will be accepted and the asylum
located on the Supply reservation. IL
the report made by the investigating com
mittee is favorable TO the Norman institu-
tion. the men behind the Supply move
ment Will have a much harder time To
have their measure passed
President Alexander is anxious TO have
the asylum located in Woodward county
and has always been one OF the men who
talked for the acceptance Of the offer
made by congress. II is understood that
there are number of men in the lower
house who are favorable to such a plan
ii is said that Delegate-elect Bird $
Mcclure favors accepting the orer made
by congress, believing that the territory
should own and operate its own institu
tons as soon possible. and that he is
OF the opinion that IL the legislature
does not care to locate the insane ASYLUM,
on the reservation. some plan should be
saopted by which Oklahoma can secure
control of the buildings and grounds TO be
used for some otner purpose.
LerNre~nNs,rrr~svccn >c.ns.ess>esNnrNrre
s EEM Fer Kidney &
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