Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1905-02-16
For the Observer.
Our Charitable InstitI1.
tfOns.

mfft1Ons.
House Of Representatives.
Raleigh, N. c., Feb. II. 1905.
To the Editor
It occurred 10 me that it might be
interesting to the people of our
county to read q few facts in regard
10 our charitable Institutions estah-
lished aud maintained by a portion
of the taxes paid by the people Of
the State.
1t is my pleasure to serve in the
present Legislature on the Commit.
lees of both the Blind and the In
sane Institutions in North Carolina.
and having bnt recently returned,
together with several other mem
bers of our body, from a visit of
inspection to the State Hospitals at
Morgan,on, l fee: as I hsse a little
leisure tonight l would be glad to
give TO the people Of my county
some facts in regard to the Morgan
ton Institution as this il in our dis
trict and to the maintenance of this
as we'll as 10 DOR other Institutions OF
Echarisy GO some OF the hard cared
dollars of u people, and they
should know something OF what use
is made Of this expenditure, Tot bu,
what the facts connected with all o.
our State. institutions are not always
opeu to the public but tor Que rea
sou Dr. another we rarely avail our
selves of the opportunity to obtair
the same.
The State Hospital at MorganttoAs
was established about 20 years agt
and has cost the State for lands
1900 acres in number), buildings an.
, all neoessaries such as heating plan,
; water supply, furnishings, sc. dc
not including maintenance, of course
q about 100000. The proper,,
. though is worth much more thai
that today estimated as 1t is a
= about one and one-h half million do
!, lars, the enhanced vaioe being large
ly due to he labor Of the patients.
The main buildings, and there at
three others all close together,
said to he a mile or more around
.. and 10 these buildings together wit
;e the "colonies." OF which I will say
word later, they have in round nun
h bers, beds for l 900 patients. Tier
are estimated to be 142l insane pc
sons IN the Western District whlc
re extends east ward I" q point inolut
ID ing Orange county. This show VS. I'll
need Of an increase Of about &c
,e beds at Morganion, and even
larger increase is needed in It
,e Eastern District, owing to the Ia
ID that there are accommodations
Raleigh for onlv about 400 patient
1t il estimated that about 20 p
cent OF the patients recover. It. il
further interesting fact that no p
tiept ,s confined or COM elled
NC wear what IL commonly known
the straight jacket. bot all are
9 lowed the freedom of the war
Eighty per cent work aud thus GO
tribute to their own support. Th,
nave D0'o WDaC ID known as u
hi COLONY system" which is the bull
my of some houses about a N,
"a from the main plant, aud in the
ca buildings are placed ome Of u
qnie, aud not dangerous patient
- may of whom were farmers, al
= they can lead here much the sau
lite that was theirs before the
minds became affected.
1t might be Interesting turtle
more to u people to know th
oar county Of Orange according
the census Of 1900 having within
BORDERS 9,429 white persons, aud
you Of Course understand l a
speaking only of white poop
throughout this article, had about
patients in the Insane Hospital 81
applications on file. We no
have IL patients therein, probably
or 4 applications on file, aud no i
ane person either in our jail
ointy home.
+, 49, -. nt6O A -. A.