Amador ledger. (Jackson, Amador County, Calif.) 1875-19??, 1906-11-02
MEND0CIN0 STATE HOSPITAL.
A Location that will be Justified in
the Future Rather than in the
Present.


by A. j. Pillsbu1y, Secretary State
Board of Examiners.
The legislative days of 1888 and 1885
were halGyon days. The ancient
halcyon laid her eggs not far from
the sea after the winter solstlce. In
that winter she laid two, one for
Mendocino and one for San Bernar
dino county, and by the simple poll
tlcal device OF playing both ends
against the middle. The same
session of the legislature provided
for one state hospital for the insane
for northern California and one for
southern. Neither selection was
good at the time. The southern one
was too hot, the northern too far from
everywhere. The southern one con
tinues to be too hot and will so con-
tInue until the world changes ends. or
the Salton sea prevails over human
engineering. The northern location
Will be better when the northwestern
railroad gets through to Humboldt
and Del Norte counties and taps
Trinity. 1t will then be easier and
cheaper to commit patients from north
ern California to the hospital at Ukjah
than to some hospital in Patagonia.
1t isn't so much SO now. The future
will justify the selection of the Men
docino site. The past and present
condemn it.
The Bill Was Signed.
The legislative bill providing for
the establishment of state hospital
for the insane within three miles of
Ukiah town was approved February
20, 1889, and $780, 600 was provided to
be raised during 1890 aud 1891 toward
the acquisition of lands and the con.
struction of buildings. A board of
managers, duly appointed, selected
40 acres about three miles south OF
Ukiah, with what was declared at the
time to be IAN ample and abundant
supply of pure, fresh water Tor all
purposes of the hospital, all for $780,
900. 1t may be noted that the state
has since purchased 30 acres of land,
nearly if not quite as good and in the
immediate vicinity, for sl6, $50 and
has expended ST, 500 for an additional
water supply for the institution. The
end is not yet, Hut those we're
haleyon legislative days and it was
not supposed that lunatios required
much water. 1t was before the "shou
me" way of Missouri had spread over
the land and had put the purchasing
public upon its guard.
The Plant As 1t Is.
The architects for Mendocino hos
pitaI copied rather closely after the
institution previously erected at
Agnew. 10 be sure, the enormous
and enormously destructive brick
tower at Agnew was so far modified
as to be transformed into a moderate
ly sizeI, aud moderately heavy
steel and brick clock tower which,
on April Ia, raeked and twisted the
administration building to its hurt,
but not as at Aguew, to its destruction
and the loss of many valuable lives.
The administration building has
frontage of $50 feet and depth. of 80
feet, and is four stories high counting
a full basement story. Immediately
back of this, and connected with it
by short corridor, is the assem- bly,
hall building, 80 by 70 feet, two
stories and basement. Stretching
to the right and left of this building
tor 30 feet on either side are the
main ward buildings, three stories
high with basement in addition.
Midway between the two and extend
ing backward $50 feet from the as
sembly hall building, runs the
kitchen, store house, stewards office,
etc., two stories high. The entire
length of the institution north and
south is $50 feet. all the buildings
are of brick.
The States Investment
The states investment at Menducino
hospital figures out about as follows:
Original land holding, S 39.00O 90
Ranch l mile from build
lngs, 20 acres 1920. 90
800 acres of watershed, 1900. 90
Main ward buildings and
furnishings, All, 900 90
Administration building, 60, OOO 90
Assembly hall building, 10000. 90
Cottages for tubel cuIous
patients, 3.6O0 90
Barns and conservatory, 5000. 90
Septic tank and sewer, 400. 90
First reservoir %, 900
gal. 80 lbs. pressure) 100000
Second reservoir 100000
gal. l40 lbs. pressrue) 13,U00 10
Other buildings and i'm
provements, (probably) 10000. 90
Total Investment s GOT. SAT. 90