The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1906-05-17

UNIQUEREAL ESTATE DEAL
Buildings Too Old to be of
Further Use.

The defeat Of the bill In congress
legalizing the appropriation by the
last Oklahoma legislature for the re-
moval Of the asylum for insane per
sons from Norman to the Fort Supply
military reservation In woodward
county was disappointment to per
sons In Oklahoma financially inter
ested in the removal Of the asylum to
Fort Supply. An Oklahoman intimate
iy acquainted with different phases of
the Fort Supply legislation said that
ratification of the bill would have been
worth $4,000 to James P. Candy, who
has real estate holdings at Fort Sup
ply Candy has been several times
member Of the Oklahoma legislature.
Opposition to the proposed removal
to Fort Supply was due mostly to the
syndicate holding the contract for the
care and maintenance OF insane per
sons at Norman, and to citizens Of the
territory who suspected deal In the
territory legislation, and believed that
the asylum should not be located at
any place not having direct railroad
connections with ell portions cf the
territory Fort Supply is ten or twelve
miles from the Santa Fe railroad. The
buildings were in bad state Of re-
pair. Their satisfactory improvement
would have cost almost as much as the
erection Of modern asylum build.
ing.
-Four years ago the territorial legis
iature enacted similar law. but in.
serted provisions that gave the Okla
homa sanitarium company control Of
the situation. The protection given
this company was that the asylum
should not be moved to Fort Supply
until the latter had steam or electric
railroad connections, and that in the
meantime the asylum should remain
in Norman The legislation was far
cical. Charges were made openly at
that time and are repeated to this
day, that the sanitarlum company at
Norman was compelled to spend thou
sands OF dollars in the legislature to
get protection.
\ A remarkable feature OF the present
contract for the care and maintenance
of insane persons IN Oklahoma is that
the federal government is managing
the asylum in Norman, and that fed
eral officers, in fidelity to their trust,
would be required to retain this con-
troll for certain time When the
Cspitol National bank of Guthrie fail
ed the receiver for the comptroller of
the treasury found that the bank own
ed $4,000 OF the $4,000 capital stock
of the company which had been plV-
chased from time to time by different
persons. This stock was the most val
liable asset Of the defunct bank, is
it paid big dividends. If the stock
and the contract could he held long
enough Il was apparent that this
single Investment might enable the
receiver OF the bank to pay one humid
red cents On the dollar OF all the
banks obligations II IS believed that
the ownership of this stock by the
defunct bank ives responsible more.
than anything else for the defeat of
the bin In congress validating the APP
preparation OF the last legislature for
the establishment Of the asylum at
Fort supply The passage Of this bin
would have taken the contract from
the private company and given the
management Of the asylum to the ter
ritory The receiver Of the bank is
from lii,Nois. Illinois congressional
and senatorial influence was most
active in the defeat OF the bill intro
Educed in the House by Delegate Nc
lGuire. The passage Of the bill in
the House was political courtesy to
Delegate Mcclure.
The company holding the present
contract is paid $500 a year for the
care and maintenance Of each patient.
There are nc about 500 patients in
the asylum The earnings are liberal.
bu, the net profits are not so large
as is popularity believed, because OF
Investments "a new buildings. etc, 70
care for the Increased number OF pa
tients Reported Investigations have
shown that the patients are cared for
as we'll as are natianta IA rn.,af nuhlic
institutions The management, how
e,er, has been under continuous fire
Tor years. due 10 factional politics In
the Republican party over former own
ership Of stock IN the company