Amador ledger., 1906-10-26
Electrical fixtures 100000
Extension to power house l,9l7.76
MiscelIaneous(Le Less than 81, COO
each) $685. %
Total cost of Home" s575. 765. "a
What The Earthquake Did.

Total cost of Home" s575, 765. "a
What The Earthquake Did.
The earthquake of April Is, 1906,
inflicted good deal of injury to the
'tHome." Nearly all the gables were
thrown out and many of the walls
were so cracked, that they mad to be
taken down, either partially or
wholly, to the foundations. Repairs
are still in the making and it is very
likely that they can all be perfected
and the institution returned to its
preApIil condition before the end of
the calendar year. But the children
have net suffered meantime. Com
modlous temporary wooden shacks
were put up and the children have
been enjoying summeI~uuting, with
improved health and an increase of
freedom, although the work has been
distinctly harder fol- the attendants
and officers. The special session of
the legislature appropriated ST., 500
for the work of restoration, and that
fund may prove sufficient for all
claims upon it, but it is open to some
duubt. The walls were not especially
we'll built, but the floors v ere better
anchored than Agnew.. and the con-
struction forced the gables out and
not in. so there was no loss of life
and little injury inflicted to the
inmates. There were some bruises
and scratches, but that was all.
The Population.
At the end OF the fiscal year term
mating June 80. 1906 there were
registered in the California Home for
the care aud training of feeble minded
children, 327 males and 267 females,
total of 594, and the population has
a constant tendency to increase.
During the fiscal year above mention
ed, S5 new applicants we're admitted,
70 were discharged and 25 died. On
Sept 10, there bad been admitted
into the home 1905 children, of whom
l54 had died since July 6, 1897, and
l7S had been discharged. Prior to
July 8, 1897, there had died or been
discharged, 373. The first admission
OF which there is any existing record
was December 10, 1885, There are
also number of inmates away on
leave of absence, SO that the normal
number in attendance is in the vicln-
ity of $50. That for September was
Ola. Including the officers and
attendants. the entire population of
the institution was few more than
600. The pay roll includes from So
to 20, owing to the exigencies of sea-
son and condition.
What 1t All Costs.
During the 57th fiscal year, the
California Home for the care and
training of feeble minded children,
expended ST., 948.44 fer the general
support OF the institution and s4S,
692.23 for salaries, total of sl1l,-
640.67, To this should be added S.
4S5.00 received from paying inmates,
but which Is usually expended for
improvements not provided for by
special appropriations made by the
legislature.
However, this is not altogether
burden to the state treasury. Each
OF the counties in the state is required
to pay $40 per month toward the sup
port of feeble minded children whose
parents are not able to pay for them.
From this source, the state received
back into its treasury during the year
ending June 30, 1906, the sum of s62,
0H.50, OF nearly as much as the
support fund, so that, as a general
proposition, the state furnishes the
land and buildings, keeps them In
repair and pays the salaries, while
the counties and the paying in
mates, board and clothe the children.
This arrangement may be fair enough
all around, but there is no logical
reason why counties should pay to-
ward the maintenance of feeble mind
ed children at Eldridge and not be
required to pay toward the support
of insane persons confined in hos
pitfalls. 1t just happened SO.
Pressure 10 Get In.
| counted l39 registered names on
the waiting list for whom room can
not be made in the institution, but
this list does not represent one. fourth
of the numbe desired to be admitted.
dlscouIaging prospects have deferred
Others from applying. There Is an
urgent need for making the lnstitu-
ton bigger. There are few burdens
more grievous to be borne by an
ordinary family than the care and
training of a feeble minded child.
An Oregon boot attached to the ankle
Of the mother would handicap her
scaI ceiy more. To relieve such a
mother and family of such a burden,
Is the very highest aud most bene-
ficent form of public charity. An
appropriation of SIT, $50 was made by
the last legislature for epileptiu girls
as the "Manse'' is for epileptic boys,
but it will be year before this can
be built. This will enlarge the capae-
ity by about sixty. If the coming
Legislature shall provide for the cree