Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-11-18
THE INSANE HOSPITAL.
improvements Completed and in Pro1
ress at States Institution.

In an interview with u ren,rter ,,f
Journal Saturday. DR. &. T.. Sanbor1,
of the Insane hospital gave the follow =
ing statement regarding the improve
ments that have been made this sum-
mer and fat i'm and about the h"spi-
tai:
Last year We received the largest
appropriation We have ever received
from the Legislature for the express:
purpose of renovating and making fire
proof the first male S;one wing en-
larging it to some extent. enlarsiug
the dining room. the attendants room
and the baggage and bath rooms.
We also received an appropriation,
for building a wing for the criminal
insane. Hitherto the criminal insane.
after conviction. have been brought
here from the prison ana jails There
has been much discussion among the
relatives of the innocent insane in re-
lation t" bringing the criminal insane
here to be cared for together. 50 that
at last the Legislature took the
matter in hand and created a depart
ment for the criminal insane. TIL.
committee appointed by the Lcgisla-
ture for this purpose consisted of my
self. Warden Bcrnes q. Norton and ihr
Thomaston
1T has been my custom for the past
IL years to visit this department at
least once Il month. sometimes oftencr
In my annual report | strongly advised
putting the criminal insane in a sep
aratc building. 50 that they could be
segregated for hospital treatment
Gov. cobb has also been very Solicitous
that this should be done. and that this
provision should b" made. Another
year and the criminal insane will be
segregated in the new building, now
in process of construction.
We have also received an appro-
priation to rcnovate and enlarge the
laundry. which was partially de-
stroycd by fire last fall We had out
grown the old laundry anyway. and it
was recommended that we should take
the building formerly occupied as a
carpenter shop. Therefore we got an
appropriation for Il new carpenters
shop, which has been constructed. 10X
80 feet in size. by r. J. Noycs This
building has betn completed about
two months. The carpenters shop
has not only been used for carpontpr
work but it is ais" used for upholstery
work in the upper floor and In the
basement is our piping and plumbing
department.
An"ther appropriation received was
for completing the construction of the
new road. After the accession of the
government property from the United
States the government put Il road up
by the hospital. which changed the
grade materially AMI shortened the
distance to the city by about half q,
mile The appropriation vas for the
purpose of macademizing this road.
also for putting in inch water
main for fire purposes For six years
a siX-inCh pipe had been used for
Keeping the reservoir on the hill full.
about 100 feet above. giving us pres
sure of 4f pounds. The appropriat ton
was for fire purposes alone and ""
have installed pump which will give
Il good pressure, and when it is fully
completed we shall have most excel
lent fire protection.
Next spring we shall put in a side
walk to meet the sidewalk on Arsenal
street and we also intend. in the
spring. to make d special park on tn"
Arsenal grounds for the recreation Of
the female patients.
The appropriation We received for
putting a new roof on the greenhouse
we shall have {" defer using until
spring This is 4 large building used
for keeping the flowers and Shrubbory
through the winter as well as f,r
flowers in the early spring and sum
ner.
"Ali the appropriations mentioned
cover a period Of two Years. that the
builders may have ample time to con-
Struct the heavy granite walls Mortar
work i'm the winter months is ncccSsar-
lily show as the mortar dries very
slowly beneath tn" heavy walls ~
granite and their inner Ii ,inGS rf
brick"