Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-07-23
Great Improvement in State
Institution Equipment in
Past Ten Years
ALMOST WHOLLY RECONSTRUCT
Number Of Wards to Be Cared For in
That Time Has Increased IS Per
Cent Institution at Eldora Con-
spicuous Example of What Has Been
Accomplished State News.
Special to Times-Republican.

Special to Times-Republican.
| Des Moines, July 23.--In considering
the work that the state board of con-
troll has done in the ten years it has
been in existence iii is necessary to
consider the condition of the buildings
then and now. When Governor Les
lie M. Shaw delivered his last message
| to the legislature he submitted list
| of appropriations amounting to ST.
S71,500 which was far more than the
Legislature had money to appropriate
and he said:
Il believe the amounts asked in the
foregoing list are all needed, and it
would be gratifying indeed If they
could all be allowed. 1T is manifest.
however, that this session of the gen.
| eral assembly cannot grant them all
without mourning an urWarranted In
debtedness They are therefore sub
mitted with but this suggestion that
if any additional buildings are to be
provided they should be of the most
permanent character. For many years
the policy prevailed of building cheap
| ly. 1t was thought almost anything
would do SO long as the roof did not
| leak nor the walls cave. wise de-
parture in recent years has been made.
The new hospital for the insane at
Cherokee, the Liberal Arts building at
Iowa City, and the new buildings at
both Ames and Cedar Falls are excel
lent in character. Those competent
! to judge have used this seemingly ex-
travagant language in connection with
the hospital for the insane at Chero-
kee: The world may and probably
some time will have better planned
and more completely equipped hospi-
| tai, but it has none better now" The
time for anything other than commo-
dious buildings of modern architecture,
and of strictly fireproof construction.
has passed, let it be hoped, in this
| state
In considering the increased cost to
| the state Of Iowa in some lines Of the
work for carrying for the state in
stitutions it. should be taken into ac-
count that in the ten years that
the state board Of control has
been in charge of these insti-
| tutions they have been almost
wholly rebuilt The old build
| ings were shacks for the most part
and were entirely inadequate. During
| the past ten years the state has built
much that should have been built In
| the years before that and in addition
! to take care of the immediate wants
| Of the state has been building so as
to care for much of the future. The
congestion of this work has come dur
ing the first ten years under the state
board of control.
The total population of the state of
Iowa in 1895 was 2,05S,069; in 1900 it
was 2,231,s5S and I'M 1905 it was q
21O,050.
The state board Of control took
charge of the state institutions of Iowa
on July 1. 1898, and the report for the
month Of July Of that year shows that
there were 6,061 inmates in the state
institutions and 935 employees. making
a total of G,993. For the month Of
June. 1908, the last month available,
there We're $3.50 inmates and 1924 en-
ployes, a total of 9,474. An increase OF
over IS per cent.
w me lIe DOpuldtlOH Ol CllC SldLS VI
Iowa has fallen off slightly the popula-
ton Of the state institutions has in
creased over 35 per cent, a condition
for which the state board of control
can hardly be held responsible.
On the other hand tho the wages
paid to the employees Of the institution
is greater and the cost of living has
doubled in some instances the per cap
tia allowance at the insane hospitals
has actually been lowered. Formerly 1t
was s14 to SIG a month Now it is $12
month at all except one of the in
s.itutions and will be lowered there
as soon as the population of the in
stitution increases little more.
Notwithstanding the increased cost
of living expenses the per capita al
!owance at none Of the institutions has
been increased with the exception of
the soldiers home at Marshalltown. In
regard to that institution 1t can be said
that with the inevitable workings of
time it is fast being changed from a
home to hospital and the increased
cost on that account is q matter that
every one comedies as necessary and
to which nc one objects.
One of the things that has permitted
the board to take care of the inmates
on the same or less per capita al
lowance has been the purchase of adj
Gitional farm land at many of the in
stitutions whereby the state has been
able to raise much that Is used for the
food and support Of the inmates, the
inmates, themselves In some instances,
doing much of the work.
The reports for the amount of land
at the state institutions for 1898 when
the board took charge are not easily
accessible but in 1901 the amount was
1884 acres. The last report shows the
amount to be $751; The land since pur-
chased for the tuberculosis sanitarium
IS not included Mr.. Cownie, one of the
members of the board and a practical
farmer, is willing to take all this land
off the hands of the state at so per
cent more than the state paid for 1t so
1t would seem not to have been a bad
investment. The expenditure of this
money for additional farm land has
helped to prevent the necessity for in
creasing the per capita allowance but
the expenditure of the money has come
during the ten years of the board Of
control and 1t part OF the expense the
state has been put to.
AS an indication OF the changes that
the board made over the old condi-
tions it should be necessary to refer