Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1909-12-02
MARSHF|ELD
GETS ASYLUM
County Board Selects Site on
the East Limits of the City.

weeks del1beratlOn upon the QueS-
tion of a site for the projected Wood
County Insane Asylum, by deciding
in favor of the Marshfield city site,
in preference to the Sampson farm
near Grand Rapids, the Dupee farm
near Pittsville and the Vesper-Ar
pin tract. On the final vote with
21 for Marshfield and 21 divided be
tween Pittsville and Vesper, Chair
man, o. G. Lindemann who had
voted steadfastly with the Pittsville
delegation during the preliminaries
was permitted to change his vote to
Marshfield, thus giving the requir-
ed majority to his home city. The
decision of the board was we'll re-
ceived by all concerned and the site
chosen really meets with general
approval throughout the county.
The best Of feeling prevails and all
sections will unite in the effort to
make the asylum a success and a
credit to the county.
The site selected is an ideal one
in every way, including $40 acres of
fine land, the Hennes, Schwartz and
Brickheimer farms and a tract own
ed by the Stevens estate. 1t ex-
tends along the highway on the city
limits, lying on both sides of the
road, part in the city and part in
the town of Marshfield, for one
mile from the right OF way of the
main line of the 500 to the Ne
koosa branch lines of the 500 and
Northwestern. It's northern ex-
tremity is considerably less than
two miles from the post office, 60
ing out 4th street on the main road
to Hewitt. The land lies high and
we'll drained and more than half of
it is in a high state of cultivation.
The buildings will probably be 10
Gated near the Nekoosa branch of
the 500 and the Fond du Lac
branch of the Northwestern. There
are several good farm houses now
on the land. The price paid for
the tract is about $50 per acre.
The appropriation made by the
board for the purchase of the land
and erection of the asylum and 9th
er buildings was $130,000, for which
an issue of per cent bonds was
duly authorized. The bonds are
for twenty years, no payments of
principal to be made during the
first five years, and it is expected
that the earnings of the institution
will in large measure meet the
payments. The sale of the bonds
and all other legal matters in con-
nection with the asylum is placed
in the hands OF committee com
posed of Dist Attorney R. E. An
drews, Attorney B. R. Goggins OF
Grand Rapids and Attorney E. NJ
Deming Of this city.
The actual work on the new
buildings will commence as early
as possible in the spring as there
will be ample time this winter for
completing contracts and prelimin
ary plans. The capacity of the
main building will be between 125
and $50 inmates and while plans
have not been definitely settled, il
is certain that the asylum will con
form in a general way to the style
usually followed in building such
institutions. The county asylums
now in the state are much alike eX
cept as to size, built of solid bricl
or concrete. They are so arranged
that additions can be made from
time to time as they become crowd
ed. In addition to the main build
! ing, heating and power plants ant
: regular farm buildings are required
The following building COMMITTEE
+ will have charge of this matter
, Mayor Robert Connor, Marshfield
f J. S. Thompson, Grand Rapids
George L. Ward, Babcock, It i
; estimated that the building can b
r completed in two years.
5 The operation of the county asy
: lums is much simpler than is gen
. orally known. They are not san:
b tariums or hospitals in any sence 0
the words. The county simply er
S cages in the business of running
y boarding house for the incurabl
!. insane of the state and the board
t. ers are sent from the hospitals a
S Madison or Oshkosh after the
S have been treated at the state hos
IF pitals and pronounced incurablt
Doctors and alienists are not nee6
ed at the county asylums. For tn