The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1910-09-22


Superintendent Grout Tells Of
Work nj the Institution.
The 18th biennial report of the trus-
tees of the Vermont State Hospital for
the Insane at Waterbury, for the term
ending June 80, 1910, has just been is
sued from the Capital City Press and
Superintendent d. d. CIRCUITS labors
for the two year period make a most
satisfactory showing. The report of
the trustees is as follows
Trustees Report.
To His Excellency the Governor and
the General Assembly of Vermont:
As required by section 3776 of the
Public Statutes, we respectfully sub
nit our report concerning the affairs
of the Hospital, together with. that of
the superintendent, covering the bien-
NAL term ending June goth, 1910.
Charles A. Calderwood, Of st. Johns
bury. was appointed a member of the
Board of Trustees following the resig-
nation of F. C. Williams.
In the spring of 1909, we applied to
the New England Insurance Exchange
for a reduction in the insurance rate
or the Hospital property, who ap-
pointed committee to examine the
same and report. The few recommen-
dations made by them were promptly
and fully complied with, and the rate
was reduced from per cent. to z per
cent. for five years, thus effecting
very great and probably permanent
saving in this large item of expense.
Notwithstanding all the precautions
to prevent the same, the Hospital has
since suffered loss by two fires; the
first occurring on December gath, 1909;
the second on Friday, January 2Sth,
1910. the details concerning which are
fully set forth in the report of tie SUI
perintendent to which We refer. We
Immediately made a thorough investi-
cation to ascertain the origin OF the
fires and found that the probable cause
of the former was due to old and de-
fective electric wiring and the latter
probably to superheated steam pipe
being near or possibly in contact with
a shelf which had become saturated
with paints, oils, turpentine and SO
forth. The paint shop so called has
been reconstructed with concrete,
brick and iron and is now apparently
as nearly fre-proof as it can be made.
The building which was partially de-
stroyed has been rebuilt on modern
lines and is better than ever.
The Insurance Companies by their
representatives responded promptly to
our notice of loss and adjusted the
same in a most satisfactory and COM
mendable manner. The amount re-
ceived from the loss of December oath,
1909. was S15,7S9.52 and from that OF
January 2Sth, 1910, s1,04769, total
of $16,S37.15.
In accordance with ruling OF the
Attorney General we paid this sum
into the State Treasury and there be-
ing no warrant of law whereby the
same could be used for the purpose OF
reconstructing the property for the de-
struction of which it was received we
found ourselves greatly embarrassed;
first by the necessity of the immediate
restoration of the property, second
from the lack of available funds 70
nav the cost of the same. However, by
the employment of our regular force
of carpenter, masons, painters, plum
bers and electricians, with the assist
ance of the patients in certain parts
Of the work. supplemented by such
other help as could be economically
employed, and by a combination Of
. favorable circumstances affecting ouI
finances, (such as the availability o.
a part of the special appropriation anc
an addition of $4,000 to our regular ap'
preparation made by the Legislature o.
1908. the large reduction in our fue
account, the light insurance renewa
during the past year, the large croI
of potatoes raised in 1903. as agains
a short crop in the preceding veal
which made 1t necessary for us to bu!
three carloads in 19esl we have re
stored the property paying the cost o
the same In excess of the amount uset
from the special appropriation out
our regular funds.
We would recommend that provision
be made by legislative enactmen
rnent whereby funds can be avaiiabi
for contingencies and emergencies o
this nature,
That the patients were speedily an
safely removed to other parts OF Tn
Uospital without accident of any KIN
demonstrates the efficiency of the OIL
Gals in charge and the character G
the discipline maintained.
We have held occasional investiga
tions calling before us officials, after
dants and employees and pattern
whom we knew to be competent to ter
tify intelligently and truthfully,
INQUIRE into the care and treatmei
of the patients and employees; u
he