The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1910-03-11
Many Insane Can't Get In.

Many Insane Can't Get In.
Norfolk, Neb., March 5.-Editor The
News: The legislature of 1907 appro.
priated the sum of $4,000 for one fe.
male building; one male building, and
one storehouse.. These buildings were
commenced in the month of March,
| 1908, and they are uncompleted at
the present time.
The legislature Of 1909 appropriated
deficiency on these buildings, $1,000
w. G. Merten of Sioux City was
granted the contract and the build
ings should have been completed the
same year Some time in August
| 1909, the state cut loose from Mer-
tens contract as the state architect
promised that he would complete the
buildings in sixty days with the money
there was on hand.
About the first OF April the store.
house will be completed, and | think
the male building will also be com
pleted at the same time, but | have
no idea when the large building will
be finished as there will probably
fore this building can be entirely fin.
| iShed
/ have used all my influence to have
at least the male building completed,
which later caused me much trouble
with the board
Many Waiting to be Admitted.
Two years ago it was absolutely
IN e.,
the patients, as the buildings were
congested at that time. In the last
year the hospital has increased in it's
capacity of twenty-five, and for the
last six months we had as many as
twelve patients waiting to be admit
ted from different counties, and the
only time we could accept patients
was when we paroled one or when a
patient died. OF course all this time
the counties had to care for their in
sane until we could accept them which
made it very unpleasant for the coun-
ty officials and also the management
of this hospital, and when the male
building is completed it will only
relieve the congestion.
At the present time we have 29S
patients in the hospital, and in spite
of all of this the hospital is in bet.
ter condition than it ever was.
We have training school for
nurses connected with the hospital
and this is a grand success for the
good of the patients, and most all up
to-date insane hospitals are commenc-
ing to realize that training schools
are absolutely necessary to take care
of the insane.
Our male side of the house will for
the first time this spring have white
duck uniforms and no doubt this will
be quite an improvement on this side
of the house.
Patients Building a New Barn.
The last legislature appropriated
$4,000 for new barn, but the sum
being so small to build anything sub
stantial, had considered that | would
build this barn with the help of the
patients. l have bought a machine
to make cement blocks, and we have
at the present time a barn half COM
pleted with the help of the patients.
This will show how useful the pa
tents may be for the good of the in.
stitution.
We are also installing new $50
horse power boiler and one new en-
CINE which the hospital is in need of
urgently.
Every Sunday we nave services for
IT, patients, and every Friday even
ing we have a dance for the inmates, |
and every second Sunday evening we |
have picture show for the patients !!
which they enjoy very much, and l be-
lieve these unfortunates are entitled |
to whatever amusement they prefer.
Weekly Newspaper Article Replied To.
believe it is the duty of our press
state institutions, and 1t is embarras
sing to the management when they |
are trying their best, and as recently |
one of our weeklys printed an arti-
Gle based upon gossip.
/ realize that the time limit of pub.
fishing newspapers presses the edi.
tor to the limit of nervous energy to
verify all "stories" they hear before
printing them. l realize, too, that all
people are not frank and open with
reporters, which has a tendency to
men whose intentions are
honest for the good of the state in
situations.
j. P. Pecival, Supt.