The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1911-01-09
Institution Literally Alive With
Reaches According to Report
Now Made to Legislature.
WALKER REFORMS DEMANDED
Board of Visitors Would Relieve DR..
Marclay and Recommend $115,-
600 Worth Of Improvements.
(By z. a. WILSON,
Benaidji Pioneer Legislative Bureau

10y a. "4&BOOJ
Be1nidji Pioneer Legislative Bureau
St. Paul, Jan. Gin the kitchen
we found most undesirable condi-
tons The corn meal bins were
full Of enthusiastically alive with
them. In the kitchen of the wo-
mans cottage everything was over
run with brown reaches. They
were even found in the refrigerator.
They also were numerous in the pan
tries and syrup jugs, and unclean,
tries and syrup jugs were here in
evidence.''
The above is a quotation relative
to the state asylum for the insane at
Hastings, made in report of the
State Board of Visitors to the legis-
lature. J. T. Schain is president of
the board and other members are:
Swan J. Turnblad, the Minneapolis
editor, George R. O'Reilly, L. R. S.
Ferguson, G. Wahland and Thomas
H. Eineline James c. Matchitt is
executive secretary.
The report of the board now in
the hands of the legislators contains
statements quite as startling as the
quotation above relative to some of
the state institutions, although some
are given generous praise and the
new state prison at Saltwater is
held up as "a model to the world
OF the Anoka asylum the report
says:
The kitchen, pantries, and food
supply bins were always found as
clean as could be asked There was
not a roach or other vermin to be
found as the result of a thorough
search on each visit,-apparently
demonstrating that if they can be
kept away from the Anoka institu-
ton they can be kept out of the Hast
ings asylum, a twin institution,
where we found them in inexcusa BILE
quantity.
THE Anoka asylum has the record
as the lowest per capita in cost of
operation of all the state institutions
With this in mind we have endeavor-
ed to ascertain if the economy has
been at the expense in any way of
the inmates. 1t must be said to the
credit of Supt. Coleman that his in
stitution stands the test The pa
titnts are APPARENTLY we'll fed, we'll
cared for, we'll and cleanly housed.
The report contains the following:
THE State Sanitarium for Con-
sumptives is located on a beautiful
seven hundred acre wooded tract,
some three miles from the village of
Walker, and fronting on a pictur-
esque bay of Leech Lake.
"On our last visit to this institu-
ton, august 2Sth, 1910, on walk
ing through the woods from the
water front to the main buildings,
we noticed a large amount of slash
ings left among the timber. This
is a violation Of the state law and is
a constant extreme fre-hazard which
should be eliminated. 1t seems,
however, there is small and made
quate appropriation for this purpose
Such economy on the part of the state
is penny wise and pound foolish %
A fire this past 1910 season destroyed
two hundred cords of wood and
threatened the institution.
Or. Walter J. Marclay, superin-
tendent, wants a steward appointed
by the Board of Control, who will re-
lieve him entirely of the business de-
tails of the institution DR.. Mar
clay finds his time taken up to the
fullest extent with his patients
DR.. Marclay's time is too valuable
too much needed, to be taken up with
the thousand and one little things
connected with institutional opera
ton. 1t would therefore seem good
policy for the Board of Control to
make an exception inthis one in.