The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-09-24
OPPOSE STATE
 PURCHASE AGENT
Public Institution Heads Con fer At Hartford On Buying
 Of Supplies.

Dr. Albert c. Thomas, superintend- ent of the New Haven hospital, was appointed chairman of the committee named yesterday at the meeting of the heads of public institutions of the state with Governor Baldwin in Hart ford, to consider the subject of pur- chasing supplies for such institutions. The other members of the committee are Warden Ward A. Garner, of the State Prison; Dr. Dinnan, of the Mer- iden Sanatorium; Sheriff E. w. Dew ey, of Hartford county; Dr. Pollock, of the Norwich Insane Asylum, and Su- perintendent William G. Fairbank, of the Connecticut School for Girls.
 The meeting was called at the re- quest of the governor to compare notes the prices paid for supplies purchased and the relative cost of the support of the inmates of the various state institutions so that some uni form system may eventually be arr1V- ed at.
 There were about fifty persons pres ent, including Sheriffs Dewey of Hart ford county. Xol1naer of Fairfield coun- ty, Mfddlebrooks of Litchheld county, Hugo of New Haven county, Sibley of Windham county, and Forster of Tol- land county, Superintendent Albert Garvin of the Connecticut reforma- tory, Warden Ward A. Garner of the Connecticut state prison, the Rev.
  phael's hospital, New Haven; the Rev. Timothy Bannon, representing St. Jo- seph's hospital, Willimantic; Attorney General John H. Light, Comptroller Daniel P. Dunn, State Auditors James P. Tobin and William P. Bailey, State Treasurer E. s. Roberts, Deputy Comptroller F. Clarence Bissell, Street Commissioner William F. O'Neil, rep resenting St. Francis hospital, Hart ford; Superin tendent Goddard of the temporary home of Hartford county, Dr. Lyman, of the state tuberculosis commission; Drs. Wagner, Stockwell' Dfnnan and Campbell, the superin- tendents of the state tuberculosis homes, and George I. Allen, secretary Of the tuberculosis commission; Dr. Noble, of the Connecticut Hospital for the Insane, and Dr. Pollock, of the Norwich Hospital for the Insane.
 Governor Baldwin told the meet ing that the net weekly cost for sup porting a convict at the state prison was less than a dollar, although their bill of fare is probably a more 1nvit- ing one than a majority of the pris- oners have ever had the benefit of before. The net cost of a prisoner per week at the Hartford Jail was $182, while at the Middlesex county jail it was $4.61 and Holland county was $7.31. No doubt in the smaller counties like Midd1esex and Holland, the OI 4hAAdLOS IS OO- low that required by the scientific unit of economy, and high weekly rates, of course. are therefore un avoidable, but this does not explain why what at Hartford cost $1.s2 costs $2.92 in Fairfield county or $2.79 in Norwich.
 These returns also show that the girls in the Middletown Industrial school are supported at cost of $3.72 per week, while at the Meriden School for Boys the cost is only $3.51 a week apiece. The difference is equally striking with reference to the county homes. Of the hospitals re- ceiving state aid. the Backus hospital at Norwich reports a weekly cost per patient of $2O, although the Middle sex hospital, where the average num- Der of patients is about the same, returns \$12.75 as the cost there. Subsequently the same cost, say $12.75, is reported for the Middlesex hospital with a daily average of 39, and the General Hospital Society of Connecticut at New Haven, with a daily average attendance of 1855. The Hartford hospital, with a daily aver age attendance of 325, reports the weekly cost to patients at $13-13 and the cost is almost the same ($13.z6) at the New London Memorial hos p1tal, where they have an average daily attendance of but 2S. The low est cost per patient is reported by some of the hospitals under Roman Catholic management, which prob ably proceeds in part from the fact that so much of the service rendered is gratuitous account Of it's ren-1 dition by members of religious or ders offering their services without compensation.
 The sentime ent of the meeting was decidedly opposed to a state purchas- ing agent.