Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1916-08-17

sign Welcome" greeting the eye.
The brick pavement and electric light
ed streets give an impression of up
to-dateness that all modern cities en-
joy. Her business blocks are largely
erected Of brick and stone giving per-
manency and solidity to the city. She
has many industries that make her
famous. Conspicuous among them
are the cheese industry, wholesale
grocery, chicken, etc, owned and op-
Grated by the well known c. E. Blod-
gett, who is aiding in making Marsh
field famous. He is reputed to be the
largest wholesale cheese dealer in the
world. This city has much to be
thankful for
After a good dinner in Marshfeld
we proceeded to the Wood County
Asylum, where we spent a couple of
hours most pleasantly. In the first
place we want to say that Wood
County can be we'll satisfied and proud
Of this public institution. The excel
lent supervision and management of
this institution by Superintendent L.
E. Gibson and his estimable wife, is
in good hands and faultlessly cared
for. In leaving Marshfeld our party
was augmented by James Hamilton
who made the trip home with u.s.
Together we were shown through the
asylum building and grounds by Mr..
Gibson.
The asylum building proper is d
handsome red brick structure situated
on a high elevation overlooking a
sloping piece of farm land consisting
of SAP acres, $50 of which is under
cultivation. Upon this farm besides
the main building and boiler house are
the following buildings:
Farm House.
A large white house is occupied by
the farm foreman and his family.
This property was purchased with tho
farm by the County Board.
Cow Barn.
Is 36x126 feet and houses SO head
Of cattle. 1t has all the modern con-
veniences for the economical handling
and feeding of the stock. It is also
supplied with flowing drinking water;
with feed and litter carriers, electric
lighted and has two Vesper silos at
one end.
Hog Building.
Is 30x120 feet with concrete foo"
throughout. This building is wholly
home affair planned by Mr.. Gibson
and entirely constructed by the in
mates. It is electric lighted, arranged
in apartments and equipped with a
boiler room and killing room at one
end. This place is kept so clean and
neat that some day Mr.. Gibson says
that he is going to serve the Board a
meal in that building to convince
them of it's sanitary condition.
This is truly an ideal hog pen. This
house takes care of $50 hogs and they
have separate pens and yards.
Machinery House.
Is 22X84 feet, two stories, which
houses all machinery on the ground
floor and small tools and implements
on the second floor.
Hen House.
Is 22X80 feet with basement the en-
tire size, which is used as a root cellar
and the upper floor is partitioned off
into apartments for different variety
of chickens. From each apartment
there is an outlet into yards for ex-
ercise ETC.
New Horse Barn.
A new horse barn is about enclosed
and nearing completion which is 4Ox98
feet which will be modern in every re-
spect. It will house 26 head of horses
and have every convenience for hay,
feed, harnesses, etc. The work of it's
erection is mostly being done by the
inmates. This new barn is to be used
in place of the old barn that was
bought with the place.
Wood County has certainly made an
excellent investment in the purchase
of this property for asylum purposes
and further showed keen foresight in
securing the services of Mr.. and Mrs.
+. l.. Gibson as superintendent and
matron. The buildings, grounds.
flower beds, garden, road ways show
skill, knowledge and care from the
smallest to the greatest detail. Our
visit here was the most pleasant of
the day and we were proud of this
county institution and the Judgment
shown in the selection of the site as
it is an ideal place for it. We wer
informed by Mr.. Gibson that beside
paying all expenses and caring for 81
OF Wood county's insane that this in
stltution under it's present manage
ment Melted Wood county $4,000 the
past year. This truly is an excellent
showing.
The entire capacity of the asylum
IS 215 and they now have 21O inmates
Residents of Wood county should
visit this farm. They will be proud |