The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1940-09-11
New State Hospital
Formally Dedicated
Tributes Paid to Former Governor Cross By Works
Commissioner Hurley Interesting Gathering

The foresight and perseverance"
u Ex-Governor Wilbur L. Cross in
planning the states huge building
program were praised by Public
Works Commissioner Robert A.
Hurley this afternoon in an adj
dress at the dedication Of new
buildings at the Fairfield State Hos
pital, NewtowTl. Commissioner
Hurley, the Democratic candidate
for governor, declared that Cover
nor Raymond e. Baldwin could also
take pride In the opening Of the
new building as another step to-
ward completion Of the building
program.
Governor Baldwin and Cover
nor Cross also spoke at the exer-
cises, which began at 2 o'clock.
Others on the speaking program
were Colonel Maurice Gilmore, re-
gional director Of the Public Works
Administration; Vincent j. Sullivan,
state WPA administrator; DR.. Cliff
ford Moore, superintendent of the
hospital; and Charles p. Harring-
ton, Of Kent School, chairman OF
the hospitals board of trustees.
The invocation was given by Rev.
william j. Collins, of st. Roses
church, Newtown. and the benedic-
ton by Rev. John w. Mutton, of
Trinity church, Newtown.
Third Unit
The new buildings, marking the
third unit of the hospital, will in
crease the capacity to more than
i 1000 patients. They will relieve
serious overcrowding at several state
institutions, and will be later avail
able as receiving quarters for pa
tientS awaiting admission to other
state hospitals.
The text of Commissioner Hurley's
address, in turning over the new
units to the hospital trustees, is as
follows:
Mr.. Chairman, Your Excellency,
Distinguished Guests, Ladies and
Gentlemen:
I am indeed happy and proud
to be here today at the exercises
for opening another unit of the
states $25,0O0,000 institutional
building program happy and
proud IN the knowledge that many
more of the mentally i'll of our
state will be adequately treated
and cared for in these numerous
additions to the Fairfield State
Hospital.
The first building program on
this site, which took place about
ten years ago, contemplated the
construction of a new and COM
plete hospital, self-sufficient in
every detail. Several millions of
dollars were spent and construc-
ton went on over a period of
years. When the institution was
finally completed the buildings
and facilities for the administra-
tive, medical and nursing staffs
were large enough to operate this
hospital as you now see 1t. But
unfortunately, there was room
enough to accommodate only 500
patients.
Thus the problem Of relieving
the overcrowded conditions which
existed at other State hospitals
for the insane was not solved. 1t
became imperative that the bed
capacity of this institution be ex-
tensively enlarged. This was the
task which the Department of
Public Works undertook to per-
form. That we achieved the de-
sired result is clear when tell you
that the capacity Of this institu-
ton has been increased from 500
to 1000 patients.
Own Engineers
The planning and construction
of these buildings was carried out
in pursuance to policy which ]
established. The work was done
by our own architects and engi-
neers and under specifications pre-
pared by our own men, with the
result that while the original eSti-
mate for this work was set at
s., 900,0 900, the actual cost will not
be much more than $500, 900.
These buildings of Georgian
design harmonic with existing