ADDITIONAL INSANE ASYLUMS.
Mr. BELL called up the special order, being Mr. Graham's bill [S. 87] for the location of additional Insane Asylums one at. Evan^ville and one at Fort Wayne.
Mr. MAGEE moved to postpone the further consideration thereof till Tuesday next at 10 o'clock, In view of the fact that the General Assembly is invited to visit Logansport next Saturday to return Sunday. It is but just to that locality that this motion should prevail.
Mr. VOYLES favored the motion, but doubted the propriety of building the additional Asylums at this time. He incidentally referred to a location in his District.
Mr. RAHM introduced this bill over a month ago, and to postpone action now is simply to kill the bill. It is due to his interests that this bill should be acted on without further delay. Evansville moved in this matter last November, and now for other cities to arrange excursions looks like an effort to kill the bill, and it is unfair to postpone it further from time to time. There is a crying necessity for greater provision for the unfortunate insane now behind prison bars in the County Poor Houses all over the State.
Mr. McCOLLOUGH also thought this bill should not be delayed for excursions. The incurably insane should be better provided for, as the Constitution demands, and the duty is imperative upon this Legislature to do something in that direction.
Mr. WHITE, for the northern part of the State, spoke in favor of locating one of these Institutions at Elkhart-having the healthiest location and best water works in the northeast. He favored postponement.
Mr. BUNDY thought a majority of the Senate are in favor of locating one Asylum there, the other one being contended for by Fort Wayne and Logansport, and lately Elkhart has come in with a claim. He favored determining the question of location of one to-day, leaving the determination of the other till another time.
Mr. MAGEE was willing to that.
Mr. BUNDY understands there is no way to back out of the excursion. That is a settled fact, There is an absolute necessity for additional Asylum for the incurably insane. Whether more than one shall be built now is another thing.
Mr. SPANN favored Evansville as a place for one Asylum, but for the other place his mind is not made up. The bill ought to be dismissed on its merits to-day, but the question of location north of the National Road might be lets open.
Mr. VAN VORHIS favored the motion to postpone, thinking it the view of many that the number should be greater, located at different places probably one in each Congressional District, making each District partially responsible for their management, under the control of the State.
Mr. YOUCHE favored postponement, but not for the purpose of killing the bill, for he favored the erection of two Asylums. He desired time to consider the claims of places in the northern part of the State. The question as to what point in the northern part of the State an Asylum should be built, and as it is to be located for all time, great care and deliberation should be taken to canvass the question. It Evansville folk desire, page: 206[View Page 206] not to kill this bill they had better not hurry it through too fast.
Mr. GRAHAM did not believe either Evansville or Logansport geography the proper place. Logansport is more central for the northern portion of the State than Fort Wayne, and there are other places in the southern part of the State more central than Evansville. This location is to be permanent, and time enough should be taken to select with care. The grounds near the city belonging to the State would be a proper place and a far more economical place than any yet suggested. After next Tuesday there is ample time to decide upon a location, and he favored the motion to postpone.
Mr. BELL desired only to urge necessity for immediate action. As has been intimated by the Senator from Gibson [Mr. McCullough] the Constitution for thirty years has-demanded that provisions be made for the insane of the State, of which there are now more than 1,600 unprovided for. Yesterday when cry came up from sufferers by the flood, help was speedily granted, and how much sooner should the cry of those from whom the light of reason has forever fled? No action we can take will meet the hearty approval of the people of the State than to make immediate provision for this call of our unfortunate human beings. Those best informed say it is a mistake to mass the Asylums at one point, that better results can be obtained by building them at separate places. A comparison of management is a great advantage. Then upon the simple plea of economy. For transportation here from Fort Wayne each one brought costs $57, and friends desiring to visit inmates are put to great expense in coming from all over the State to one place. He thought the cottage system an excellent one. He favored as many additional facilities as could be obtained. Insane persons are now kept in this State in thirty-two places without clothing; in 108 places they are confined in cells; in twenty-two places in pens; in fourteen places they are wearing chains and balls; in twenty seven places they are fed through a wicket in an iron grate; in three places they are wearing handcuffs and in seven places they sleep on straw in cells. In two places they are controlled with the rod.
Mr. FOULKE supposed there is no doubt of a necessity for additional buildings for the care of the insane. It is due to the State we should not consider the question of location until the claims of all cities applying shall be canvassed. This matter should not be disposed of now. A postponement till next Tuesday will not hazard the bill. Probably by that time inducements now unknown may be brought to the attention of the General Assembly. It may be sites may be donated or other things offered that would aid materially in the construction of the buildings.
Mr. RISTINE favored the bill except the locations named therein. There was a proposition leaving the places vacant, which he favored, but a majority of the Committee insisted on inserting them. The postponement might endanger the passage of the bill. Let it be considered now- except the location feature.
Mr. SPANN made a substitute motion that the bill to read the second time now, with the report of the Committee thereon, and the further consideration thereof be postponed till Tuesday at 10 o'clock.
Mr. RAHM consented. He disclaimed any combination with Fort Wayne, declaring the location at Evansville to be decided on its merits solely. To-day it is the only city on the Ohio not suffering from the floods.
Mr. MAGEE was also willing to except the substitute motion.
Mr. VAN VORHIS favored a larger number of Asylums, conceding the location to Evansville.
The substitute motion was agreed to.
Accordingly Mr. Rahm's bill [S. 87] to provide for the erection of an additional Asylum for the Insane at Evansville [on not less than 160 acres of land, with a capacity to accommodate 600 patients-see page 51-or may select several buildings-on what is called the "Cottage Plan;" as soon as any portion is completed patients may be received], was read the second time, with a recommendation of the Reformatory Committee for amendments providing for two such Asylums, one at Fort Wayne, in Allen County.
The PRESIDENT pro tem. [Mr. Bundy in the Chair] declared the further consideration of the bill and report is postponed until Tuesday next at 10 o'clock, under the order of the Senate just adopted.
