Gentlemen: I have the honor to submit herewith for your consideration the fourth biennial report of the Hastings State Asylum, for the period ending July 31st, 1906. IMPROVEMENTS. During this period the new heat and lighting plant, laundry and Women's Cottage No. 1 have been completed and equipped, we have also completed building 1,472 ft. of tunnel 6 ft. by 5 ft. from the main building to the engineroom, also 221 ft. of tunnel 6 by 8 ft. from the laundry to Cottage No. 1. Both of these tunnels are built of concrete and have all been built by our own help except about 60 days of carpenter work. On Sept. 2nd, 1905, we received from the Rochester State Hospital 50 women patients. On June 18th, 1906, work was begun on Women's Cottage No. 2, which is expected to be ready for use by March 1st, 1907. The Administration building has been raised one story and extended 20 ft. further out, which gives us larger quarters for employes over the administration department. The old quarters over the dining room which were used by the employes has been torn out and the roof raised and is now used for chapel. The amount appropriated for same was $15,000.00. We have completed putting in standpipes throughout the building with 50ft. of 11⁄2 in. hose attached to each pipe, we also have two standpipes on each ward, one at each end of the hall, this with the fire extinguishers gives us very good protection against fire in the building but we have only one hydrant on the outside, we should have at least two more, which would enable us to reach any of our buildings. We have built a horse barn 50 ft. by 100 ft. and granary 30 ft. by 40 ft. with machine shed 16 by 40 ft. on each side. The amount appropriated for above was $4,000.00. We have also erected greenhouse 40 ft. by 171⁄2 ft. for which we had an appropriation of $500.00. REPAIRS AND IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED. Our buildings all should be painted outside. The roof of the east wing will need to be reshingled, I would recommend that a slate roof be put on the east and west wing, the whole building will then have a slate roof, the center having been put on the past year. The plumbing in the east wing is in very poor condition and very unsanitary as a great many of the pipes are between the ceiling and floor. The toilet and wash room are now in one room and the bathroom adjoined in which there is only room for one porcelain tub, I would suggest that this be changed; put the bathroom in the basement and in the present bathroom have the washroom; put a pipe stack between the present toilet and bathroom, which will give us the same as in the west wing which is very satisfactory. We have no entrance to the amusement hall from the east and west upper wards which is very important that we should have, as it is now they must all go up or down one stairs. Would recommend that the alcoves now leading from the east and west lower wards to the diningroom be raised so that those on the upper wards can go direct to and from their wards to the hall without going down stairs at all which will also give us four exits to the hall also that the roof of the present pantry be raised so as to give room for stage. We have at present no fire alarm system of any kind. I would suggest that there be an electric fire alarm and watchman's indicator installed. The bridge which was built across the Vermillion river here 3 years ago needs replanking. The beams are now wood, I think these should be replaced with iron. In 1900 there was appropriated $1,000.00 for a cold storage, the amount was not enough to build same, we used part of amount for refrigerator for temporary storage. In 1902 we received an additional appropriation of $1,500.00 for the same purpose. Up to the time the Laws were revised the cold storage had not been built and by the Revised Laws the chapter appropriating the first amount was repealed leaving only $1,500.00 for this purpose. As we are very much in need of a cold storage I would suggest that an additional appropriation be asked for to build the same. We would recommend the installation of some system for purifying the water, our water contains so much of the scale forming matter that we must wash our boilers every week or ten days. The wear and tear due to cooling down and firing up so often shortens the life of the boilers. The use of soft water in the laundry would also make a large saving in clothing, etc. If as originally intended, the building of five cottages for women patients is to be carried out we would recommend that an additional appropriation be made for one or more cottages and that the next cottage to be built be the center cottage. I would recommend that $55,000.00 be asked for the same as all building material, labor, etc., have advanced so that it is impossible to put up a fireproof building such as the one we have built and the one being constructed now and equip them with furniture, etc. such as needed for the amount that has heretofore been appropriated. I would also recommend for support for the year ending July 31st, 1908 $54.000.00 and for the year ending July 31st, 1909, $55,000.00. SUMMARY OF APPROPRIATIONS ASKED FOR. For water pipe and hydrants $700.00 Slate roof on east and west wings of main building and painting buildings 5,000.00 Plumbing repairs, east wing.. 5,000.00 For making entrances to hall from upper wards and raising roof of old kitchen..... 3,000.00 For electric fire alarm and watchman's detector. 1,000.00 For replanking bridge and putting in iron beams. 2,500.00 Additional for cold storage.. 1,500.00 For water purifier............... 3,000.00 For road and grounds. For cottage No. 3 for women.. Repairs 1907-8.... Repairs 1908-9. For support 2 years. Total 1,000.00 55,000.00 1,500.00 1,500.00 109,000.00 $189,700.00 |