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The Second Minnesota Hospital for the Insane at Rochester
The history of this institution dates back to the year 1872, when the legislature, influenced by the temperance element in the state, who claimed that an asylum for inebriates was urgently needed, and under the plausible plea that the liquor sellers who made the drunkard should be taxed for his support and cure, enacted a law to collect from every liquor dealer an annual tax of $10 and thereby raise a fund with which to build an asylum, and the same revenue was afterwards to be applied to its support from year to year. In spite of much opposition and litigation of test cases through the courts to sustain the constitutionality of the law, which was claimed to be unjust and discriminating, about $35,000 was collected. A board of directors was appointed, and in 1876 they purchased one hundred and sixty acres for $9,000, what is now the hospital farm. They adopted plans and selected the site, and in 1877 they built (C. Bohn being the contractor) and partly completed what now forms the centre building and the first section of the male wing of the hospital. There was so much opposition to this whole scheme of the inebriate asylum, and such urgent need for hospital accommodation for the insane, that the legislature of 1878 transferred the whole property, the farm and the unfinished buildings, which were only inclosed, to the control of the Insane Hospital Board, making at the same time an appropriation of $15,000 to complete its internal arrangements and prepare it for the accommodation of patients. But as it was necessary to build a laundry and engine house and to put in steam heating apparatus, nearly twice that sum was found necessary. Many changes were needed to adapt the buildings to their new uses, in which they were but indifferently successful. The board of trustees appointed as superintendent, Dr. J. E. Bowers, and on January 1, 1879, the institution was organized as a Hospital for Insane, eight patients having on the previous day been transferred from Saint Peter, and others rapidly followed and new cases were admitted directly from the counties, so that in a few months the limit of the capacity was reached, and December 1, 1879, there were ninety-four. In I879 a commodious barn was built at an expense of $2,500. At the same time an appropriation of $20,000 was made to put up the first section of the west wing for women, but this was not available till 1880, and the contract was let to C. Bonn, who had just completed this building, when on November 18, 1880, the disastrous fire occurred at St. Peter. But as there were no funds for heating and furnishing the same it was March 15, 1881, before it was ready to receive the first patients from St. Peter. With this addition the capacity of the hospital was about one hundred and seventy-five, but it has been compelled to accommodate two hundred and thirty. In 1881, a new engine house and chimney were added, and a system of water works for domestic use and fire protection. During the summer of 1882 a new laundry was built, and the new east extension was put up at a cost of $60,000. This is now nearly complete and will accommodate one hundred and seventy-five men, making the east wing complete with room for two hundred and fifty men. The plan contemplates a similar wing on the west side for women. It is hoped that this addition may be made in 1884, and will give the hospital an entire frontage of six hundred and sixty feet, and will furnish accommodation for five hundred patients and the necessary force of employes.
Source:
History of Winona and Olmsted Counties, 1883
©2008 Genealogy Trails