INSTITUTION FOR THE EDUCATION OF THE BLIND.

GEO. S. WILSON, SUPERINTENDENT.

This institution is located almost in the heart of the city of Indianapolis. Like the Institution for the Education of the Deaf, it is in a crowded condition, the building is old, out of date and sadly in need of repair. No institution for the blind should, in the judgment of the committee, be built exceeding two stories in height, while the principal building of this institution is four stories high. The Superintendent states that something should be done to abolish the smoke nuisance. Since the failure of gas has compelled the use of coal, great clouds of smoke are emitted from the smokestack, and the citizens near the school justly complain. There is a city ordinance requiring smoke consumers where similar conditions prevail, and the State should not embarrass the city in its efforts to promote cleanliness and comfort. He further states that as a matter of economy something ought to be done to give a better combustion of coal than is now secured. The committee would suggest that the board of managers of this institution investigate the system of smoke consumption and coal combustion now in use at the State Normal School, Terre Haute, Ind.

The committee believes that the best interests of the State can be subserved by moving this institution and relocating it outside the city limits of Indianapolis. The Board of Trustees, after carefully going over the situation and consulting dealers in real estate, is quoted as saying that by the sale of the institution's property in the city, after having provided for a Governor's home and a modern institution for the blind on the cottage plan, $150,000 can be saved to the State.

PROPERTY.

The value of the property as estimated by the Superintendent is as follows:

POPULATION.

Enrolled November 1, 1899.

135

Received during the year ending October 31, 1900.

27

Appropriations for the years ending October 31, 1899, and 1900:

This institution asks the following appropriations for the two years ending October 31, 1903:

The committee believes that this institution is economically and intelligently conducted, and that the increase in maintenance asked for is justified by the conditions, and therefore recommends for the two years ending October 31, 1903, the following appropriations:

Maintenance, annually

Library, annually

Industries, annually

Repairs, annually

$30,000 00 500 00 2,500 00

2,000 00

BENEVOLENT INSTITUTIONS.

CENTRAL HOSPITAL FOR INSANE.

DR. GEO. F. EDEN HARTER, SUPERINTENDENT.

This institution is located at Indianapolis and consists of two main buildings, the department for men and the department for women, and twenty-three accessory buildings.

The department for women was constructed of brick and stone twenty-three years ago. The department for men is a brick building constructed fifty-four years ago.

In order to convey an idea of the magnitude of this institution, the following statistics are given concerning the dimensions of the women's building:

The area of each floor except the fourth, in square feet.

69,024

The building for men is about two-thirds as large as the building for women.

ACCESSORY BUILDINGS.

The Pathological Building was constructed in 1895. It contains twenty-three rooms with a floor space of 3,636 square feet.

The General Store is used for the trustees' office, steward's office, butcher shop and general store purposes, and contains a floor space of 6,357 square feet.

The Bakery is a brick structure of three rooms,

of 2,016 square feet.

with a floor area

The Power House has a floor space of 3,308 square feet and contains the electrical machinery, consisting of three engines, six dynamos and necessary accessories.

Connected with this, yet separate from it, is the engineer's department and machine shop, containing an area of 1,824 square feet.

Adjoining the power house is the boiler-house, with a floor space of 8,835 square feet, containing fifteen boilers and pumps necessary to the operation of the plant.

The Carpenter Shop is a frame building with tin roof, used for a workshop and for storing lumber, hardware and other materials. It contains a floor area of 2,204 square feet.

The Laundry is a brick one-story building, practically fireproof, with a floor area of 14,940 square feet covered with tin roof. The equipment of this building consists of the following machinery: fifteen brass washing machines, four centrifugal extractors, one mangle, five ironing machines, one starcher and kettle, one dryroom, one dampening press, two soap kettles, one tumbler, one water heater, and other minor implements.

The Fire Department is a building containing a floor area of 5,540 square feet. It contains the fire apparatus, and has sleepingrooms attached.

The Upholstering Department is a two-story brick building containing a floor area of 3,000 square feet.

The following is a list of minor accessory buildings with their floor areas: