Hospital for the Insane at Danville

This great public institution is located on what had been known
 as the "Pinneo Farm," about on e mile southeast of Danville.  On
the 13th of April, 1868, the Legislature passed an act for the estab-
lishment of the hospital and appointed a locating commission, com-
posed of J. A. Reed, Traill Green and John Curwen.  After visit-
ing various localities in the district, for which the proposed hospital
was intended, it was finally decided that Danville was the most suit-
able in all respects.  The Pinneo farm of some two hundred and fifty
acres was accordingly purchased, the citizens of Danville con-
tributing a bonus of sixteen thousand dollars.  On the 23d of April
the commissioners had appointed John McArthrur, Jr., architect,
and soon after they chose Doctor S. S. Schultz superintendent, a
a position he has filled ever since May, 1868 with the great credit to
himself and to the complete satisfaction of the public.  The corner
stone of the hospital was laid by Governor John W. Geary on the
26th day of August, 1869.  The building proper is eleven hundred
and forty-three long.  The center building is two hundred and
two feet deep.  They range from three to five stories in height.
The wings contain three hundred and fifty rooms each. Altogether
there are about eight hundred rooms.  The chapel is a large
and beautiful chamber and will seat six hundred.  It is also the
lecture-room and is furnished with a piano and an organ.  The
wings connections are enclosed with iron doors, and the building
contains every department necessary to an institution where so
many unfortunates find a home; offices, bath-rooms, dining-rooms,
 laundries, kitchen, store-room and many others.  Iron and slate
are extensively used in the construction of the building, in order to
strengthen it as well as to guard against the danger of fire.  The
stone in the exterior walls are from the well-known quarry on the
premises.  The door and window sills and lintels as also the car-
riage porch are the Goldsboro' brown stone from York county.
The brick in the partition walls were furnished by numerous makers
of the neighborhood and were laid by Ammerman and Books.  The
roof is the best Peach Bottom slate, furnished by Parry, Gravel
& Williams.  The kitchen floors and other apartments are also laid
with slate.  The water tables and quoins are a beautiful white stone
from Luzerne county and contract pleasantly with the darker ma-
terial of the main wall.  It is not the design of this volume to enter
into details beyond that which will give the reader a general idea
of the complete and substantial character of the building, and its
manifold appointments, necessary to serve the purpose for which it 
was erected.  A visit to the institution alone can give a proper, in-
telligent idea of its excellence.  I can only hurriedly refer to its
water and gas supply, its heating and ventilating apparatus, its
sewerage and all similar improvements essential to the health and
comfort of the inmates.  Governed by a complete system of laws
and regulations, this institution stands on the front line of modern
improvements, dispensing in an eminent degree the blessings for
which it was designed.  In connection with the various appli-
ances of convenience, comfort and economy the visitor will also
note the beautiful buildings, fitted for their several purposes, that
have sprung up around the main edifice, solid, artistic and present-
ing a miniature city of surpassing beauty and taste.  The order or
style of architecture is the Romanesque.  The hospital was opened
for the reception of patients by public announcement of Doctor
Shultz, the superintendent, in October 1872.  The first patient was
admitted on the 6th day of November, following.  From that
period to the present time hundreds have been admitted and shared
its benefits.  Many have been discharged cured, many others have
been improved and others still continue to receive its scientific and
humane ministrations.  Doctor S. S. Shultz, who has managed the
institution since its organization in 1868, still remains in his respons-
ible position.  He has manifested not only the skill to treat suc-
 cessfully all possible cases in the various forms of insanity arising
from physical or mental causes; but in addition to the qualities of
the physician he has also manifested executive ability of the highest
order in the management of the institution.  The order and exact-
ness required in each department and in the most minute details at-
est his fitness no less than the high qualities demanded by his po-
sition.  Governed by the lessons of experience and the nobility that
religion lends to science, our hospital must reach the highest degree 
of usefulness not only in its financial administration; but in minis-
tering to unfortunate humanity.  Doctor Shultz is assisted by Doc-
tors Seip and Hugh Meredith.  The corps of aids, Mr. Eyer, the 
steward; the clerk, Mr. Orth; the supervisors, Miss Dressler and
Mr. Dillon; the engineer, Mr. Kearns; the matron, Mrs. Eyer; the
farmer, Mr. Rote, and the gardener, Mr. Carey are all highly spoken
of on their respective roles.