At the session of the Legislature of 1870, a law was passed authorizing the erection of an additional Hospital for the Insane; and it provided for the appointment of a Board of Commissioners, consisting of one from each Congressional District, who, together with the Medical Superintendent of the Wisconsin State Hospital for the Insane, shall select a site for the new Hospital. Under this authority, Messrs. WYMAN SPOONER, HIRAM H. GILES, H. N. SMITH, J. T. KINGSTON, E. W. YOUNG and P. SEMPLE, were appointed as locating Commissioners.

After an examination of several sites in different parts of the State, choice was made of the location offered by the citizens of Oshkosh, consisting of 337 67-100 acres of land, about four miles north of the city, on the west shore of Lake Winnebago, and near the line of the Northwestern Railroad. The site is pronounced a good one.

Under the same law, when a location was agreed upon, the Governor was authorized to appoint a Board of three Building Commissioners, and on the 16th of September, 1870, Messrs. E. M. DANFORTH, D. W. MAXON and A. M. SKEELS, were appointed such Board.

The necessary appropriations were made, and the north wing and central building have been completed, and the first patient was admitted on the 21st day of April, 1873. Rcom is afforded for the reception of about 215 patients. The Board of Directors met at Oshkosh in December last, and elected Dr. W. KEMPSTER, of Utica, N. Y., Superintendent of the Hospital.

The annual report of the superintendent for the fiscal year ending September 30, shows the following:

The following counties have been assigned to the Northern District with the number of patients which each county is entitled to in the Hospital.

APPROPRIATIONS have been made for the Hospital, thus far, as follows:

1870.

For locating and securing site and commencing the building... $125,000 00

SOLDIERS' ORPHANS' HOME.

RESIDENT OFFICERS.

R. W. BURTON,
Superintendent."

MRS. E. W. BURTON,
Matron.

A. J. WARD,
Physician.

HISTORY.

The first bill for a Soldiers' Orphans' Home was introduced in the Assem. bly in 1865; but the law authorizing the present establishment was enacted by the Legislature of 1866, although the Home was opened January 1, 1866; the nccessary means being contributed by private subscription. The amount received from this source was $12,834.69. The building, on the bank of Lake Monona, not quite a mile from the Capitol Square, was erected for a residence, by Governor FARWELL, in 1856. During the war, it was purchased by the U. S. Government and converted into the widely known "Harvey Hospital," for the care and treatment of sick and wounded soldiers. The property was purchased by the State for $10,000, and the Home became a State institution, March 31, 1866. Prior to the purchase of the property by the State, the institution had been opened by Mrs. HARVEY and a temporary Board of Trustees. Under their direction, the building was thoroughly refitted and furnished, and at the time the State took possession, there were eighty-four orphans duly admitted and properly cared for. Mrs. C. A. P. HARVEY, the widow of Governor HARVEY, was the first Superintendent. On the first of May, 1867, Mrs. HARVEY resigned as Superintendent, and General HARNDEN as Financial Agent. Mr. F. B. BREWER succeeded Mrs. HARVEY as Superintendent, and Mrs. BREWER was appointed Matron. Mr. BREWER resigned the first of January, 1868, and Rev. I. N. CUNDALL was elected to the position. After filling it over a year, he resigned, and was succeeded by W. P. TOWERS, and MARY TOWERS, his wife, as the Matron. Mr. TOWERS resigned March 1, 1872, and was succeeded by Mr. R. W. BURTON, who is the present Superintendent.

The orphans are not only maintained, but educated, and are brought up to habits of industry, although the limited ground surrounding the institution prevents much being done in this way, that otherwise should and would be done.

Under a law of 1870, six of the pupils of the Home have been sent to the Normal School at Whitewater, to be educated at the expense of the State for two years. The expense of doing this shall not exceed $200 per year for each pupil.