1949 Press Photo Raymond Novotny, Chief Engineer at Mendota, in the boiler-room

The official apathy fortunately isn't contagious. Persons on the staffs of the hospitals are doing something on their own. For instance, Raymond Novotny, chief engineer at Mendota, took an inadequate state appropriation and made it do what it was supposed to do. Mendota was given $50,000 to build a new boiler and sink a new well. Contractors' estimates for the boiler alone were $67,000, so Novotny said he, his staff and inmates would build the boiler themselves. They did, and Mendota got its boiler and also its well.

Photo is dated 1949.

Photo measures 8.75 x 9.5 inches.