The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1870-01-19

The report sho ws the gratifying fac
that the expense of keeping the patients
has been reduced considerably below
the estimated cost of the previous year
the estimated cost being So 25 per capitd
per week; whereas the actual cost was
but 81 81. The aggregate cost for the
year was estimated at S36, $50; the actu'
al cost was S29, ,239 SO.
This is a very satisfactory feature in
the report, AID speaks we'll for those
intrusted with the management of thf
hospital.
The Board recommend that bereaftet
the appropriation for the transportation
of patients shall be made separate ana
distinct fund fIom that for current ex.
penses.
respectfnllyiask your special atten-
tion to that portion of this report which
urges the necessity for additional room
in the hospital building, for the accom-
modation of the insane to whom the
Board have been compelled to refuse
admission.
Valuable suggestions are made in re-
gard to changing the plan of the build.
ing; but the Directors do not feel at
liberty to make any material alterations
without the sanction of the Legisla-
ture.
The whole amount thus far appropria-
ted to the Hospital by the States of Vir-
ginia and West Virginia is 1898, 900; the
amount necessary to finish it is estima-
ted at from 100000 to 1926 900.
The reasons for enlarging and i'm.
proving the laundry, and getting an
abundant and constant supply of pure
water, are given at considerable length
and with much earnestness.
The whole number of applicants for
admission, since the Hospital opened in
1864. was $50; of these, 303 have been
admitted and 227 refused.
1t is estimated at the present time
there are within the State $50 insane
persons who cannot be admitted in the
Hospital for want of room.
Many other interesting facts and val
liable suggestions in regard to the In
stitution and the treatment of its un-
fortunate inmates will be found in this
report, and most earnestly recommend
the whole matter to your early and
thoughtful consideration.
THE BLIND AND MUTE.
The 4th section of article 10 of the
Constitution provides that the Legis!a-
ture "Shall, whenever it may be prac.
ticable, make suitable provision for the
blind, mute" &c. The precise number
thus afflicted is not known, but it is es.
timated that there are thirty blind per-
sons and perhaps as many mutes, with
in the State, of suitable ages for receiv-
ing instruction. l think provision
should be made for the care and educa-
tion of these unfortunate citizens in our
owl State. A large amount of money
cannot be appropriated for this purpose
at present, but enough to secure a well
arranged building of moderate size
might be spared from the Treasury; or
if branch of the Normal School is not
established at West Liberty, Ohio
county, the Academy building at that
place would be suitable for this pur-
pose.
In this connection have the pleasure
of laying before you the report of the
Superintendent of the Asylum for the
deaf, dumb aud blind, at Staunton, Vir.
ginis, in flation to the blind from this
State in that Institution. 1t contains
valuable suggestions in relation to our
blind, to which invite your attention.
An appropriation will be necessary to
meet the charges for keeping our blind
at Stanton during the past year.
We are under moral obligation to
give such assistance as is in our power,
to the deaf and dumb and blind in our
midst; and humanity and sound policy
alike demand that some action be taken
for this purpose, if possible, at your
present session.
HOUSE OF REFUGE.
There is no place in the State for the
confinement of youthful offenders
against the law, except the penitentiary
aud county iails, in which they are
usually brought into direct contact with
the most debased and confirmed crimi
nails. This is true of both sexes. The
first offence of neglected boy, or the
first false step Of a friendess girl, is not
unfrequently punished by imprisonment
in the same Jail, and often in the same
cell, with those whose whole lives have
been given over 10 lewdness and crime.
The result is just what we might expect;
in majority of cases, these juvenile
offenders are much worse when they
leave the prison than when they entered.
This is an evil which ought not to be
everlooked; a partial remedy at least
should be provided.
Houses of RefUge, where the discip-
line is correctional, have been successful
wherever tried; rhree-fourths of the
youth committed to them are returned
to society reformed, and in after life
make useful mon and women. If snch
an Institution cannot at once be estab.
lisbod, there should at least be some
law which will prohibit the crowding
of theso offenders of tender yd3rs into
the same prisons with hardene9Ncrimi.
mails.
The whole subject of prison discipline
is arresting the attention of the best
and most thoughtful men of the coun-
try. 1t needs most searching investi-
sation-and in no State more than our
own.
PENITENTIARY.
The report of the Directors of the
Penitentisry gives detailed account
of the affairs of that institution during
the past year. The money on hand at
the beginning of the year, with that re-
ceived up to January, 1870, Amounted
to S36, ,650.5. The amount expended
during the year was s36, 6,557.3l. Leav-
ing balance on hand of S93.O6. Audi.
ted bills against the Board of Directors
amounting to S3,599.65 remain unpaid
| for want of funds.
Considerable work has been done
upon the Penitentiary building, espe-
cislly upon the south wing. In this
wing three tiers of cells are built; fifty
six cells are completed in the lower
tier. and the convicts have been placed
in them. When all the cells in this
wing are finished they will furnish room
enough for all the oonvicts for q num-
Der Of years TO come. The work already
done upon them is represented as being
of very substantial kind. The estima.
ted cost of completing these cells is
5000.
The number Of convicts in the Peni-
tentiary at the beginning of the year
4 Ia