The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1870-05-31
The Asylum for the Deaf. Dumb
and Blind-WheeIins and her


agement of her public men, has been
retarded in her career of prosperity, we
think it would be safe to say, at
least fifty. wears At one period of her
history the Wheeling extension of the
G. II I. II. r., it is well known, would
have been constructed on the Virginia
side ofthc riverand brought business and
wealth 10 our city, had not influences,
now unnecessary TO recall, forced it to
Bridgeport and Bellairc The dividends
Of the Bridge Company may have been
increased thereby, but at what an meal
culable expense to this city? 1t had
been Predetermined that Wheeling
would he the eastern terminus of the
Central Ohio Il. r., and that its APP
pruach to the river would be opposite
to this city, but the selfish policy of
some persons defeated this intention
and forced the road to Bellaire. Thus
We not only lose the business of this
great lhoroughtare hut we lose the
practical bcnctitOf the western terminus
of the +. n q. r.. for which we paid
halt million of dollars, and To which we
are in equity entitled. The
same influences managed the
affairs of the llcmpfeld X. r.,
fixed bonded debt Of $4,000 on the
city, and instead of this road being a
part ofa great through line bringing in
trade and travel and paying dividends,
it terminated at Washington, and re-
turns hnt Il mcager pittance for orr
outlay and expectations. We are glad
to Ice able to state that Wheeling had
some citizens whose views were states
man-like, and if their policy had been
pursued we would now have all these
improvements pouring their treasures
into our lap. need not refer to the
Cincinnati, Marietta d Wheeling road,
in which we have done worse than
buried $2j0,O0O. BY stopping al Ma
rictta rival roads and rival places reap
the advantages of this improvement
and We lose beside business and trade
that would otherwise reach Us through
the river
1t is in the memory of all when the
State Pcnitentiary came 50 near being
located here that it is now only twelve
miles oil, and the Capitol was So re-
Gently wre-trd from us that We are still
i'm the freshness OF our grief and lamen-
tatiuns th,rcat 1t is remarkable how
near Wh,s Gng came 10 the attainment
of each of these desirable things, and
vet missed them all And now another
comes within our easy reach, in the
ASYLUM for the Deaf Dumb and Blind,
aud if we do not lose this treasure 1t
will not he because some persons are
not working very hard for that end.
The advantages of this institution
are not rightly appreciated, or there
would Toe Il more general awakening OF
our citizens to securing its location IN
our place. There is no city having
such an institution that does not point
with pride to it. What would our
neighborng city of Columbus be with
out her asylums and other State build
ingS? I'm her case it is demonstrated
that these alone are sufficient to build
una large inland city. Philadelphia, in
the multitude of her interesting objects
will perhaps direct You with most pride
to her institutions for the deaf, dumb
and blind. New York and Boston
glory in their aSylums for these unfor
Inmates. There is literary and ScIen-
tifc interest connected with all such
places far above their mcrcenary com
mercial advantages. And these latter
are bv no means inconsiderable, for the
Institutions themselves become large
and profitable manufactures, and direct
q current of travel to them from every
county in the State. The asylum,
wherever located, becomes centre OF
interest and sympathy for the whole
| Commonwealth, and the place securing
its location is thus advertised to a rich
and extensive population. The adran-
tace of all this results in rich harvest
to the various industries of the place.
Other places with less capital, less
population and less enterprise con
tended for this institution Clarksburg
made a handsome bid for it; Parkers-
burg, through her representative, prom
ised both money and real estate to Sc
cure It's location, whilst Romney, IN her
poverty, realizing its manifold advan-
tages, offered large building estimated
at value of $4,000, and fifteen acres
of ground, within and adjoining the
corporate limits of the town. In addi-
ton, her claims were presented before
the Board of Regents 10y two of her
ablest lawyers, aided by other citizens
Clarksburg and Parkersburg both had
their special agents, who done all they
could to secure the location at their re
spective places.
II should be remembered that there
IS and forever likely to be, only one in
stitution of this kind for the whole
, State. The place securing its Location
/ now will probably hold it for all time
oAapal - not ON