The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-10-09

nearly every person who visits the
Asylum for the first time Is astounded
by the magnitude of the structure. 1t
may aid q farmer to understand its
size when it is stated that the quadrangle
formed by the front and side walls of
the Asylum would embrace hearty nine
acres of land. Of course this is not all
covered by the building, nor will it be
even when completed, but it will all be
enclosed in a line drawn around the
foundation, At present, the building is
about two thirds completed. A part Of
the extreme west wing was built be fore
the war, and was opened for hospital
purposes in October, 1864. The entire
section west OF the centre building was
finished and occupied in 1868, and the
centre building itself has been complet'
ed during the past summer and is now
in use. In the meantime a number OIL
necessary outbnildings have been erect.
ed, An engine house and laundry, a
gas house, a meat house, barn and
various other structures have been
built, and it is estimated that the con-
strustion OF the east wing Of the Asylum
on a plan corresponding with the west
and the subsequent grading and orna'
mentaton Of the grounds, will cost
about one.half as much as has been
already expended, or S5O,0OO
MATERIAL AND INTERNAL ARRANGEMENTS
The walls are built of very compact
and beautiful blush gray sandstone
which is quarried on the Asylum
grounds, not more than one hundred
Yards from the building. The work
manship is excellent, and the whole
structure bids fair to endure as long as
it NAV be needed. The foundations are
laid upon rock, about fifteen feet below
the surface, and are as substantial as
could be desired The most complete
and commodious arrangements, that In
genuitv can devise or experience sug
gest for the internal economy OF the
ASYLUM, the comfort and convenience
of its inmates, have been adopted. A
tramway in the cellar carries food from
the common kitchen. where it is pre-
pared, to dumb walters that take it uE
to the dining rooms Of the patients
Hot and cold water are abundantly sup
piled all through the building, and d
good quality of gas, manufactured or
the Asylum grounds, furnishes cafe and
convenient light to every portion OF thu
structure. Speaking tubes and bell:
communicate in all parts OF the build
ing, and nothing is wanting that car
contribute to the complete adaptation
of the structure to the purpose for which
it is designed.
NUMBER or PATIENTS.
Notwithstanding the building wher
completed was, as have already stated
designed for the accommodation Of only
go patients, vet now, when only one
half Of the rooms originally intended
for the insane have been finished, the
Asylum has 242 insane inmates. Yield
ing to the demands ofhumanity, unable
to resist the appeals that have beer
made from all quarters Of the State tc
remove the insane from the jails where
they are daily growing worse and becom
ing incurable, the officers Of the Asylum
have surrendered some Of the rooms or
isinally intended for their own use, and
abridged their Individual comfort to
provide places for the insane. In this
way rooms have been prepared in the
centre building for the accommodation
of thirtv-two patients, and, by a slight
alteration in the upper story ofthe west
section, TT a total cost OF only about one
thousand dollars, rooms are provided
for 50 more. 1t is thus hoped that "a
new patients may find suitable quarters
in the Asylum during the present month
of October. The credit Of effecting
these changes belongs TO the present
Board OF Directors, who have been ex'
ceedingly careful, energetic and prompt
in guarding the interests Of the instItu'
ton, and consequently discharging the
duties of their appointment. By their
direction, also, an attic is being finished
over the centre OF the building, which
will, when completed, be invaluable as
place OF amusement for portion OF
the patients OF the institution.
The Asylum is divided into eight
halls or wards, in each of which there
are abont thirty patients and two attend
ants. The bedrooms OF the patients all
open on these halls and are pine feet by
twelve in size. Each ward has a sort
of parlor or common sitting room, a
dining room and q bath room. The
patients are required to wash every day
as often as may be necessary, they are
bathed all over once in each week, and
once in each week their clothing and
bed linen is changed l was particu-
larly struck on going through the var
ious wards occupied by theinsane, with
the air Of scrupulous neatness and
cleanliness worn by everything visible
around me. The floors we're neatly
scrubbed and swept, the linen OF the
beds was snowy in its whiteness, the
rooms and halls were light, well venti.
lated and cheerful, and even the most
demented Of the inmates seemed to be
kept carefully clean. The prospect
from the front windows of the building
overlooks the river and the town OF
Weston, and the patients seemed to
love to stand in the Autumn sunshine
and gaze upon the pleasant landscape
spread out before them.
INDIVIDUAL PECULIARITGEs
Like all other institutions Of the
kind, the Asylum at Weston has its
celebrities. Oae old man thinks him.
self the Creator Of the Universe, and de.
livers orations and toasts that are won
derful for their pomposity and extrava-
CANT incoherence He attem pted. to
prove to Governor Jacob and the Board
of Directors and the visitors who were
present last Thursday, that the elephant
is the greatest and first Of all the Gods,
and he summoned the Turtle as his