The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1872-11-27


stitution, and afterwards with the Gov
ernor Of yirginis, but the authorities OF
that asylum declined to receive these
patients on the ground OF want Of au-
thority. and also want of room. As
the power conferred BY this joint reso-
luton was limited to q single institution,
nothing further could be done for these
unfortunate people. l call your a;ten-
ton to the subject, with the belief that
You will provide for this class Of patients
in the future.
PgNrTEyr,ARY.
The report OF the directors Of the
Peuitentiary will give full information
in regard to that institution. There
remained in prison, October ], one
hundred and nine convicts. During
the preceding year ffty-two had been
discharged upon the expiration OF sen,
tence, ten pardoned, seven died, and
six escsped-two OF whom were recap
tured. Six out of the seven deaths that
occurred were caused by dysentery,
which prevailed as an epidemic in An.
gust and September. There seem to
be various opinions as to the cause OF
this epidemic,-the location OF the
prison, the dry season and the char
acter OF the water used. Whatever
may have been the cause, humanity
demands that no mesus should be
spared to project the health Of the in
mates. At present there are no means
OF supplying the prison With water
aud | recommend that an app-opris.
ton be made for this purpose. The
directors believe $4,000 will be sutfi
cient. | invite your special attention
to the views Of the superintendent upon
the subject OF discipline, and the in
struction and reformation OF the con-
victs. At best they are an unhappy
and unfortunate class. and II any
means can be devised BY which to arouse
and call into action their better in
stiucls, we should not hesitate to en-
ploy them. From the tenor Of the SUI
report, it may be in
ierred that some of the guards are not
fully in accord with him. He is re-
sponsible for the internal police and
OF the PenitentIary; he
executes the orders OF the board. and has
the care OF the public property; and
he is held liable for errors or neglect OF
duty on the part OF his subordlnates,
he ought 10 have the
power to appoint and remove the
guards. ! therefore recommend that the
laws be SO modified as TO give the super
either the right 10 nominate
for appointment. or TO appoint the
guards with the power Of removal at
pleasure in either case, leaving thepo
er in the board to tlx the number 10 be
employed.
You will be glad TO learn that the
Peritentis is at last approaching
1t is estimated that So
900 will complete the walls, 500, 900 the
outer walls OF the north cell building,
and $4,000 the warden's house, max
ing $4,000 in all. This sum can read
ily be provided for in your approprIa-
lions for two years.
There is a deficiency in the appropri'
atoms for the payment OF the guards
for the two preceding years Of $ ,O3O.l6,
and in the appropriation for the support
OF convic,s, -, 742 so. These defcien-
cies ought TO be provided for. Before
the sitting OF the next Legislature, il
sufficient appropriations are made, TIE
walls and necessa y buildings will be
and consequently, the labor
Of couyicts, row 80 largely employed
in their construction, Will no longer be
needed for that purpose The labor OF
70 many cOnvicts, most OF them able
bodied men, with ialr management,
ought 10 be so employed as to psy the
ordinary expenses OF the PeDitentiary.
And | earnestly recommend that you
provide by law either Tor their employ
neut IN some form useful and profitable
10 the State, or that they be hired to
by the day, all the work to
be done within the walls. I believe
hat experiments in other States br We
shown that it is better 10 hire the con-
sicts to manufacturers themselves than
or the State to engage directly in pro-
luciDg manufactured articles. The
Penitentjary being so near Wheeling, |
come Of the enterprising manufacturers
1f that thriving city would gladly AVA
themselves OF this opportunity of get
ing cheap labor.
The report Of the regents Of the In
.titution for the Deal, Dumb and Blind,
viii furnish full information as TO lie
condition. There were in attendance
ast year flhyfve mates aud twelve
blind, or in all si1ty.seven pupils
Mechanical instruction has been pro-
'ided for the unfortunate inmates, and |
.hus they will be prepared At the close
d their term 10 maintain themselves,
and become useful citizens In the
uture it is proposed to give wider
.ange to this kind OF instruction. The
'egents ask for an appropriation o.
$, 900 to complete the main buildings,
1000 for the improvement Of the
grounds and outbuildugs, and 1900
%! furniture. These requests are reason.
able, and / recomme ID that they be
complied with. The buildings which |
nave been erected are handsome scd
admirably suited for the purposes in
tended, and the grounds ample for
present wants Ifthe above appropris-
ions are made, the total cost 70 the
State Of the buildings and grounds will
be only $2s,00. II is source OF
to know that the last Of
The public buildings undertaken by the
State will be the frst completed. and
that too with a small expenditure Of
money. The regents also request that
an appropriation OF $4,000 be made for
beating apparatus, but a. this is not
indispensable, and the wants
of other Institutions are pressing, it may
II