The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1872-01-18

expended on il, and it is not much NOR,
than half finished. But it does no
avail much to look behind US. Tn.
wants OF the State Will gradually compe
its completion. The foregoing exhibi
of the finances. however, will readily
show that it is not in your power Il
make the appropriation asked for by
the Board. II in your Judgment you
should deem it prudent to do 90, ar
appropriation might be made to procure
the necessary material to be used here
after in building the first section of the
North wing. The lumber used in such
a building ought to be laid in at least g
year in advance and thoroughly sea
soned. The labor of convicts, both
skilled and unskiiled. could be used
with advantage. And / recommend
that the Board of Directors be author
lied TO employ, at least in part, convicI
labor, under such regulations as you
may think just and proper.
The present fences OF the Hospital
grounds are not only decaying and fall
ing down, but they are not at all in
keeping with the building-itis palace
surrounded by adaptations. Without
proper enclosures the curative means o.
the Hospital are incomplete; it becomes
a splendid prison to the unfortunate in
mates who are thus denied exercise and
the healing influences Of open air and
sunlight. The request OF the Board tol
an appropriation for fencing or en-
closures is therefore a reasonable one
You will see by the report Of the
Board that there is an Indebtedness con
tracted by the former Board before the
passage Of the act appropriating money
for the further construction of the
Hospital" amounting TO $l3,392.94
The Attorney General, at the request o.
the present Board, gave it as his opinion
that this debt could not be paid out o.
the last appropriation. Although this
debt was created without authority o.
law, yet it is due to innocent parties
and ought to be paid.
There are no doubt many patients now
confined in the Hospital who have been
insane for many years; they are hope
lessly incurable. Some OF these are
quiet, harmless beings, destitute of the
light of reason. 1t may be grave
question whether the present policy oi
keeping this class OF persons in the
Hospital should be continued. / invite
your attention to this question, with the
view Of inquiry and investigation rather
than to any decided action at present.
The Hospital for the Insane is oul
noblest charity, and feel assured that
you will readily supply the means tc
meet its necessities.
The State Prison.
An entirely new Board Of Director:
for the Penitentiary, and also a new
Superintendent OF the same, were ap'
pointed by the Board Of Public Work:
in April last. These officers entered
upon the discharge oftheir duties early
in May. The clear and concise report
OF the Board OF Directors, and the &C
companying reports Of the Superintead
ent and other officers will be laid before
you. From these reports you will OBJ
tain full and accurate information o.
the condition OF the psnitentiary since
they took charge OF it, the progress
made in the construction Of the wal
under their management, and the ex
penditures made during the fiscal year
1t will be seen that the new Board
were somewhat embarrassed in their
operations from the fact that the retlr-
ing Board had exhausted. a large proper
ton of two of the appropriations before
May |. Of the appropriation OF SlS,OOC
for the support Of convicts, SD, 455. 81
had been drawn and expended by the
former Board, leaving only $3,544.6s
subject to the order Of the present
Board. OF the appropriation of $500
for pay OF guards, Sc, 1868 had beer
drawn and expended by the former
Board, leaving but 81 ,570.S5 to be ex
pended by the present Board. These
balances were not sufficient to support
and guard the conyicts from May !
and the necessity for appropriations tc
meet the deficiencies is at once ap'
parent. The Legislature at its last
session appropriated $4,000 "for the
further construction Of the wall around
the Penitentiary;" the old Board d
Directors drew and expended SIS, 294. &c
of this appropriation. The largest por
ton of this sum was consumed in the
payment OF debts created before the
passage of the act making the appro
priation, and it is believed that little,
ifany oft, was used for the construc'
ton OF the wall.
An examination of the reports OF the
Auditor, beginning with 1866, will
reveal the fact that the State has
already expended in the construction OF
the Penitentiary the sum Of $24S,534. sc.
What amount will yet be required to
complete it | have no means OF know.
ing. The Board estimate that it will
require $4,000 to complete the War
den's building and the wall, and erect
the outside walls Of the north cell build
ing. There can be little doubt that the
building and grounds were projected on
a scale much beyond the necessities Of
the State, and her resources have in
consequence been injudiciously taxed.
The south cell building, which is nearly
complete, contains two hundred and
twenty.four cells, while the number Of
convicts, October ], 1871, was but one
hundred and three. The north cell
building, which is intended to be OF
similar size to the other, if erected
would not be needed for the purpose OF
incarcerating convicts, and could be OF
nse only as work shops. Add to this
the fact that the wall and buildings
will make an enclosure Of about seven
and three fourths acres, and you will
have some conception Of the size OF the
L,,;lJ;no and orounds No shons Uor-