The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1873-01-16
From The Weston Dcmocrai,l
The Hospital for the Insane.

The Hospital for the insane.
At the session Of the Virginia Legisla-
lure Of 1878. that body passed an act
for the construction Of a third luuutc asy.
ylum, y be located in what was then call
ed Trans Ilcghcny Virginia, aud as an
earnest Of the undertaking, appropriated
SIS 900 toward that purpose. Three dis
tiuguishcd Virginia gentlemen two from
east Of tue Blue Ridge and one from the
Falley--were appointed by the Governor
to locate it. Owing to ccDirality and 9th
or advantages, they chose Weston as the
place for its erection A board Of our
best citizens we're commissioned soon after
as Directors, aud two Of them appointed to
get up the plan Of building. 10 dirharg-
ing that duty they procured the services Of
one Of The most accomplished architects in
the country, who in company with them
visited all the lunalic asylums Of note in
the United States in order to ocquaiu!
themselves more fully with the best plans
Of such architecture, and the plan Of that
model building for the insane, On the 9th.
or side Of tho river is the product of their
labors. The Virginia Legislature oppro-
printed prior TO April, 1861, the sum of
Sl65, 900 towards its construction and the
work went brOvely Oh until the war, when
its further prosecution was necessarily
suspended. But for this, (civil war; the
greatest Of all evils, the "I'rans. Allegha-
ny Luualic Asylum" would, in our opin.
ion, have, ere this, been completed The
war dismombcrcd the ancicDl Common.
wealth of Yirginin, aud made US a new
State. The new State brought on at once
new state of lhings,-new Offices aud
new men to dill lbem-uew lawmakers
and new laws aud new public buildings
were then for the first time to be looked
after, These things very naturally brought
on not onIy struggle for the bOuors aud
CmolumcntS of the Offices, but for the loca
ton of the public buildings, in the hope
Of additional gain by the handling Of the
putic moneys expended in their erection.
The Pcnitcntinry, the University, the Ia.
stitulion for the Deaf, Dumb aud Blind,
and the Normal Schools have been erected,
or Otherwise aided by the Legislature. -
The capital Of the State has notas yet been
permanently located. 1t has, so far as We
are informed, at the present session Of the
Legislature become the subject of much
bitter, coPtiOus and threatening discussion
X 4 Threatening them with the de.
feat Of an appropriation to !he Hospital
for the Insane, 10 such as make these
threats wc must be permitted to say that
the Hospital for the Insane is the joint
property of the whole people, erected fOr
the exclusive use and benefit of the insane
Of every equity in the State, and it appears
that every county 10 the State has more
or less insane in it, cared aud provided for
at the States expense Every citizen Of
the State and every friend Of these uufor.
tunates everywhere, has in it common
interest. We feel proud of it because il
is of itself monument Of the highest
Christian civilization. Itis truly our no.
blcst charity-ts inmates are the State,
wards, and the Legislature their apPropri
ate guardians. Il x Tho
officers of the Hospital for the Insane have
made their reports to the Governor, who
has presented them to the Legislature, =
That body, we take it, will, as statesmen
examine them, and take such action upor
them MS their merits deserve and as they
may think best for thepuJic welfare