Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1873-01-09

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money were expended in some other
and more profitable way. 1t is not, o!
course, expected that the College shall
be, when Z opens, all that we hope for
it finally; it is not likely that all It's de-
partments viii at once be pat in sue
ceSsful operation. But let il oe started
with the intention of making it, ulti-
mathiy, grand State University,
whose instructions shall be thorough
and comprehensive.
INSANE ASYLUMS.
There exists very pressing and ur-
gent necessity th2t Immediate proVis-
ion be made for the confinement and
care Of our insane. Within ii little
more than four years two of the State
asylums have BEEN destroyed by fire.
The new building at Athens will not be
ready for the reception OF patients be-
fore september Or October uf this year.
aud The enc at Columbus not before
two years from this time. The central
portion Of the NeWburg Asylum must
be rebuilt and the. wings covered with
a new roof. This work will OCCUPY at
least one year. In the meantime. We
have in the State to-day insane persons
enough TO ill all these Institutions
when completed, and four hundred in
excess. Many OF these unfortunate
men and women are now confined in
jails, infirmarieS and Work-houSeS, or
aae receiving such inadequate care as
it is possible for friends 10 bestow at
their own homes, Some immediate
relief must be afforded or there will be
great suffering. 1t has been found inn
possible to secure f0r temporary occu-
patton and use any buiIding which
was regarded as suitable and safe. The
only one offered for rent was the Neff
House 40 Yellow Springs, which, with
All outlay of twenty-five or thirty
thousand dollars, exclusive of the cost
of furniture, could be made ready for
the accommodation of ioGr hundred
and twenty-five patients. I'nis proper
~ is offered for rent, upon five years
lease, for fifteen thousand dollars per
annum. 1t could, individually, be
obtained at much less price Bur il
is Il frame structure, designed for a
summer hotel, and it would, "a | think.
be exceedingly hazardous to fill it with
demented persons, many of whom
have already had the experience OF
two fires, and whose crazed minds are
filed with wild glee at thought OF
the excitement attendant upon great
conhagrati0n. In the light of past eX-
perience, it is paraonable if the in
sane are confined in any other than
buildings as nearly tire-proof rs they
can be made. There are brick build
ings at Circleviile and Alliance which
can be purchased, but not rented, and
which could be made safe. It is posi-
BILE there are others in the State. This
subject should, however, receive the
immediate attention ofthe Legislature.
In rebuilding the Newburgh Asy-
lum, and in finishing th.,se at Column
bus and Athens, great care should he
taken to guard against fire. 1t is be-
lleVed that the present design Of the
new buildings even, does not make
them fire-proof, or as nearlyso. as posi-
bic. And it is certain that the Dayton
Asylum needs very considerable
change to renderit reasonably secure
Plans and estimates ofc0st will be fur.
nished by the Trustees of the New
burgh and Dayton Asyinms, for re-
building and changing these Insritu.
tions in accordance .yith the present re.
quirements.
CONTRACTS FOR THE ERECTION OF
PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
You are requested to conside,
whether the present law, under which
our public buildings are erected, can.
not be SO changed as to render their
=
The same time more economical. The
law as it now stands, was intended to
gu ,rd against peculatiOn and fraud. II
is believed this end could be as well
secured were the law modified in some
important particulars. That provision
which requires, or has been understood
10 require, the contracts for different
kinds of WORK to be awarded to sonar.
ate bidders, whenever the sum total i.
less than the amount of any single
bid for the whole work, is of doubtful
utility. A large mum Der OF contractors
acting indepea IDENTIFY, with no co -
munlty of interest, are often il each
other 5 way; responsibility, whenever
there IS unnecessary delay, is shifted
from one to another; if any one con.
tractor IS unable, or for any reason
neglerts to fulfill his agreement, the
whole work is retarded, more especial.
lly, as The Trustees in charge OF the
work, have no power under the con.
strucCion which they have given tc
the law, to substitute Other emnlove,
for those who tail i'll Their duty, with
out re-advertlSing, and proceeding
as with an original contract. / think
it would be better, when the dis.
crepency is not very great, to allow
the Trustees discretion, either to sub.
divide the work, or to let the CONTRACT
as aa entirety. And when any cen.
tractor fails, the work should be prose.
cuted by the Trustees, under proper re.
fstrictions, without delay, and withou,
re-advertising, the original contraction
being made liable upon his bond fol
| the difference in cost, if there should
| be an excess. If the contract to erec
one of our public institutions could bt
awarded t. a single responsible bust
ness man, who should DC required Il
give a good and sufficient bond for tn,
| faithful p9rfor Iauce Of his duty, mucf
| time and money could be saved. The
interest upon yearly expenditure,
the great length of time consumed il
erecting one Of our public buildings
would amount to an enormous sum
So far from saving money by the pres
ent system, the loss is great and inevit
able. We nave recently seen nagnif
icent city, with Immense blocks 0
buildings, six and seven stories high
attractive and durable, spring out 0
the asneS in six months Time; yet w,
consume five or six years in construct
ing an ediiice which ought To be finish
ed in twelve months, or in two year.
at the utmost limit. L DO not believ,
this to be, to any considerable extent
perhaps it is not all, the fault of ths
Trustees; they are hampered by TIL,
law, and it ought to be SO changed u
modified as to obviate the diflicultie
which experience has developed.
| OHIO PENIrENTIARY.
A radical change in the construction