The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-12-20

equired and none performed, save tha
of receiving and entertaining in psrlor'
elegantly furnished at the expense Of the
/ State the bon ton of Weston society. Re
Ginning IN an easy chair which rests upon
a beautiful Brussels carpet, the fashion
able gossip of the adjacent country i:
freely discussed to the upper tendon
of the valley of the West Fork" About
this time the Governors Board created
the office of Female Supervisor" and
appointed Miss Roberts, a niece of DR.
Hill, TO the position at 5000 per year
Thus tho Doctor and his family were re.
ceiving $1,000 per annum with torty-fve
patients in the Hospital, yet the Cover
nor said nothing. DR.. Kunsts-the
fixed before the Governors Board and
still continues the same, and if eight
years experience has added to his uso-
tulness in his specially certainly he is
entitled to 1t now.
When the Democratic Board took
charge of the hospital, they could see no
cause for changing the salaries as they
were considered reasonable and Just, and
not higher than any other hospital but
| much less than u majority pay. The
Democratic Board did see tit to abolish
the Office of female supervisor which en-
tailed an annual outlay Of 5000 and board.
This office the Governor enacted, but did
not "retorm."
1t was right and just for DR.. Hill and
his family to receive $1,000 per annum.
Commencing with nine patients and run.
ming up to 2l0 patients, when he lett the
hospital. And Dr. Camden commencing
with that number and running Up to
over 400 patients, and besides adding TO
his care separate hospital for the color
ed insane, and making him building
superintendent without extra remuncra-
tion. Surely he is entitled to $1,000.
But aside from this comparison, il we
compare the expenditures of :he West
Virginia hospital with that of others
throughout the United States we
find that it is kept one-haLt cheaper
than the average Of all the hospitals in
the Union. Five dollars is the average
cost per capita per week for keeping in
the United States, while in the West
Virginia hospital during the last year
it was 81 3S!. Does this show misman-
agement2
Take for comparison any asylum near
in number of patients to our own.
Staunton, Virginia asylum for example
is one that we have all known, and have
pointed to with pride for its good and
official management. II has per-
haps 1T this time fewer patients
than our hospital, and no colored insane.
Yet they pay, by their report, So, 225 in
salaries per year, where we pay $4,000
S4,225 less, the superintendent receiving
$1,000. Two assistant physicians are al
lowed 81 500 each and board at the asy-
lum. A steward gets $1,000 per year
and large family boards at the asylum.
We pay 5000 and board one person. The
superintendent at Williamsburg. Va,
receives $1,000, The cost for keeping
these two asylums Is over SiOO per week.
Governor Stevenson speaks of having
all the physicians TO board out of the
hospital 1t seems strange that he would
inaugurate = new departure IN the treat
ment of the insane. AS the associations
of superintendents OF the United States
have put themselves OH record that they
should live in the hospital or on the
grounds, and the bylaws of the hospitsl
compel them to reside in the hospital.
DIR. Stribhng, of Stauntop, Va, before
his death, gave it as his opinion that the
superintendent should live in or on the
grounds of the hospital, and now hous"
Is built on the grounds for the superin.
tcndent. But they d!d not know the
Governors views then.
He says he would give the Superln-
tendent $500 year and have him
board out of the Hospital, and by his
calculation the superintendent would
have to pay Sl,7S5 more than he would
receive, or he would have to give 81, 1855
to get to be superintendent each year;
and he gravely tells us that he "knows
many physicians who would jump ut the
chance" He would give the l.tant
81 $50, and board in town at $l.40O, lie
would give the steward 5000 and the
matron 5000 and board-more than the
physicians.
The Governor speaks of Brussels car
pets and easy chairs. Has be forgotten
that the only Brussels carpet and chairs
were bought under his administration,
and of course, the expenditure was en-
dorsed BY him. 1t was a necessary ex-
penditure, but the Governor should not
90 back on his own acts 50 often. 1t is
ingratitude to himself. No Brussels
carpets or easy cnairs have been bought
since.
In regard to the centre building cost
ing so much, it was planned and the
foundation laid while our state was Vir-
rinia. The design WAS carried out by
the Republicans and finished after the
Democrats came into power. No party
is to be censured A. to hot and cod
water being allowed Tor the officers to
bathe in, what would he substitute? II
runs through the whole house and
cleanliness of body, rs well ssI heart, is
greatly TO be desired, unless the Cover
nor has new departure to suggest.