The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-03-24
.ALRAYs YITH YOu,n
An Afternoon az the Ohio County Poor
Farm Al Him GrOVe-ViSlt Of the over
seeFs OF the Poor.

Farm Al Him GroVe-ViSit Of the over
seers Of the Poor.
While our reporter was at the Baltimore
and Ohio depot shortly after dinner yes
.erdsy he encountered quite q party of
The members Of the Board OF Commits
siopers, who were on the road to Elm
Grove for the purpose Of taking an inven'
tory Of the County Home, at that inCipient
city. The gentlemen were Messrs. Joseph
speidel, John W. schultzs, B, F, Cald'
well, George H. CANADIAN and ., S. Ter.
rill, Of the Board, and W. O. Smith, Capt
Ed, Plankey and John W, Cummings, the
last named gentlemen going over for the
purpose Of examining the boiler in the
building,
a cordial invitation was extended our
man to accompany the party, aud the
invitation being accepted We found our
selves at Elm Grove about 8 O'Clock, hAv..
ing been delayed some time by Q fall o.
earth and stones on the railroad track
between this city and the Poor House.
THR OBJECT OF THR VISIT.
At the recent session OF the BoSrd Capt.
Ed. Plankey was elected to succeed, as
Superintendent, Mr., B, Stanley, who has
filed the position for the last ten or eleven
years, and to ASCERTAIN the condition OF the
building, the furniture belonging to the
county, the articles belonging to Mr.,
Stanley and also to give Captain Plankey
an idea OF the duties he would be expected
10 perform, were the objects Of the visit.
Mr.. Stanley was elected to his present
position before the completion OF the pre-
sent poor house, and claims to have
brought with him quantity OF furniture,
household utensils, &C., much OF which
has been destroyed during his inCum.
bency, and for which destruction he asked
to be remuneTated. In furtheranCe Of his
claims he presented written schedule OF
the articles, and alter q careful Considera.
ton OF each had been made and all had
been enumerated, the committee decided
to allow him the sum OF $92 40 for them,
or at least to recommend to the Board
the payment OF that amount Of money,
THE POOR HOUSE
Is in llrst.class condition 30 far as clsanli-
meas, sanitary condition and good repair
are concerned. Every room in the build
ing, from base to dome, Is as neat and
clean as soap and water can make them,
and as consequence the sanitary Condi.
ton OF the building Is good. Other causes,
however, combine to bring this about,
AZ for instance, the rooms are well lighted
by means Of large windows plentiiully and
iudiCiously distributed all over the build
Ing, while the ventilation Is excellent The
building is also heated by steam and d
uniform temperature Is maintained OF all
times
The basement OF the building Is nearly
ell utilized, the eastern end being used for
q laboratory for the inmates, wash house,
ironing room, &c. Adjoining this room Is
the boiler room, pump house and coal
house. The pump Ia used for the purpose
OF forcing water from the creek to reser.
volr In the top Of the building from which
water Is distributed through all the rooms
! In the house.
The boiler used In the building Is an old
fashioned affair, dangerous and death on
coal, requiring the consumption oil ten
bushels before steam can be raised at all,
and proportonate consumption subse.
quently. Mr.. Cummings pronounced
the old apparatus both dangerous,
and useless and recommend the pur.
chase Of q new one at once. He estimated
the cost Of double Hued boiler ut about
$3.50, and the committee adopted the re-.
port and recommended the purchase.
The remaining portion OF the basement
Is divided up into little rooms, used vari.
ously, some for the reception OF potatoes,
vegetables and garden truck, while others
have been used as bed rooms for ''Cosmo.
poitans," vulgarly known az "tramps."
One OF these rooms has been fitted up as Q
dark cell and In 1t refractory inmates are
confined.
THE FIRST FLOOR
Is used as q residence for the superin.
tendent and his family, DINING hall for the
inmates, dormitories for some Of them,
and the Office OF the Superintendent Is
also on this floor. This office Ia only q
nominal as It Is used as medicine
room, store room, library, (?) &c. The
DINING hall Is large, well lighted, well
ventilated and cheerful apartment, O0Ou.
plying the entire eastern end OF the floor,
Across It, from north 10 south, arc many
large plain tables, all OF them painfully
clean and white, while their only furni.
ture is a large number oil tin plates from
which the paupers eat their food.
Out Of tho dining hall we pass into the
kitchen, which Is well furnished with oil
necessary working appliances. Several
pantrles and store rooms adjoin The
kitchen, and all are convenient and well
adapted 10 their purposes.
On the second floor are other dormiLories
and two hospital rooms, one for males and
the other for females. Another flight oil
stairs leads 10 several rooms used as
sleeping rooms, while In the dome oil the
building is the reservoir, which we have
already noticed. On every floor we no.
tiCed quantity Of hose to be used In the
event oil FIRE.
The building throughout 10 we'll yenti.
lated and 10 good condition, with the ex.
Ception OF the floors, which are badly
laid and In a miserable condition.
THE FARM.
So charmed we're we with the internal
condition Of the Home. that we determined
to make an examination OF that part OF
the farm lying near the house, but we
regret 10 say that In no instance can we
compliment the retiring Superintendent
on his management Of the lands or the
buildings.
A very comfortable brick barn stands
ust east Of the House, and this ia used
for everything. In the basement we find
three horses, two OF them good ones and
the other the veriablo 'old grey nag" that
came "down from Jerusalem" One OF
these horses belongs 10 Mr.. Stanley as
does also one Of the I've COWS tied 10 III
another section Of the building. Nine
hena and two cocks are all the poultry on
the plantation, while few hogs grnnted
mplaCently In a ETY. near by the barn.
In q crib we found large quantity si corr
utterly valueless, on account Of being
husked Too early. Other evidences Of
farming were abundant.
Tho farm nnnhiRIa nj ahnttE i'm ANNA nj |