Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-02-12
THE UORKHOUSE MUST GO
To Make Room for More Modern
and Substantial Prison.
The Committee on Police Favors
the Erection Of a New Structure,
and will Make q Recommendation
to Council-A Visit to the Institu-
ton on the Hill Yesterday After
noon Committee Meetings.
The old workhouse mus go!

noon Committee Meetings.
The old workhouse must go!
The frail and flimsy, weather beaten,
ramshackle structure on the slope of
Wheeling hill has outlived its useful
ness. When it was erected, twenty
three years ago, the contract price was
$500, and it is said the contractors net
profit was $500. For nearly a quarter
Of a century it has been a haven of
rest for weary Willies. It's doors have
swung back Hospitality for the men,
bers of the hobo tribe, and thousands
n them have dined sumptuously on
the diet of what is technically termed
Chicago and Boston" Guests fire.
Quently returned, and were always well
coined. So generous, indeed. was their
host that he used his powers of per-
suasion to induce his guests TO tarry
longer, but this invitation was never
pushed to the point of giving offense.
They left when they pleased.
1t is a sad commentary on the per-
versity of human nature that there
have been persons who were, or pre-
tended to be, dissatisfied with their en-
northumberland who UnceremOn-
| iously departed between dusk and dawn,
and afterwards used their little axes
| for purposes quite different from that
which history reveals in connection
with the Father of his Country. Some
of them, evidently afflicted with wheels,
! have circulated improbable tales about
/ buggy beds Others, their brains on
| fire with their riotOus living, have peo-
| pied their fancies with rodents, the
| blatta orientalis, and other beasts of
burden. And. sad to relate, there have
( been those VINO repaid kindness by
placing dark tints on the organs of Wis
/ ion of their host and his assistants.
The form Of entertainment at this
famed hosiery was unique. Guests
were decorated with chains, with little
( balls OF metal attached. and presented
7 with tools with which they dug stones
( from the hillside They We'd with each
other in securing large collections of
/ the beautiful rocks which are found in
abundance in that vicinity. Guests
were all expected to join in this health
| full sport When they declined to do
! so. the host feigned anger and locked
| them in rooms lined with black velvet
ard equipped with a luxurious couch OF
nice. soft. warm straw. Here they
Jared elegantly on natures own bey-
/ erage and two weeks old product OF the
! bakers art. II was a violation of the
: rules of the establishment TO leave the
/ dark room without the consent Of the
| host, but may did so.
I Now all is to be changed. and many
! a sigh will escape from the lips of
! former guest, as he steps aside to al
/ low a train TO pass. and stops to pick
up a copy of the Register dropped from
a car window. The Council Committee
on Police has endorsed the views Of
Mayor Butts concerning the institution.
/ The members of the committee were
/ guests of Mr.. McGannon yesterday al
ternOon. They were received in his
private drawing room, and were seated
on store boxes, preparatory TO a trip
through the establishment The start
was made on the stroke of four, and II
was exactly two minutes and fifteen
seconds past the hour when the tour
was finished. They found several
guests suffering from the govt Mine
host McGannon conducted the party
through the luxurious sleeping apart
ments. the parl0r. library the dark
rooms. and finally into the culinary de
partment where Monsieur Gabriel De
jackson. the chef. was busy in his pre-
variations for the cou(a)rse dinner,
which is served at 4:30 O'Clock. They
were next conducted to the play
grounds. where they found that the
search for stones had been so persist
ent as TO form a tunnel extending
considerable distance into the earth.
Returning from the tunnel Mr.. Nc
Cannon pointed TO a broken window in
/ the skylight. through which one of his
| guests in a freakish mood had started
/ to leave the establishment. On that
occasion Mr.. McGannOn was in a play
/ full mood himself. and he tossed an
empty champagne bottle at the head OF
| his guest. with such excellent aim that
| the guest dropped TO the Hoor below
but fortunately was not injured, as ne
fell on a soft Turkish rug. At this
point the building slipped about two
/ feet toward Avenue c, and some of the
visitors exhibited alarm, which was
uncaHed for. as the building is so ar
ranged that child of seven could push
it back into place.
The natural beauty Of the surround
/ ings was so attractive that the commit
fee held its meeting on the lawn. II
was decided to ask Council for an ap-
preparation to defray the expense OF
plans for Il new structure just south
OF the present building. and to recon-
slider its former action in granting the
privilege to a lady in the North End
to use a portion of the ground. The
committee then descended to Market
street by the toboggan route. entered
the municipal coupe and were driven
down town.
Before the visit to the workhouse the
committee held a short session at the
building. at which the matter OF secur-
ing new badges for the police was I'M
der consideration.
Attend stone a Thomas Annual Carpet
! Remnant sale to-day.