Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-05-24

appears that the asylums located at
stanton and Williamsburg were
crowded to their fullest capacity. and.
more room being demanded. the ques-
tion of another asylum engaged the
thoughtful attention of few public
spirited men, and. imbued with a SEN
timent akin TO genuine philanthropy,
The Legislature Of Virginia made the
first appropriation of twenty-five thou
sand dollars on the ed day % March.
1888, as the first installment of a fund
necessary for the erection of a Luna
tic Asylum west of the Allegheny
Mountains" In conformity with the
provisions Of the appropriation, Gov
ernor Henry A. Wise appointed a COM
mittee consisting Of Thomas S. Wallis,
Of Petersburg; Dr. Clement R. Harris,
Of Culpopper. and Samuel 7. Walker,
of Rockingham. TO visit that portion
of Virginia lying west of the Allegheny
mountains and select a site for the new
building. The commissioners were in
yitod TO visit Weston, and the residents
of the town. being inspired by a few
prominent men. melted a crusade of
general cleaning up. The powders in
the streets. which had for years been
stumbling blocks TO pedestrians, were
either demolished by iron hammers in
The hands Of sturdy yeomanry, or qui-
etIy secreted from public view. Mud
holes were carefully obliterated, and
the iimpson weed. which had flourished
i'm great luxuriance, was relegated,
body and root. to the banks of the West
Fork. where it underwent the process
of rcineration. The pavements and
sidewalks of the thoroughfares. which
had been sadly neglected. were now
i'm good repair. The pig sites which
we're numerous ard prominent, were
mcrcilessly demolished, and their oc-
+ curants were bauished from the corpo-
rate limits. where they could revel in
. the free masts Of the forests. After
the streets. sidewalks and alleys had
+ been thoroughly renovated, the people
turned their attention to the subject
/ Of Identifying their individual homes,
and houses We're repainted and put in
+ thorough repair: fences and trees were
vhitewashed. and the whole surround
ings assumed an appearance Of thrift,
health and comfort It is loosely re-
lated that even the CANNES, whose
number was legion, were carefully
/ bathed and otherwise made presentable
/ for the occasion.
So. when the commissioners reached
/ Weston. they were thoroughly charmed
} by the hospitality Of the people, which
was displayed in an unbroken ovation
I du.ing their entire stay in the town;
and the sanitary conditions being re-
ealdcG as all that could be desired.
/ they expressed themselves in terms of
I laudetion. After visiting several 9TH
/ er localities in what is now West Vir-
cruis. a site for the new asylum was
! finally selected at Weston, and it may
/ be srperauous to add that the people
Of Weston and Lewis county were
oyeroyed with the decision of the
/ commissioners. as they had every rea-
son &c believe that a new era of pros
rer.ty was thereby assured to this in
/ land town. Considered from almost
any standpoint. it is questionable
whether a more desirable location could
have been found for the new asylum
/ anywhere else within the boundary of
the State. 1t is true. at that day, Wes-
ten was inaccessible by rail; but the
commissioners. being men of superior
Judgment. readily comprehended that
this drawback would be overcome, as
! Lewis county was in the very heart
of tie richest section of West Virginia
and abounded in uudeyeloped wealth
which. in time. would stimulate capital
! to penetrate this territory with the irO'.
/ rcree. 1t was already noted for It's
agricultural resources. as we'll as its
aGap,abiity to grazing purposes. rs
The Kentucky blue grass was indlsen-
Gus To its soil All of these things
| doubtless contributed largely to form
irg the decision OF the commissioners
az. i'm the location of an asylum of such
proportions. convenient supplies for
The maintenance of its population be-
came an important factor The men,
bers of the first board of directors of
the "Lunatic Asylum west Of the Ale
cheny Mountains" three or four of
whom are still living and known to
nearly every one of yo,;. We're: Minter
Bailey. r. J. McCandish, Caleb Bog
CESS. j. c. Spaulding, James T. jack
son. George J. Arnold, William E. Ar
mold. Johnson y. Camden and John
| Brannon. Almost the first act of the
new board was to arrange for the pur-
chase of 269 acres of land, embracing
the site selected by the commissioners,
which was acquired at cost of So
Sc912. which was paid for out Of the
! drst appropriation. From the first re-
port of the board, it appears that own
ers of portions Of the land made lib