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

The next question for the board to con-
slider was the adoption of a plan for the
building, and inasmuch as the act of
the Assembly contemplated that be-
Z fore the adoption of one it should be
submitted to "some physician or ply
sicians, who had charge of similar es-
adjustments, or are practically ac-
Quainted with all the details for their
management, and receive their full ap-
probation" and, with this end in view,
the board delegated to two of its men,
bers, John Brannon and William E.
Arnold, the authority to visit various
hospitals for the insane located in the
northern and eastern States, that they
might obtain such information as would
better aid the board in making a proper
selection Of a plan for the new hos
pital. The services of r. SnOwden An
drews. of Baltimore, were engaged, and
the draft of the present main structure
of the hospital was prepared and sub
mitted to Dr. Kirkbride, of Philadel-
phia, Pa, and DR.. Stribling, OF Staun-
ton, Va, who were recognized as two
of the most eminent authorities on in
sanity in the United States, for their
approval. After suggesting certain
changes in the plan, making it conform
to the most recent hospital architect
ure, it was finally adopted by the board
of directors. 1t is creditable to all who
were in any manner engaged in the
formation of this plan that, with the
exception of few changes which
might now be suggested, it is to-day
recognized as one of the most complete
buildings of the kind in the United
States, and we'll adapted to the pur-
poses for which it was designed. The
most important change that the pres
ent necessities require is TIE substitu-
ton of congregate dining-rooms, which
experience has demonstrated to be
very essential to well-regulated hospi-
tails for the insane.
In addition to the sum of $4,000 ap-
propriated by the Legislature Of Vir-
ginia. 100000 were obtained from
same source and $4,000 from the re
stored government of Virginia. The
major part of these appropriations was
expended in excavations and founda-
tons for the building, as it was deemed
proper that the entire foundations
should be built before the construction
of any of the supersuucture. Doubt
less there was much wisdom displayed
in this determination, for the reason
that it allowed the foundation work
to become thoroughly settled before
additional weight was put on It, there
by obviating the dangers incident TO
the construction Of heavy structures
on green foundations. Consider for a
moment that the length Of the main
building lacks but a few feet Of being
one-Quarter of a mile, and that in order
to get a permanent and secure base
much of the foundation is buried TWEEN
" feet beneath the surface of the
ground. and it can be readily compre-
hended why so much of the appropria-
tons was used for that purpose.
When this nucleus of noble charity
fell to the fostering care of West Vir-
GINA. by reason of it having severed
its connection with the old State, there
was no building within its borders ded-
icated to the uses of the unfortunate
insane. 1t may. therefore, be accept
ed as a matter for congratulatiOn that
at the inception of the project the
world entertained a different idea in
regard to the provision for this class
of unfortunates which was advanced
above the mere necessities of utility
and security and embodied the broader
and nobler conception of true and I'M
alloyed humanity. Being absorbed by
the genius of progress and possessing
the higher endowments of humane SEN
timent. the board of directors took adj
vantage Of the experience reproduced
in the most renowned institutions Of
the country and, selecting from each
the best architectural features, they
furnished plan embodying ornate
architecture. elegant simplicity and
graceful symmetry. together with an
interior arrangement meeting all the
required wants for the proper classifi-
cation and intelligent management of
the insane. which challenges the adj
miration of every citizen Of the State.
The architects estimate for the con-
struction of the main building was
$S05 ,OC0, including heating, ventilating
apparatus, engine house, etc. | find,
however. upon examining one OF the
biennial reports of the institution,
that the main building, including fur
niture. cost $625, 900. AS the benef-
ciary of Virginia, the building was de-
signed to accommodate go patients and
was intended solely for the acute in
sane. or that class which was consid-
cred durable by receiving prompt ard
skillful treatment in an institution
combining all of the modern facilities.
Had the Mother State continued intact