The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-01-14
MISTAKES OF THE DEMOCRATS.


Z. OF. AFFAIRS. 7
4, y ~ y = ~ M -
Special Correspondent t',f NJ
SPENCER. W. VA, Jan. 12--whlle
up In this section OF West Virginia !
deemed II good plan to drop over to
yspeneersand see how the Second Hos
pital for the Insane was prospecting un-
der this. Its flrst Republican admins;
tration. knowing that o true report II
one who had observed Il undsr the
management OF the Democrats, with
Or. ". d. Row. as superintendent. and
also at the present time, would not on
iy be OF interest to the Republican par
ty, but OF interest to every citizen and
4 especialiyi 70 every tax payer Of the
4 state. N Is
w The people to tbc taken into consider
alton in the management OF such an
Y institution are first, the poor untortu-
Z nate inmates and next the tax payers
ofithe state at large. y. i
sst; While i had known the present su-.
4 perlntendent for. years, and knew him
to- be not only a iirst-c!ass physician.
Z but also one of great promise for the
n culture i did not know what might be,
: his ability. rs an executive officer. How
& ever, judged him to be q man of un-
usually sound. common sense, as well
4 asAcspeclaily adapted professionally for
Z the position, and a careful examination
into the past Democratic management
: and the management OF the present.
y board {and Republican superintendent
\ shows the most gratifying results to
every citizen and tax payer, as well MS,
to the relatives and friends OF the pa
tients throughout the state as the pro-
duct OF the. change.
For the benefit OF those who may not
know where Spencer, the county seat
OF Roane, is situated, i beg leave to
y say that 1t is scattered over the hill.
sides and bottoms OF Spring creek,
L tributary OF Little Kanawha, and about
eight miles north OF the geographical
Z center OF the county, and thirty.tl three
i miles from RavensHood, on the Ohio
Z River railroad and connected witt; the
s Ohio River. railroad by the RAVENS
wood, Spencer & Chenille railroad.
The shospital:is loca ted on the other or
southeast side OF Spring creek. facing
: the upper part OF the town. ] t Is built
OF brick, with stone trimmings and
s consists of four ward buildings. each,
three stories high and containing
twelve wards. The administration
Z building Is located In the center, being
!. the middle building and is four stories
high. giving, the buildings very ar
tistic and imposing appearance. The
frontage OF the institution Is 1000 feet,
leaving each ward building about two
g hundred and twenty-one feet, and each
ward two hundred feet in the clear,
The cost OF the buildings machinery.
ETC., Is approximately $780, Back OF,
the buildings runs up one OF those In
& terminable hills that makes Roane one
r OF the best sheep growing counties In
3 the state. The lawn in front slopes
down to Spring creek some four hun,
dsed and fifty feet. and although some.
s $4,000 were expended on It by our
/ Democratic friends. 1t Is about as poor
~ graded, CRASHES and desolate look
ing as any hater OF natures beauty,
would desire to have about him.
l4S While am neither an artist nor.
Landscape gardener, yet would not
3tllket! 10 have been the man who suoerln-
{ tended the disbursement OF that IS. 900
on the lawn. would have feared an
expert examination into my accounts
~ While this is beyond doubt a mod
ell institution and conducted economic
ally, yet perfectly5a as TO the needs and
Il com forts OF the patients. since the Re-
!: publican board and the new! supcrin-
etendent took charge, its location at this
point was worfe ,than mistake.4' II
K was a crime. Our Democratic friends
veres on top then and failed to reach
the wise conclusion that sel:-constitu-
= ted bosses OF my party cannot forever
Impose upon the people without the re-
3 action OF rebellion The rebellion has
come and gone and with 1t went both
and tails OF the Democracy. The,
4 work was done, however. Part OF the
& hospital had been built and some of the
material hauled thirty odd miles from
B Ravcnswcod over what Is surely the
\ muddiest and worst roads in the state.
Z at2aa enormous expense. Then came M
Z some land holders, camorIng for
II railway from Ravenswood to Spencer,
= OF course II was built. II not for the
Hospital 1t would have been as useless
Ito the state IS was the Democratic
! party at that time. It was not mis-
take to locate II here. It was as before
remarked. a Democratic crime. In this
z connection It Is pertinent to remark
that 1t is hero and although the expense
OF transportation, the lack OF proper
local supply o: provisions and an mad.
eGuate water supply for laundry and
culinary purposes. and the dismal sur
iroundinGs. It IS here ard here to star.
Although Its expenses are greater and
Its drawbacks more numerous tl,an
z they would have been had It been 10
Gated at some more favorable sltua-
tlon, yet tho legislature should see
Z that appropriations sufficient 10 main.
{ tain 1t as 1t ls-a model hospital--.
should be passed. MS also should be
passed on appropriation to maize some
badly needed improvements. To over.
Z look this would be {, serious mistake, a
S5costlg mistake. and morally and hu-
: namely untns; and wrong. glG
The buildings and grounds arc ileiht-
X Cd by the best OF electric lish;s and no
~