Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-08-03

The people of Belmont county have
been talking much OF late about
county work house where they could
send prisoners who have no money to
pay fines. and put to work and re-
ceive punishment in this way for their
law breaking.
The bulk Of the arrests made in the
county, outside of felony cases ara
drunkards and petty offenders. This
class of offenders seldom have any
money and their means of existence is
one OF those questions which has never
been answered. At present they are
kept in the city or town jails few
days and turned out or else sent to the
county Jail. being well fed in both
places, with no work to perform. 1t
is believed depredations are often COM
mitted so as 10 get into Jail.
The County Commissioners object to
the expense this INDECENT army puts up
on the county.
Some years ago prisoners broke stone
cause was abandoned. Later they were
sent to the Canton and GAINESVILLE
warehouses;, but this proved too ex-
pensive, and at present the majority
are turned loose and for this reason
there is now an almost universal de-
mand for a work house and especially
from the river front as 1t furnishes the
largest quota OF prisoners.
u l. n
a number of business men and city Of
ticials in the cities of Bellaire, Mart
ms Ferry and Bridgeport. and found
them demanding a workhouse and ex-
pressing themselves as follows:
Mayor Freese, OF Bellaire, said: by
all means we need a county work house
and | firmly believe 1t would lessen
crime. Sometimes I am at loss to
know what to do, as we can't send them
to the county 1ail or afford TO keep
them in Jail here and give them three
meals day. / hope the commissioners
will see this need and build a work
house."
Squire f. S. Mason, Bellaire: Am
heartily in favor of county work
house and think move should be
made to secure one"
DR.. w. o. S. Piper: THE matter
should be taken up Immediately and
pushed until the workhouse is secur-
ed.
Squire ]. w. Morrell. Bellaire: Put
me down for it. | think 1t is a neees-
sity and should be built Immediately.
Marshal James Johnson: 1T Is one
of the greatest needs OF the county at
present"
Officers Malone, Shepherd and Key
ser all expressed themselves as ia
vorable to a work house and thought
1t would stop crime
In Bridgeport all persons inter-
viewed spoke in favor of work house
including County Commissioner Smith
b. A. Trueman also spoke favorably
or the work house and hoped the same
would soon be built.
Everly South. A. T. Bowie and a
| number of other prominent business
men advocated It
Martins Ferry citizens expressed
their views in the same line. Mayor
Goodhue said he thought 1t would do
good and be of great benefit to the en-.
tire county
Marshal Erwin is strong believer
In a county workhouse.
In speaking to number Of promi-
nent attorneys in the county they all
were for the new institution and
thorBht If these evil doors knew that
work house stared them in the face
they would be more willing to work
and not loaf
A county work house would mean an
Improvement for the county roads and
1t is believed by many that it could be
made self sustaining.
From the present outlook It ia
thought such pressure will be brought
to bear on the officials as will result
In the building Of the much needed in
stitution.