The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1868-01-16

aIIdllSeuiCut OIL inc IHdSSeS ana
parts Of the structure The sum al
lotted to this work was changed at
the final passage of the appropria-
ton bill, whilst in terms it required
the whole to be completed for about
one-half Of what the committee had
estimated to be necessary. Had the
appropriation been what it was no
doubt intended to be, a partial one,
the trustees would have begun the
work Of building, bat under the
language of the law they have prop
erly felt unauthorized to proceed
until you shall have. sanctioned the
necessary expenditure.
The Asylum for Idiotic children
is nearly completed, and the insult
ficient and unwholesome quarters at
present occupied by these unfortu-
mates will soon be exchanged for
the cheerful, airy, and well arranged
apartments ofthe new bniiding.
The new Asylum for the Deaf
and Dumb is also very nearly finish
ed, and they hope to have the school
in progress at an earl y day in Your
session. The old building being
overshadowed by the new one, and
the sewerage being deranged by the
new construction, became alarming
ly unhealthy during the summer.
An epidemic fever broke out among
the pupils Of so malignant charac
ter that the medical advisers report
ed it Unnecessary to suspend the school
and send the children to their homes.
By doing this promptly the fatal
cases were made very few, and many
lives undoubtedly saved. The OPP
portunity was taken to remove the
Ole building and grade the grounds,
SO that the unhealthy effects which
might result from much change OF
the soil whilst the school would be
III progress, are obviated.
In the month OF October, facts
which came to my knowledge salts
fed me that in the mode of conduct
ing the building Of this Asylum,
the architect aud superintendent,
Joseph II. Blackburn, had been com
mitting a series Of petty frauds and
embezzlelnents, reaching back to
the very commencement Of his ser
vices i'll that capacity in 1864. The
high character for honesty and in
tegrity he had borne in Cleveland,
where he resided, and the great con
fidence Governor Brough, by whom
be was appointed, was known to
have felt iii him, made me very eau
tious in examining the question Of
his honesty, and with the assistance
Of the trustees OF the institution,
and particularly Of Hon s. Gallo
way, a minute and careful investiga-
ton was made. 1t was found that
in the payment Of those workmen
employed directly by the architect,a "a
habitual overcharge for their work
had been made, more being entered
upon the pay-rolls receipted by
them, than they were actually paid.
The class OF men th!ls employed be-
ing generally day laborers and mex
perienccd men, they were easily pre-
vented from knowing the fraud
practiced, or made. to believe the
transaction an allowable one. In a
similar mode Of overcharge, Ium ber
bills purchased in the spring OF
1865 were increased in amount, and
the difference in both cases appro
priated by the architect. No pre-
tence Of right to charge commits
sions existed or was claimed, he be
ING; employed at a fixed salary as
authorized by law. The total
amount thus embezzled during the
whole period from July, 1861, to
the time Of discovery, is found to
be q little less than ten thousand
dollars The investigation was
found to inplicate z. I. Brookes,
a subordinate and assistant of Black
burn, and the case was placed in the
hands OF the Attorney General, who
has commenced both criminal and
civil prosecutions against the of
Tenders.
The discovery of these frauds
naturally gave rise to rumors and
suspicious that Others would be
found in ihe contracts for building,
etc. So far as l have been able to
carry this investigation, no NAL
practices have been proven in- the
dealings between architect and con
tractors, nor have [ seen evidence
that any such profit has been made
by the contractors which would lead
to reasonable suspicion. For theii
Justification, however, as well as for
q more complete examination than
[ have been able to make personally
[ would recommend a searching in
vestigation by a committee fully au-
thorized to send for persons and
papers.
AS soon as the facts referred to
above were known, Mr.. George Bel
lows, of this city, was appointed
Architect and Superintendent, ii
place Of Blackburn removed, and
has been occupied in making care
ful measurements and estimates OF
the work done as compared with
contracts and speciflcatlons. AS
soon as this LABOR is sufficiently adj
vanced, his report will be laid before
you, showing the precise condition
OF the work and Of the various ac-
counts connected with it. Mean
while it is extremely important to
| the interests ofthe institution that
the heating apparatus and plumbing
should be promptly finished, and the
little carpentering and plasterin g
still incomplete should progress so
far as not to delay the re-opening CT
the school. For this purpose an
early partial appropriation is neces-
sary. and, in my judgment, may be
made without risk, as the withheld
percentage on the contracts will