Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-01-15

10 Dullu the plans, show that the pllasters
are as much part of the center building as
the door, and belonged to the contract, and
ought to have gone up with the walls, but
through the ignorance of some one, the
contractor did not build them in the wall.
1t did not matter if the portico had not been
built IN twenty years, there was the door for
an entrance, and the pilasters to receive the
stone entablature when ever they saw fit to
build it. When they came to build the
portico the pilasters were not there, and
they had to top it out with galvanized iron
OF wood, by which they claim great saving
to the State. The trustees say "rhe portico
was built according to the original plan,
with the exception that iron was used for
columns and cornice." Why not say iron
pilasters, too? This assertion is utterly
false; not much more like the plan than
they are like truthful men, and dare them
to submit their plans to any number OF our
good business men, in my presence, to dis
approve this charge. The trustees say ''the
building cost more than estimated" This
is q surprise to no one, because the COM
mittee say ''the original plans have been
changed in many particulars" Yes, and in
some instances, ''where one story was con-
templated, two, and even three stories have
OcoA c1eClcu, tudb LILO CouLI0
was to have been one story concern, and as
it is the only four story building now erected,
these trustees have improved Mr.. Sloan's
plans to such an extent he would not know
them.
I have read where a very good man was
taken up into an exceedingly high mountain
and shown all the kingdoms of the world,
which would be given the good man if he
would fall down and worship him. Some
have thought this offer rather large for one
who did not own foot of land. But it does
not equal what these trustees think they have
done in the building line for the State. The
Governor must be proud of these t'vindica-
tors'' for trying to palm off this outrageous
falsehood of adding to one story building
two, and even three stories. Not one brick
or stone has ever been laid in these two, or
one story buildings as yet. If one will turn
to an annual report of these trustees, on the
first page can be ssen the original ground
plan of the hospital. The trustees have left
off the two story extensions, north and south,
and two one story returns running back of
the two story extension, and the three story
return wing north and south, making about
one-third of the building that the patients
we're to occupy. On the opposite page will
be found the elevation as drawn by Mr.
Sloan. The "changes'' comprise bay win
dow built on the last three story section
north and south. These truthful trustees
say, ''The witness making these remarks is
The same person upon whose evidence the
committee based their finding in relation
to the joist, plastering, the tying
in of the walls, ETC., etc. Ou1
former showing establishes the value OF his
opinion, and the above remarks show the
animus of the witness. It was but the snort
of a disappointed place-seeker.' A place
seeker is it? AS I already have stated
did not solicit anything of these men, anG
when was disabled at the commencement
of the building rendered my resignation
It was not accepted, as was so reliable il
| those days, and directed the work from m,
bedside over month. Well, it caps thu
climax to be called a place seeker by me1
like MR. .T.Brown, OK candidate for anything
from Governor down to school director. an1
has been standing around fifteen years tax
ing up the crumbs in his capacious NAV
A. IL. Kerr, preacher, secretary, treasurer
trustee, superintendent of construction ano
steward, if he can get the Office at the SECOND
hospital, and some others of the same stamp
To show the ''animus'' of this witness and
his ''unreliability,'' will go at any tim.
with one or all of the trustees, business
men of the town, and prove by the plan,
and specification, contracts, that no change
has been made in the building of any &C
count. The portico to center building il
not like the original plan. The plaster.
should have been in the contract, and was
part of center building.
The work claimed for which $428.7l wa,
paid in 1874 cannot be found. The lois
are left out. The contract required the
pediment to be put on the fist return
wing north, should have been BULL
to receive the second section. The con-
tractors refused to do so, and the State
lost several thousand dollars thereby. The
window seats were not put in the first south
section and return wing as per con
tract, ETC., etc. The trustees know that. Dr.
l.. Miller, one of the trustees in the summer
of 1871, came to st. Peter and caused the
building committee trouble for the kind Of
material then being used. They were
forced to buy brick at Mankato, and ther
paid the contractor for hauling his rotte1
brick that had been received by the superin
tendent of construction. They then were
hauled away as so much rub
bish. The trustees ask swha1
was the character of the evidence before the
committee, etc. of one Couplin, who was
employed as superintendent of construction
in 1869, whose place was filled at the end
Of his term of employment by a more com.
petent person at less cost, etc. The answe,
to this question can be found by consulting
file of the St. Peter Tribune, date Apri
26, 1871.
In word of explanation, Mr.. Kerr states
"Mr. Couplln gave entire satisfaction to the
board. etc. eve regard him eminently
qualified to take charge of an important or
public building" How very kind. Then
Mr.. Downs s'was selected, because he was a
practical mechanic" when the minutes of
the building committee show that few DAYS
before Mr. D. was employed for the reason
''the State could save 50 cents day." Next
year, when the price of masons was from
fifty cents to one dollar less, these economi-
cal trustees gave Mr.. Downs five dollars Dor
day to look after contractors, when the work
had been previously laid out by zone Coup
lin, the incompetent. will ask if the
trustees were telling the truth in 1871, or in
1878, i'll their 'svindication.'' Cannot Won
tell by your book without an expert? I
think the trustees allowed some 1915 instead
of $500, as stated, for expenses in visiting
hospitals in the East. Mr.. Kerr states GIN
tne carry Gays OF the hospital, when We were
all novices, and ignorant of the wants, man
agement and construction, and indeed every
thing pertaining to the work before u.s. -
Remember, the trip was taken after the arch
ltect had accepted the work as right in all
particulars. AT the same time the building
committee thought best for the superintend-
ent to take little time to look after matters
of all kinds pertaining to buildings of this
description.
In conclusion, would ask who are the
trustees, any way? One General Brown, who
received his title while Surveyor General of
Minnesota, from which office he made
mastery retreat to prevent exposure for