Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1885-01-21

upon the extensions of the capitol, under chap
yer 700 OF the laws of 1882, the sum of 40 49,,
eeing 20 per cent, of the amount earned at that,
cate under the contract Under the supervision
OF the architect and building superintendent,
Work was being pushed vigorously and with fair
p ~, Of comPistion by ia uary 1884, When
on november g. 1888 occurred the unforeseen dis
Iaster In the south wing. Said wing was inclosed
az the time, the interior walls, iron work and;
rool Deing IN position. Most of the interior work
above the basement walls with the roof and a
portion OF the south exterior wall came down,
with sudden crash, carrying with it the forty!
Workmen employed on the building at the time
vi these forty men, five were killed Instantly
and eighteen wounded. One of the yyonndaX
after several months of suffering died of his in;
juries Being absent at Bayfield, on official bust
ness, at the time of the accident telegranhedj
the secretary of state to that every proper pro-
and wounded This was done, and has
been continued under my direction and the
expense, amounting TO S5,174O4 has been
paid through the Office Of the superintendent of
public property Pei haps, in strictness, this ex-
penditure was beyond the law. These men thus
injured were laboring men. They were at work
upon the capitol ofthe state when disaster, swift
and unexpected, came upon them. In the cir
cumstances, felt that i'll did less the people of
Wisconsin would not justify me. On the occur
renee of the accident, all work on the extensions
stopped. A committee of experts, consisting of
James r. Willett, of Chicago; A. c. Nash of Gin
cinnati; c: F. Struck. of Minneapolis, architects;
and Godfrey Ludwig, of Cincinnati, master
mechanic, was called by order OF the building
commissioners and asked to investigate the mat
ter and report as to the cause of the accident.
Which duty the committee of experts
Performed submitting their report in
writing, and recommended some changes
in the original details as necessary
to properly strengthen the buildings. Without
unnecessary delay, the work of rebuilding was
begun, and Mr.. w. w. Boyington, architect of
Chicago, engaged with instructions from the.
commissioners to direct such changes in the re-
construction as he deemed necessary for security
and safety of the almost competed north wing,
as well as the south extension.
mt tO inc 0fin Nv
directed that other and heavier iron columns be
substituted for those provided for IN the contract
10 extend from the basement walls the roof,
instead of from the brick piers the second
floor; that additional columns be put in, and iron
work of increased strength All without chang
Ing the plan, which had been drawn with especial
reference to the convenience and wants of the
supreme court, state library and Historical So
c1ety, and had been adopted after consultation
with ana upon The recommendation OF the judges
of the su preme court and the officers of the His
torical Society. Thus the extensions have been
completed and accepted by the commissioners.
1hey are pronounced by Mr.. BOyington to be
abundantly safe, and are practically ire proof.
The cost of labor and material in making the al
terations directed by Mr. Boyington in excess of
what the same would have been if done under
the contract, is sscertained to be ST. 1869 95 which
amount has been audited by the building COM
mlss1oners, and L recommend that an appropri-
alton be made at an early date for the payment
OF the same
EXPOSITION
In accordance with the laws of the United
States, the President appointed Hon. E. D. Hol-
ton, OF Milwaukee, commissioner, and Hon. ].
NJ Smith, of Green Bay. alternate commissioner,
for the State of Wisconsin to the Worlds Indus
trial and Cotton Centennial Exposition at
New Orleans, commencing December 16,
1854 These gentlemen. have had charge
an exhibit of t the resources and ppFodncfs
of Wisconsin, and they have faithfully and eff
GENTLY performed this work. Congress declared
that this exposition should be national and inter
national in its character, ana appropriated
large sum of money to aid in the celebration.
Five thousand dollars was set apart to each state,
to encourage and assist them in making full
and complete exhibition of all the arts, manu-
features and products of the soil and mine within
the state. There being no session of the Legis-
lature IN this state, and no provision of law
ahording funds for the purpose the commission
ers raised sum of money by subscription,
sufficient for the immediate needs of the under
taking. This state, in the exposition, will stand
the test of comparisons with all the other states
of the Union and will be proud Of its success and
greatly benefited by the spread of knowledge
concerning It's resources and the value of It's prod
ucts. AS the benefit is to the entire state SO
should the expense be borne by the people. L
Wouio, therefore, recommend that sufficient
sum be appropriated to defray the disbursements
of the commission, including the repayment of
the amounts subscribed.
BANKS AND BANKING.
The business of banking is one essentially de-
pendent upon the confidence of the people, and
one which affords opportunities for fraud upon
depos1tors, but which happily seldom occur.
Whether safeguards may be lawfully adopted to
further secure those depositing with state
aud private banks from loss, is a subject worthy
of your consideration.
Thus, in discharge of the duty laid upon me
by the constitution, I have brought briefly to
your attention those matters of which the public
interest seems to demand especial mention; and
assure you it will give me great pleasure to join
you in every effort to promote the welfare of the
state, and to meet the just expectations of the
people, whose servants we all are.
JEREMIAH NJ. RUSK.
EXECUTIVE CHAMBER, MADISON, Wis, January
IA, 1885.