River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1885-01-22

feet and inadequate for the purpose for which Il
| was designed, and should be revised and
amended by this legislature. This bureau. with
aud better facilities for collecting statistics will
result in great benefit to the state
EDUCATION.
The vital Importance Of popular education
cannot be overestfmated, and the interest Of our
people in the subject is commensurate with its
| Importance. The report OF the state superin-
| tendent which commend TO yonr attention. is
1 repete with interesting statistics and sugges-
| lions. and shows the common school system Of
our state to be in condition of steady growth
and Improvement. which is exceedingly crafty
ing. In July last this state was honored with
/ the meeting Of the National Education associs-
ton, held in this city. This the largest ed
ucational convention yer held. and there were
among It's members many of the most eminent
| persons OF that profession in the United States
The meeting resulted in great good to this
state, and the organization and liberality Of our
educational system were the subjects OF
| communication and praise. have no doubt you
will give just and thorough consideration
| to all suggestions for the Improvement of the
| public schools or for extending their field of
| usefulness: but 1 feel justified in calling to
| your especial attention the recommendation of
| the state superintendent, that provision be
made by law for the free supply of text books
| for the pupils In the public schools. The abb
| sence OF uniformity in the books used, even in
| adjacent school districts. creates serious ex-
| pense TO that quite large class Of citizens who
are not permanently located and this expense
falls most heavily upon class least able to bear
| 1t, and whose children receive their education
almost entirely from the common schools, and
| has, no doubt, deferred many children from at
tending school. The experience of large NUM-
per 9a cites ab ana some states which have
Gates that larger attendance will be secured. q
higher efficiency attained, time saved and less
money expended, by supplying just the books
| required.
UNIVERSITY
The reports Of the regents and president of the
NxEtn Lott Lob,
| is pleasure to note that the institution is in
generally satisfactory condition. 1t has recently
met with serious loss by the destruction by
fre of Science hall with valuable collections and
| apparatus. The regents will present to you
plans and estimates for building to replace the
one destroyed, and will ask for the requisite APP
preparations for this and other purposes. The
university has attained a high rank, and ought
to be an object of universal pride to the people.
IL deserves generous support from the state, and
trust Its wants will receive liberal treatment at
| your hands.
AGRICULTURE.
Agriculture is the chief source OF wealth to the
| state and the ultimate reliance of its people.
| Upon the successful prosecution of this pursuit
| depends in a great degree. the prosperity and
| happiness of ali classes The interests involved
are so important and so far-reaching and diverse
| In detail that commission or state board OF
| agriculture should be established. Other states
have found such of great practical utility. The
| state has become great thorouRhfare for the
transportation OF live stock from different
| sources. Some means should be provided
whereby our domestic animals may be protected
| from the importation and spread of contagious
| diseases. The state board OF health has sug-
gested the appointment of a veterinary surgeon
with adequate power in the premises and COM
mend this matter to your attention The great
| progress that dairy husbandry has made in this
state is largely due to the efforts of the State
| Dairymens association. To this industry, and
| to the energy and intelligence displayed by the
dairymen, much praise is duo for bringing
| about result in which the state justly feels
great pride. i recommend a liberal appropria-
ton for this association and also that its pro-
he nrin an
State Horticultural society represents distinct
branch OF industry, aud its proceedings should
| be printed and bound In a volume by itself, ana
| remain as formerly, at the disposal OF the
| society. The society is doing a good work; is
making creditable exhit at the expositi at
New Orleans, and as their expenses are largely
increased, recommend that the usual appro-
priation of $500 be increased TO 81 900 this
| year. meeting OF representative farmers was
consider the propriety of establishing
an agricultural school separate and apart from
other institutions of learning. 1t was the senti-
ment of that convention that the agricultural de-
partment of the state university had, thus far,
failed to attract any considerable number OF
students; and that the conditions were such as
TO give little hope of improvement in this re-
spect in the future; and that the time had come
for the founding OF purely agricultural SCHOOL
The action Of this convention was endorsed by
the Wisconsin State grange, at its annual session
in this ty last December. believe such school,
devoted purely to training men to be better
farmers; would operate to check the dangerous
rush of farmer boys to the cities and into the
professions: would in thee add dignity and
power to the agricultural class, and would be
beneficial TO the people generally. The agricult-
ural department of the university has, through
no apparent fault of the institution, not fully
met the wants of the agricultural classes in tb.f
particular; but the experiment station IS DONG
good work and merits encouragement.
CAPITOL EXTENSIONS.
At the time of delivering my annual message
to the legislature of 1888 there had been ex-
pended upon the extensions OF the capitol, I'M
der chapter $50 of the Laws of 1852 the sum Of
hpin n
earned at that date under the contract Under
the supervision Of the architect and building
superintendent, work was being pushed vigor-
Ousy and with fair prospects of completion by
Jan. /, 1884 when, on Nov. 3, 1883, occurred
the unforeseen disaster in the south wing said
wing was inclosed at the time, the interior walls
iron work and roof being in position Most of
the interior work above the basement wallis
with the roof and portion of the south exterior
wall came down with sudden crash, carrying
with IL the forty workmen employed on tne
building OF the time. OF these forty men,
five were killed instantly and eighteen a
wounded. One OF the wounded after
several months of suffering died OF
his injuries. Being absent at Bayfield, on ON
eial business at the time Of the accident tele-
eraphed to the secretary of state 20 see that
every proper provision was made for the care OF
killed and wounded This was done, and has
been continued under nv direction, and the ex-
pense, amounting to $5,174.04, has been paid
through the office of the superintendent OF pub
lie property Perhaps, In strictness, this ex-
penditure was beyond the law. These men thus
injured were laboring men. They were at work
upon the capitol of the state when disaster,
swift and unexpected, came upon them. In the
circumstances l felt that If did less the people
of Wisconsin would not Justify me. On the oc-
currence of the accident all work on the extern
sions stopped. committee of experts, con-
sisting of James r. Willett of Chicago, A. G.
Nash of Cincinnati C. +. Struck of Minneapolis,
architects and Godfrey Ludwig of Cincinnati.
master mechanic, was called by order of the build
ing commissioners, and asked to investigate the
matter and report to the cause Of the accident,
which duty the committee of experts performed,
aT1h mi
mended some changes in the original details as
necessary to properly strengthen the buildings
Without unnecessary delay the work of rebuild
ing was begun, and Mr.. W. w. Boyington archi-
tect, of Chicago. engaged, with instructions
from the commissioners to direct such changes
in the reconstruction as he deemed necessary Ioi
the security and safety of the almost completed
north wing, well as the south extension
Pursuant to these instructions, MT Boylngton
directed that other and heavier iron col.
ums be substituted for those provided Tor
in the contract, to extend from the base
ment walls to the roof, instead OF rom from
additional columns be put in, and iron work OF
increased strength-all without changing the
plaD which had been drawn with especial REFER
ence to the convenience and wants of the SUI
preme court state library and historical society,
and had been adopted after consultation with
and npon the recommendation OF the judges or
the supreme court and the officers OF the his
torical society. Thus the extensions have been
completed and accepted by the commissioners.
They are pronounced by Mr.. Boyington to DO
abundantly safe, and are practically hre-proof
The cost of labor and material in making the
alterations directed by Mr. Boyington, in excess
of what the same would have been II done under
the contract is ascertained to be ST., 169,95,
which amount has been audited by the punolnR
commissioners, and recommend that an appro-
priation be made at an early date for the pay
meut of the same.
EXPOSITION.
In accordance with the laws OF the United
States the president appointed Hon. 4. ID. Hol-
ton of Milwaukee commissioner, and Hon J. NJ
Smith of Green Bay alternate commissioner, for
the State of Wisconsin to the Worlds Industrial
and Cotton Centennial exposition at New Or
leans commencing Dec 10, 1884. These gem
tlemen have had charge of collecting, preparing
and disnlayinc an exhibit of the resources and
products of Wisconsin, and they have faithfully
and efficiently performed this work. Congress
declared that this exposition should be ma
tionaI and international in its character ana
appropriated a large sum OF money TO ala IN
the celebration. Five thousand dollars was set
apart TO each state to encourage and assist them
in making a full and complete exhibition OF all
the arts, manufactures and products OF the soil
and mine within the state There being no ses-
sion of the legislature in this state, and no pro-
vision of law affording funds Tor the purpose.
the commissioners raised a sum OF money oy
substitution, sufficient for the immediate needs
of the undertaking. This state, in the exposi-
ton will stand the test Of comparisons with all
the other states of the Union, and VIII De proud
Of its success and greatly benefited by the spread
OF knowledge concerning its resources and the
value of its products. As the benefit is to the
entire state so should the expense be borne by
the people. / would, therefore, recommend thsS
a sufficient sum be appropriated TO delray tne
disbursements Of the commission including tne
repayment of the amounts subscribed