The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1886-12-09
THE INSANE ASYLUM.

Globe Of last Thursday morning
states substantially the proceedings
of the first days session Of the Com
mission to locate the Third Asylum
for the Insane: rrF rr% =
The full commission to locate che
Third Hospital for the Insane, con
sisting of Supt. G. X. Bartlett Of the
st. Peter Asylum. II. 3. Langdon OF
Minneapolis. S. r. Christensen Of
Rush City, H. G. Stordock of Roth.
say, and Ii. ii. Hart of st. Paul, held
II long session yesterday afternoon
To finally hear the propositions of
Sank Centre. Fergus Falls, Brainerd
and Alexandria, the four places
selected as eligible for the site. Sank
Centre was represented by Senator
Henry Keller, J. c. Foster, ex.Lieut.
Alphonzo Barto, Hon. A. Moore
and Chas. f. Hendryx; Alexandria
by W. S. Moles, Ii. II. Wilson and
G. A. Whitcomb; Fergus Falls by
L. +. Corliss and Judge N. II. Tyler,
and Brainerd by j. J. Howe. L. p.
White. w. S. Martin, j. II. Koop and
L. E. Lum. The propositions sub.
mitted for each Of tho different local.
tiles were, In brief:
Sank Centre-To give 600 acres
valued at $50 per acre, or SOO at $25;
to pump $1,000 gallons of water daily
for $500 per annum; to furnish brick
at SIS per 1000 within a mile or Of
per 1000 delivered; proposition
backed by personal guarantees repre-.
senting $5O0,OO0.
Alexandria-Any amount OF land
from $40 to 1000 acres at not to
exceed $40 per acre; any site deemed
desirable-two sites being upon the
Manitoba railroad; brick at $500 per
1000; building stone at $3.50 per
cord; any amount Of fuel at % per
cord, natural drainage and good
water facilities.
Fergus Falls-To give $40 acres of
land, 24O within she city limits, for
not to exceed $3.50 per acre; cheap
building material and fuel, easy water
access and drainage.
Brainerd-Any amount of land to
1000 acres, at a nominal price, say 50
cents per acre; to put in a rail.
road track and keep it there for the
benefit of the institution; furnish
water supply at a maximum cost of
$1,000 per anDnm; freights on build.
ing material guaranteed; fuel and
other supplies ut rates below those
Of st. Paul and Minneapolis markets;
guarantees from property holders
aggregating 100000.
The site offered by Fergus Falls
was tempting proposition, as the
240 acres within the city limits con.
tanned the county fair ground, had
buildings on it aggregating $4,000
in value. and Of the land 200 acres
under cultivation. Alexandria came
forward with big guarantees. Sank
Centre, however, was best presented
to the commission. The gentlemen
representing that location had mum.
Der of circulars printed with which
they furnished the commission.
These circulars represented In sub
stance:
First, building material was cheap,
blick excellent and granite mex
haustibl0. ample saw milling facili.
ties for lumber; second, cheap fuel,
hard and soft wood and good railroad
communications to Duluth and St.
Paul coal supplies; third, pure water
from Sank Lake and natural drainage
into the Sank River; fourth, fertile
and arabic soil; fifth, first class rail.
road facilities, present and pr0spec.
tive, and proximity to county seats;
sixth, accessibility and natural
advantages of the site, and seventh,
geographical location, 1t being the
most easterly point considered, and
yet just u little west of the center of
population.
These points were we'll brought
out by Gov. Barto, who considered
Sank Centre as being in the direct
line of natural railroad development,
and where the lines between st. Paul,
Minneapolis and the northwest, and
between Duluth and the southwest.
must eventually converge, thus
making it railroad center. In add.
tion to this he showed that the site
offered was only one-quarter of a
mile from the depot, and was situated
between Sank lake and Sank river,
having one mile of lake frontage and
possessing natural water power.
The commission went into execu.
tive session after every committee
had presented its respective claims.
The questions of the cost of railroad
transportation for patients and sup.
plies, the respective natural advan'
tages, and the various Offers Of the
four localities were discussed.
The commission, after dis
cussing the several points in
the propositions adjourned until the
following morning, and after a hall
day spent in further consideration,
adjourned until this week, subject to
call of the president. The second
adjournment was made in order to
permit Fergus Falls to amend its
proposition relative to water supply.
Too much credit cannot be accorded
Gov. Barto for the admirable manner
in which he presented the facts and
arguments to the commission in
behalf of Sank Centre, as the most
eligible and advantageous site for the
location of the Third Hospital for the
Insane. He presented printed points
which had been prepared, giving
copies to the members of the commits.
sion. to the member of the several
rival committees, and to all who were
present, and the strength of our case
was admitted by all. The circular
was accompanied by guaranteed
propositions for the site, water sup
ply and cost of brick. It was very
generally understood that the loca-
tion had been prearranged, and bets
were freely offered that Fergus Falls
would get the Asylum-or at least
that the commission would report in
its favor. And there is no doubt but
that Fergus Falls felt abundantly
secure, and her committee was not a
little disappointed that Adhesion
was not promptly reached in her
fovor tVhiIo tho odiouro n, at a.