Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1886-08-13
FORT MEIGS,
PlniR Statement OF Facts by james +,
Ayerlll, Secretary Fort Melgs
Executive Committee
The Board OF Trustees on tho s,tua-
tiOu,

The Board OF Trustees on the s,tua-
tion.
TO THE PUBLIC tin view of the pre-
vailing opinion that the papers relating to
Fort Meigs h,d been withheld from the
Board OF Directors when they held thei
meeting To decide upon the location of the
Soldiers and Sailors Home, have been
called upon (hnvmg been entrusted with the
responsibility OF preparing aud rles,ntlng
these doCnments) TO publish such facts as
have in my possession concerning the mat.
ter, | therefore submit the following r'-
port ;
When the Stale Board was nj rerrys-
burg July 18Th, the claims of Fort Meigs
were briefly and rather hurriedly presented
to them on the natural snppos,iun that
before they 6naily decided upon location
and after they had viewed all the sites
offered, they would meet to carefully ex-
anime and discuss the different localities,
and base their selection upon the hones
merits alone. On this supposiion, mem
orial was handed TO Secretary Brown,
which in brief, mentioned many practical
reasons favoring the location; also an Off
cial report of the health of this
locality, etc, The Secretary's attention
was also called 10 the endorsement q. Grand
Aomy Posts and Relief Corps in. fifly-fve
different counties in the State lie gave the
assurance that all OF these papers, with an
others bearing upon the case which NIGH
be sent TO hm, should be p resented 10 til,
Board at the proper time. Presidcn
Mack gave list of questions TO be answer
ed regarding price Of building material
etc., and whether the G, III. & ID. R'y. Co
would construct side-track 10 til,
grounds; he also asked that survey b,
made and plat be drawn OF the trac
offered to the State; he gave instruction:
that these answers and papers should be
forwarded TO his address at Saudusky by
the following Saturday, July Oath.
An answer to the questions was for
warded as requested, on the latter date
and notice given that the plat (Which was
being prepared at considerable expense to
the local committee) would not he COM
pleted until the following Monday or Tues
day. On Monday, July 26th, the plat
accompanied by comprehensive explana-
tory notes, was sent TO Mr.. Mack at San
dnsky by express, and n registered letter
containing The former offer of the tract oI
205 acres (including Fort Meigs) signed by
many responsible citizens.as guarantee oI
good faith. Receipt of these was acknowl.
edged by Mr.. Mack's representative at San.
dusky, Various Grand Army and Relief
Corps endorsements were also sent TO Sec
retary Brown at Z,nesville, and notice
that the other papers had been sent as per
order, TO President Mack at Sundusky
Secretary Brown had expressed the opinion
that the Grand Army ENDORSEMENTS would
probably have but little weight with the
members of the Board, as they were mostly
based upon the representations of the CON-
miltee appointed by Wolford Post at
Perrysburg (Messrs. Kountz, Cochran, and
Alcorn.) The Secretary was thereupon re-
quesled in writing, TO state TO the Board
III snch a feeling existed among them
that IL the Bosrd, having examined the
grounds, found any misrepresentation in
the committees report Ia copy Of which
was handed him) then these endorsements
might probably go for nuught, bnt that ii
the representations were found to be cor
rect, then the ENDORSEMENTS should have full
weight. (1t il sufficient TO say that the
facts fully warrant every statement made
in the report.)
The Board finished their examination OF
the different sites offered on Thursday July
Goth on Friday they visited the Soldiers
Home at Dayton. On Saturday morning
everybody but those who were in the secret
were slirprised to learn by the morning
papers, that a brief session of the Board
had been held at Dayton on Friday even
ihg-that Sandusky had won the vote, and
the Board would meet Monday, Aug. 9th
to settle on one Of the sites offered there.
letter was ut once written to Mr.. Paxton,
the Cincinnati member, asking him ii the
Fort Meigs papers had been submitted TO
the Board before they decided upon seec-
tion OF the site, and as Il reply was not re-
ceived as soon MS expected, the same en-
quiry was made Of Messrs. Brown, Dill
and Orr.
The answers received are rs follows;