Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1888-11-14

Telephone number B,
BOWEN d KINGsBURY. Prop'tra /
The public has been given the result |
of long and remarkably patient inves- |
tIgation OF an important case by jury |
of thsee conscientious and discrimlna. |
ting citizens, under the direction of the |
coroner of the county. These citizens
haYe devoted three weeks OF their time |
to the case and have in no instance
shown disposition to slight the details
Of this public duty. They have taken the
best obtainabIe evidence for and against
the theory that some ore was to blame
for great calami y and out OF it all have
reached O conclusion that ls jast in the
eyes OF just men. They have louad that
two men, the contractor who was being
paid by the people to build an addition
to the insane asylum and the superin-
tendent appointed to watch the work of
the contractor, are to blame for the kill
ing of O. N. Thompson and Jacob Lee,
workmen in the employ of the contractor
who were crushed in the falling walls Of
the structure. They find that the con-
tractor, with the consent and it may be
the connivance of the superintendent,
neglected to place within the brick and
mortar walls OF the structure certain
iron rods and anchors which were to
keep the walls from falling apart-that
he departed from the specifications of
the architect in the construction of pu-
mereus brick arches designed to sostain
heavy pressure-that he removed from
underneath these arches wooden forms
placed to sustain them until the work
was completed and the whole bound and
cemented together-that he used ques-
tionable material and employed incom-
petent wyrkmen. That, Rs result OF
these several offences, two men were
hurled to eternity in crash OF falling
walls and timbers. There can be but
conclusion touching the cause of this
crimlIally faulty construotion-that the
contractor was sighting his work for
peouniary gain and that the superin-
tendent was knowingly aiding him or was
grossly ignorant of the duties pertaining
to his position. The architect specified in
plain terms that certain rods and anchors
were to be inserted in the construction
that certain arches we're to be
given certain curve, that the
arches were to be sustained from below
until the whole had hardened into one
compact mass, and that certain speci-
fed material was to be used-all these
requirements for the obvious strengthen
ing of the building. A man not prac-
tical builder can see at glance that q
violation of these plain provisions meant
disaster. 1t could not termiua other
wise 80 long as the law of gravity was in
force. What, then, did the contractor and
the superintendent meen by this open
and entirely ,nexcusable violation of the
plans? Evidently they were seeking to
give the least for the money they were
to receive. They did not design killing
anybody. That would be premedi.ated
murder, with which they were not charg-
ed We can only conclude that they
hoped they might escape without cal
amitous results and through system of
political favor iitism foist upon the terri
tory piece of inferior work, while they
drew their pay for the best. Unfortu-
nately for them, and for the men who
were killed and wounded, the structure
| went to pices under their hands before it
was half completed. How much more
calamitous their criminality would have
beer had the building stood until finish.
ed and occupied, and then fallen, one
can readily imagine.
Yet these builders took all the chances
OF sacrificing scores of iives-the lives of
unfortunates who are territorial charge
and public charity-unfortuna who
are compelled to occupy this building
whether they will it SO or otherwise.
This was politicalio 1t is notorious
that all the construction contracts were
let to personal fsyorites of the ther
president of the board OF trustees-resi
dents OF bis own town, not possessing
any general record as competent build
ers. The superintendent of construction
is also the personal friend of the presi-
den of the board end his competency o.
g superintendent has never been estab
lished. He was Gales friend-tha
was his recommendation.
1t was purely scheme, if the evi
dence is not misleading, to divert none.
from the public treasury into the pocket
of Mr.. Gales friends. It has resulted il
disaster and sacrifice Of human life. Th
territory is to receive public building
which the coroner's jury says is liable Il
fall ct any time. This is the fruit o
Mr.. Gales methods. Pablio sentimen
demands not cnly this punishment Q
the guilty parties in this transaction
when guilt 10 proven-but that wor
under Mr.. Pattee's contract shall ceas
until the unfinished walls are examine
by an unpreiudiced and competent cor
: mittee Of builders. There is every rea
son to suppose that the whole struetul
is faulty and If this aupposition is corret
its completion is liable to entail furtht
disaster-fnrther loss OF life.
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