Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1888-12-12
BOUNCED NE FOREMAN.

The ~ OSt Com pete0b Man on tho AsyfuHl
Work Discharged by thu Contractor
0piniSn about Things,
During the past two or three weeks
progress unusnal IN the construction of
the much written about insane asylum
wings has been noticed and tie public
began So believe the contractor might
hoIsh his Job ahead Of IL storms OF
winttr. The west wing has risen with
great rapidity and is now being rooted.
1t transpires that this acceleration was
due to the presence OF q competent FORE
man, William Williams, OF Sioux City,
who wes placed in charge OF the brick
laying between two ard three weeks
ago and hns proved a rusher. But the
firm of G. ale & 90. could not stand q
~prolongation OF such prosperous condi-
tions and they have peremptoriiy dis
charged Mr.. Williams and decline to pay
him 3 balance of fifteen dollars in wages
MIR. Williams was seen fo-day end he
talked unreservedly about the matter,
He IS a man OF excellent intelligence and
ia in possession of the highest tes!imo-
nials OF his competency.
Mr.. Williams eeid he was assigned by
MIR. Pattee to work as foreman in charge
OF the bri ,klay ers, at q salary OF forty
dollars a week, and was given full charge
OF the bficklayers and their work. He
had not been there long before he dis
opraraI that npncc IN onpnnakapny MA
vailed in the management of construc
tion work. superintendent Keap, he
says, is entirely unfit for tie position
is hot headed and hasty. and lacking In
the Judgment q builder must possess.
The chief boss on the work, he said,
was Trustee Gale, who knew nothing
whatever about the business, though he
was running the whole work, Kean
taking a back seat when Gale was
around aud Pastee retiring far into the
background. Altogether, it was a wonder
to Mr.. Williams that any progress had
been made.
He said there was 0 squad of Minneapo-
lis b%ricklayers On the work who possessed
a mysterious control OF Gale and Kean.
They were Indifferent workers and here
was most OF the time q bottle of whisky
in the squad which was freely used dur
ing working hours. SATURDAY INT of
these brioklayers refused 10 work &C.
cording to the orders of Mr.. Williams
and was by him discharged. The Min
neapolis squad Immediately protested
and the upshot was that Gale g. Co. in
struoted Mr.. Pattee to keep the Minnea.
polls mao and let Mr.. Williams 60. This
is how it happens that Williams Is off
the asylum work. he has done well
while there. has brought order out of
chaos, has systematized the work and
has given the contractor o hope that he
may get the wings under coYer before
winter sets in.
Mr.. Williams says the October faia.
accident was entirely unnecesaary--the
result OF incompetent managers and ZACH
OF experienced Judgment. The direo
tions of the architect were clearly
disobeyed and the work wal
generally of such charte
as to invite disaster. 1t is the genera
opinions, about the asylum that Oontrac
tor Pattee is made the tool of Gale ant
Kean. Mr.. Williams says James Pattee
one OF the bondsmen OF the contractor
so expressed HIM ,eli last night and stat
ed that he was tired of his responsibility
under SO much Encouragement. Whit,
he appears on the surface as the con
tractor he has not evsn the power tc
employ or retain men upon the work
Mr.. Williams says he has nc feeling
against M. Pattes, who he Wa certain
would have retained him had he dared
disobey the commands OF Gale & 90
His statements throw some additions
light upon the management of the asy
kum construction. Mr.. Williams viii
probably be a witness before the legis
lstive committee which will investigate
this construction job during the coming
winter. Ills testimony will be valuable
es he is ar unusually competent builder
. People who have ordered Christina