Telegram-herald., 1891-03-05
COZ. LUCE is HEARD
he Tells ths commltteemsn al
he knc~s About the
SaLnIEaS HONE AISalSlGGAEsI
SIT ts FFssss - bs tlttis safs te~a
fasy AlfssaF Asss "a sh~ sSs-
1~et~fhs Exas4isattSa elA
Rs l0sk82GSd


committee resumed = wax yesterday,
"a "a fali 4ttsa1aace o. memosFs-
iioa Cyrus u. Luce. oI C0laWateF,
sas swofn aud examined.
lie tssuned taat he sas trst COLI
nseted VITA the soldiers Home oa the
cay Of Its asdlcat.Qa, oa TIE lasl day CT
December. 1850. and has been mem
ber OF nins or zen dlrtereat boards
Gen. Pierce nad conferred WITH p IA
with regard to the new bailalugs, TIE
hospital snd d0fmtofy, a. tne fall OF
lsss. IAe matter WAS discussed at
great length, amt before the appFopria-
ton vas ASKED OF the Legislature. The
necessity OF better hospital convent
ences brought i about. The plans sub
mitted by Architects HOLSTER aud
Fairfield were not cOmplets plans, bat
only outlines and explanations. At a
meeting OF ths board the architects
were asked what would be just com
pensAton for their work. Architect
HOLSTERS price, he believed, was sl0o,
and his p ans were adopted. The Gov
ernof voted for the adoption OF Mr..
HOLSTERS plans because, ne SAID. ne
was the architect for the main building
ami there Was no better building IN
Michigan for the money than the
Home. That MI. llollster was Il mem-
ber OF the Legislature at the time was
not discussed. The plans were sub
mltted TO the Legislature to give an
idea OF what amount Was needed To
construct the building. lie was aware
that Gen. Pierce and DR.. stevens had
conferred with Architect Falrchld, but
dit not know OF any such conference
with Mr.. Hollister.
There was considerable discussion on
the subject OF heating and yentilatlng.
and ON the sites tor the buildings. The
kuttan system was not mentioned un-
I'll plcssed upon the board. Col. Bliss
and Mr.. flollister were most active IN
urging the adoption OF the system.
There were Ruttan agents at the board
meeting, but no outside conferences
were held with them 10 the governors
knowledge. The Ruttan system was
figured out to cost less than the one
first adopted. This system was re-
ported 10 be working admirably III a
school ut Saginaw. The governor was
assured 10y Col. Wells and Mr.. Hollis
ter that the extras lnCurred by the lay
ing OF foundations would not exceed
the appropriation. The contract price
was considerably below the approprla-
ton. lie was not aware that the
buildings were in the process OF con-
struction when the Ruttan system was
adopted, or advised that any tearing
down was necessary TO make the
change. He was told 10y Col. Wells
and MIR. HOllister six weeks before the
work was completed that the cost was
coming out about even with the appro.
priatlou. The colonel and architect
seemed as much astonished as he was
when the bills came III showing that
the appropriation had been exceeded.
A change IN the dormitory involving
an extra expense of 500 or $500 was
allowed by the board and he voted for
It.
The necessity of new boiler was
considered, as It was very evident that
more heating power was necessary.
The Hazeltne boiler was adopted at
cost $1,000. The conditions were that
all but $1,000 was to be paid from the
saving in the fuel. The Governor did
not know whether Hazcltine had been
paid in full or not, but didn't think he
nad.recelyed more than the $1,000. The
boiler had been the means of consider
able saving IN fuel but he aid not know
just how much. The saving was ar
rived at by practical tests-and it was
learned that quite percentage was
saved. The fuel expense Was larger
because more room IS now heated. The
controversy with Architect Hollister
and the amounts allowed him 10y the
board were gone over by the committee.
1--WE were ali shocked ut the amount of
the deticien cy," he said. The Govern
meut was behind IN its home accounts
with the State some $4,000. and there
was no money TO meet the shortage.
In order to keep things going and tide
over the deficiency until it could be
met by the state, five members of the
board gave their personal notes for the
amount. ltseemcd to be our only way
out. We borrowed the money at per
cent. and the notes were GOOD, and
were discounted to the best advantage.
1t Is nay impression tuat the notes have
been oil paid up. The last knew there
was only $500 left to be- paid. The
smout was paid from time TO time out
of the current expense fund at the dis
cTetIon of the board"
Representative White asked the Gov
ernor II he had heard charges affecting
the integrity of any member of the
board. The Governor replied that IN
only one case was this SO. Col. Wells
had violated the law. lie would have
been removed from the board, but the
Colonel resigned before there was a
chance for such action. lie never
heard of any charges against Judge
Brown, nor that the latter was inter-
| ested IN the purchase of the Whitney h
saun isrs property with Col. Wells. He
had asked Judge Brown to withdraw
his resignation from the board. but the
| Judge refused. saying that he bad
served the state many years, but had
never received anything but complaints
and criticisms for his service IN connec-
ton with the home. No investigation
had been made in the alleged deceitful
intentions OF Col. Wells aud Architect