The record-union., 1891-07-09
SUFFER- FORT.
The trustees Appointed by the Gov
ernor Hold a Meeting.
The Restoration of the Building Now
Standing to be the First Work
Attempted.

The State Board of Sutter Fort Trustees
held meeting last evening at the Court
house in this city for the purpose of TAX
ing action on the preliminary plans
drawn up by Civil Engineer c. z. Grun-
sky, and for hearing any suggestions
which those who attended the meeting
might wish to make. There were pres
ent Trustees F. d. Ryan, Eugene J.
Gregory, c. E. Grunsky and E. E. Cad
dis of Yolo County. Trustee Hollister
was not present. Several citizens also
attended.
Mr.. Grunsky first showed the plan of
the original fort and the wall surround
ing it. Those portions which have de-
cayed were designated on the drawing,
and Mr.. Grunsky explained minutely,
from the information he gathered, where
the different rooms in the fort were, and
the purposes for which they were used
by General Suffer. He showed where
the huge gates in the wall were and the
corners of the wall on which the cannon
were mounted commanding the en-
frances.
The following letter to Mr.. Grunsky
from Ben Leonard of Sacramento was
read:
Il have examined the City Engineers
map and find the grades of street inter
sections as follows: Fifth and r, ii feet;
Fifth and @, l4.5 feet; Twenty-sixth and
L., Is feet; Twenty y-eighth and X, 20.5
feet l think our well (the gas well) is
not more than one foot lower than Fifth
and r, so the water would rise at least
five feet above the intersection at Twenty
sixth and l. streets, thus insuring fort
grounds at least as high as the intersec-
ton. In talking with Engineer Pierson
about it, he said that if the well should
not prove q success, city water could be
used to make lake there, as the soil was
underlald with hard pan, so there could
be no sipage and very small stream
would keep the water fresh"
Communications from DR.. G.. J.. Sim
mons, Frank Miller, George Boyne and
ga Small Contributor were read, and
they contained many excellent sugges-
tions.
State Treasurer Mcdonald said he
saw the fort forty years ago, but did not
pay much attention to it. 1t was then
not an uncommon thing to see adobe
houses, and this was probably the reason
why he paid so little attention to the
structure. He favored the idea of restor-
ing the fort to its original appearance as
near as possible. He thought the plan to
make the roof of tiling good one, even
though shakes were used on the original
fort.
Doctor Simmons said he had explained
his views on the subject in his communi-
cation (which has been published). He
believed IN restoring the place as near as
possible to its appearance forty years ago.
The question then arose as to which
would be the better plan of improving
the surrounding grounds-whether grass
plats and flowers should be set out, or
whether the former conditions of the sur
rounding ground should be restored, Civ
ing the place wild, rural appearance.
The latter suggestion was thought the
| better one.
1t was agreed that the first work to be
done Will be the restoration of the build
ing which now stands. The matter of
| building the other houses and remodel
ing the grounds will be an after considera-
ton.
The following resolution was then
adopted:
'ResotUed, That the general idea of i'm
provement of the Sutter Fort property
shall be the restoration of the central
building now standing and of such por-
tlons OF the baStions, walls and other
structures as may be found to be feasible
within the means at command, the
restoration to be carried out with durable
material, cement-protected walls and
tiled roofs on the structures"
The matter of having permanent office
was brought up and it was decided TO ask
the Secretary OF State for one of the
vacant rooms in the Capitol.
After investigating the board will de-
eide on an architect to draw plans for the
proposed work.
The meeting adjourned to the call of
the Chair.