The Yellowstone journal. [volume] (Miles City, Mont.) 1893-1901, 1894-03-15
TiIi TEt SIZES.
What They Have Accomplished in Less
Than Year.

In looking over the minute book Of
the board Of trustees Of the institution
the progress Of their labors is ascertain
ed 10 have been carefully detailed. and as
it is all Of interest to the readers of the
JoUKNAL. il has been reduced to a mar
rative with all unnecessary and cumber-
some matter eliminated.
Senate bill No. 4, which is commonly
known as the Reform school law. was
approved by Gov. Richards on March /
l-13. and in Just four weeks ION the 18th
the chief execut We Of the state. in con
formity with its provisions. appointed
j W. Strevcll. G. Il. Middleton and ii.
u. Wiley all Of Miles City, as the first
set of trustees for the institution. On
the lst day Of April they took their
oaths of office. and filed bond In the
sum Of $4,000 each for the faithful per
formance Of their duties.
On the 9Th the board held It's first
meeting at the Office of Strevell Il Por-
ter in this city. and organized by elect
ing j. W. Strevell president and ii. Il.
Wiley secretary. According to the law
il became necessary for the trustees to
draw lots for terms Of >. and 4 years,
which resulted az follows:
{ ]. ". Streveil. , years
I &. K. Middleton. 3 years.
III. b. Wiley. years.
. A.. In m.
and its provisions the trustees finally
came to the conclusion that the first and
most important thing to be done was 10
ascertain what funds were available for
immediate use, and to this end Mr.. Mid
dleton was directed to go to Helena, and
consult with Gov. Richards. Messrs. G
NJ. Miles, c. II. Loud and William Cour,
tenay were invited TO advise and consult
with the board in selecting the site
which the citizens of Miles City had sc
generously agreed to donate for the state
institution.
Mr.. Middleton went to the capital and
endeavored to make arrangements with
private parties to take up the warrants
there being no ready cash in the treas
ury. and no prospect OF any until Janu.
AIRY l. 1894. but was unsuccessful. Their
Gov. Richards. who had all the tims
been most earnest and hearty in his en-
deavors to aid the early completion o
the schdSl, which he regarded as tn,
most needed of all the proposed stat,
institutions, happily came to the rescue
and found a way out Of the slough o
despond. The state school fund hao
some So 600 Of cash on hand, and call
ing meeting Of the state board Of ex
, aminers. consisting Of the governor. sec
retary Of state and attorney general. j
was soon decided that the warrants is
: sued by the trustees could be bought uI
at par with this money. thus making al
OF the appropriation Of $4,000 available
at once This matter settled, the trus
tees decided to proceed with the con
struction Of the building Immediately.
The next thing to be done was the se
lection Of site. and lands owned b.
George NJ. Miles. w. E. Savage. JohI
Kimes. E. f. Fish. the Frederick Bill
lings estate and the Northern Pacifi'
were suggested. the secretary beinl
finally instructed to secure options on q
many Of these tracts as possible for 3
7 days.
At meeting Of the board on the 24tl
of April, the secretary reported that h
had secured options on the tracts OF Di
Fish. George M. Miles and w. +. Saw
age. Then followed lengthy and de
: tailed discussion Of the advantages pos
sessed by the various sites proposed, ant