Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-05-23
Madison, Nav is,

Tor the Seventh School.
Madison, May Is.
Delegations from Superior and La
Crosse appeared before the normal
school regents last evening to present
their claims for the seventh normal
school, but the regents got into a
Wrangle among themselves about as
follows, and the matter of listening to
the Sloan& Mills and the Withee
horde> was postponed
n lengthy statement of the old fight
between the several cities TO secure
the school was read by Regent Ostran-
der. he read from the minutes of the
old board Of normal school regents and
said that Superior had been selected as
the place to locate the new school at
ter fair and open fight and that that
, city had been cheated out of the school
by conspiracy. Mr.. OStrander called
upon Regent Gardner to verify his
statement in regard to the sites which
the city Of Superior offered and that
Mr.. OSuander had told them the one
particular site which the regents de-
sired, the city Of Superior was unable
to furnish.
Mr.. Gardner said that abuse upon
abuse had been heaped upon him for
his action in regard to the matter. He
sand he had entered the matter in good
faith but that his action had been mis-
construed. He said that after the re-
gents visited Superior the executive
! committee of the board concluded to
accept the Hayes site. This the city of
Superior was unable to furnish. Re
! gent Parker said that the Hayes site
was shown to him as site for the
| school without reserve. He sid he
| wished to deny i'll toto and no matter
| Who made it or when it was made the
| statement that any conspiracy existed
and said he, Il challenge the man who
charges it to prove it. | will answer
| any question any OF You may ask"
President Hill said that Il serious
charge had been made against John
W. Hume, former member of the
| board, and he thought Il chance should
be given Mr.. Hume to defend himself
Mr.. Ostrander arose and said that
he wished to offer an apology for us
ing the word conspiracy" ana said
| he was sorry that he had been so
haSty.
Mr.. Hill said Mr.. Ostrander had said
tlat Nj, Hume had acknowledged
| that conspiracy cXlSteG. .,v.,e.., 80
tranDer stated that he had consulted
an attorney and had been told thai if
the board had acted as was sta ed
then action 1Dhhnntnl ~ IL
Regent Kirwin said that he had
nothing to conceal about his vote. He
said that Mr.. OStrander had stated
nothing about the division of sentiment
in the city of Superior over the matter
of a site. Such a division had existed.
Up to the time that the committee
had practically agreed in their own
mind that the Hayes site was the only
available one they were not informed
that it could not be secured. He be
lieved there never was, or has been, Il
time when the city of Superior could
not have rendered this site had they
wanted to. Mr.. Kirwin said that he
had been told by some Of the citizens
of Superior who were as much auth
OriZed to represent the city of Superior
as Mr.. OStrander that there were
speculative reasons back Of the re-
fusal of this site. Two delegations
each advocating a different site had
appeared before the board, said Mr..
KirWin. These delegations said that if
the other site was selected it would
not be satisfactory and would cause
disappointment. MY opinion Of the
whole matter is that is was Il contest
between the speculative real estate
dealers Of your city; and those who
looked at it from an educational
standpoint came in too late. The fact
is you dallied with tie pearl in your
hands and in the end lost il. You
forget the fact said Mr.. Kirwin,
when you state that only one letter
was shown you from people living in
Superior against locating the school
there. that your newspapers spoke Of
the matter at different times
He continued, 'You never rendered
a site up to the time the board
rescinded it's action to locate the school
at Superior that the residents of your
city were unanimously agreed upon"
In replying to Judge KirWin Regent
Ostrander said he believed the speaker
had been misled.
The regents decided to take mp SUI
periOrs legal claims at this mornings
meeting Of the board. and if it he
found that the Douglas county metrOp-
oils has no legal right to the new
school. then the advantages Of any
other cities will he considered before
a choice be made.
II