The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-03-06
Report Of Legislative Commit
tee on the University.
PROPOSED ISSUE or BONDS.
Liberal Provision for New Buildings
and sfafntenance-A smaller
Number Of Regents.


tee. presented the report In the house ana
Senator Fusey chairman % the committee
on educa tsonaI institutions. Ia the senate.
The report. signed BY all the members or
the committee. reads as follows:
We yosr committee appointed 20 visit
the University OF Washington and 70 as
certain the condition and needs % thar In
stitution. beg leave 20 report as follows:
We left the capital on "Wednesday.
February e. arriving In Seattle at - p.
II, On the following morning al 3. m
We visited the university at the Old site
in company with the board of regents-
Here we found the chapel OF the unfveT-
sify literally packed and overlooking with
students An hour was pleasantly spent
by the connnsiffs fe listening 20 music BY
the students and statements from various
speakers as TO the hopes and plans for
inc future Of the university.
ssThe laboratories, library and rectta-
zion rooms OF the old building were then
Inspected and there WAS not a member OF
this committee who failed to eytuce sur
prise mt the crowded condition of the
rooms and the scaHt supplies OF nppit-
ances for anything like adequate work In
so important Institution. Seemingly
there Is rot single square foot OF space
fn the whole building uButillzed. The IL
brary was found TO consist largely OF
miscellaneous books acquired mostly by
donations and IL was placed In a room
extemporlzed by partitioning of a former
hallway. Many additional books are
peedea In each branch of the library.
after this inspection OF the old build
Ing the committee investigated the sstro-
noTnicai observatory. which was found In
excellent condition and cay 30 remove
and adapt 20 the needs In this line IN the
new university.
Three eompmaiieH OF the university
cadets, In command OF Lieut.. John l..
Hayden. of the United States army gave
most interesting drill and dress parade.
The carriage and general appearance of
the young men fully attested the value OF
this department OF instruction and Grill.
AFTER this we inspected the old
grounds. consisting OF beautiful plat OF
ten acres Ia the center Of Seattle and also
the other old buildings on the grounds. In
the Young Eaturalists hall, which belongs
10 a National Historical Society of Seat
tie. We found great quantity Of valuable
materials stored. These consist of botani-
cal. meteorological. chronological and other
such specimens In large numbers obtained
hs the university from the Worlds fair.
These articles are now III storage for lack
OF exhibition or laboratory room, but viii
he removed and utilized In the new build
Ing as soon as the latter Is completed.
after thus thoroughly inspecting the
old grounds and buildings we proceeded 10
the new site and new buildings now In
course of construction. The new site is
certainly one of the most IDEAL university
sites In the world. The ground Is ample
Tor ali future needs and II situated be-
tween Lakes Union and Washington, with
shore frontage en- both lakes. The sur
lace ~ the ground, while affording ample
level spaces for building sites and for
campus purposes. Is also broken In places
by natural contours affording excellent
opportunities fer future development I'M
der the care of a landscape gardener. The
entire ground is covered with groves of
the beautiful trees indigenous 10 Western
Washington.
I'm the way of buildings on these new
grounds. we found the main building
about three-quarters finished and nothing
but feelings OF pride and pleasure could
result from a visit to this building by
any citizen of the state The principal
Impressions created by the first visit to
the building are those of durability.
beauty and utility. The foundation of the
building il of rock inshedded In cement
mortar. The lower pavt of the building
and all the trimmings OF the first story
are OF white sandstone from the Pitts
burg pierce county, quarries. The upper
portion Is of cream eoiored pressed brick
OF an excellent quality. from Spokane
county, The trimmings or the upper
stories are TO be terra Gotta. now being
made in King county. In fact. we found
faincd within the state SO far as posi-
bic The roof is TO be of the best quality
of Pennsylvania slate. An inspection of
the interior showed the rooms TO have
been exceslentfy planned for their several
purposes. Your committee became thor
oaahiy satisfied from this careful In
spcction that the materials and work
manEsiip on the structure are first class
IN every respect and the state Is getting
value received for every dollar eSpend-
ed thereon. The main portion OF Tits
new building iS "a feet long by n feet
wide. Extending 10 the rear from the
center n - wing 81 feet wide by 81 feet
long. wkich wing contains the assembly
hall. TIE building Is being constructed
i,y Cameron n Asheufelter NJ Spokane.
The architect H. Charles w Saunders and
the superintendent for the state Is James
A Johnson. OF Seattle.
The only other building on tho new
grounds ts gymnasium and drilt hall
building. which ts a solid frame structure
sSs feet long by III feet wide. This build
iaK H. complete and has been accepted
hT the regents. IL has cost a little less
thar ssesl. aad is certainly about perfect
for the purposes Intended. The contrac-
tors on this building were Flynn & Rock
mark, of Seattle.
1--WE inspected the new grounds thor
oaEhly and then appointed a suh-conl~
mittee. composed Of Senator Harper and
Representatives Foster and Chevtharn
70 attend u session OF the board 81 regents
and examine into their accounts and as
certain the actual needs % the iussifu-
tson This subcommittee held TWO Sos
sionS with the hoard of regents, one ln
the afternoon aud another IN the even
.nS From their Investigations and from
their own observations We are prepared
60 report that we heftcve that the affairs
az tho university have becD administered
g. most careful and consistent tous man
her during the past two years by the
present hoard ~ regents ant va also
are prepared 10 make the following earn
est recommendations
''F'stss~~In order that the general fund
Of the state may hc repal3 the aplsruprl~
alton ~ si.aaoo made two years axe aud
also that this session of the legislature
may nnd sts way clear 20 fsnst~r stlfa-
cient aid 20 the university for the next
two years. We recommend that senate
blli Sas nc PASSED This provides for honA.
tax fhe properties ~ the university, con
sissins ~ the valuable tract % ten acres
"a Seattle ard over 40 acres &C. West
eYa Washington. remaining from the oia
grant Of iSss. Cor the %ulz, Of 81 80.
which viii pay hack the So. so arpf7s-
rriased two years $40. $Ao asked fer
thiS session for needed improvements ana
So so ~ the sursa nrzafef for maintenance
for shW ne&s iva years
''Secooa~wRh that hil enacted. We
also earnestly recommend that Ehe allow
ance lw the general appropriation biH for
maintenance he Ntacnt at sSs os3 far she
next two years whteh s1Fa wsiI provide
shs nec,ssssry equipments OF the various
laboratories sn1 :he library. which are
argentls needed SIS We'll as Furnishes. a
Few additional professors which we ee1
an abSegase eesesSsty. the students Asav-