The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-03-02

structicn Of public and private buildings, and
has given the best satisfaction Upon the
site there is also the finest of building sand
The Chicago, Milwaukee C st. Paul railroad
crosses cue corner of the site, and the com
pany promises q station and a switch track
to any portion of the tract desired. Good
building brick in any quantities is found at
Hastings.
The Anoka site has not in our opinion, the
advantages OF the Hastings site except as to
railroad facilities, and its brick supply and
geographical location. Considerable more
than one-half of the land is not under eul-
tlvation. The soil is light ano sandy in its
character, a large tract being low and sub
ject to being overlooked in wet seasons. But
among the chief obstacles to the Anoka site
is the difficulty in securing proper drainage,
and especial attention to drainage facilities
is called for by the act. 1t would not be
feasible to discharge the sewerage into the
Rum river adjacent to the property, because
the discharge OF the sewerage into the river
at this point would be forbidden, in all prob
ability, by the city authorities, because at
certain seasons Of the year when the gates
are closed the water in the dam is stagnant.
The. only practicable way to secure proper
drainage, according to the engineers, would
be to construct sewer to point below the
Qam, long distance. Such sewer would
be very expensive and might not be rrac-
tlcabie, and 1t seems to us the only possible
solution Of the problem. When the expert
or the city Of Anoka was asked whether or
not there might not be objections to dis
charging the sewer into the river at this
point by the people at Minneapolis, he was
unable to give your committee any informa-
ton as to whether this would be likely to
occur or not. The Anoka people testify that
the nearest point at which any kind of
building stone can be obtained is Minneapolis
or st. Cloud.
In conclusion, we submit the result of our
deliberations as follows: The act under which
the commission was appointed was passed
with view to accommodating the patients
from the cities Of st. Paul and Minneapolis
lsee section l, chapter 1871 General Laws,
1889. From this standpoint the great superior
1ty OF the Hastings site in the quality of its
SOIL its drainage and sewerage facilities as
required by the act, and the quality and
quantity OF rock sand and other building
materials at hand, and the water power, force
US to the conclusion that the majority of the
commission have erred in their judgment
in locating the fourth hospital at Anoka.
We find the evidence did not show any
fraud or corrupt conduct in Office by any
member Of the commission.
In our investigation as to the change of
vote by Commissioner Hopper, we find no
direct and affirmative evidence of fraud but
report that the exlanations of his actions
are highly unsatisfactory in the premises.
1t was decided by your committee by a
vote of 10 to 1, that the evidence does not
satisfactorily explain why Mr.. Hopper changed
his vote from Hastings to Anoka.
We believe that, having determined that
there was no good and sufficient reason for
Commissioner Hopers change of vote the
action Of the commission, once taken in favor
of Hastings, should stand.
We answer to the objection that may be
offered that the state Of Minnesota has al
ready acquired title to the AnOka site, the
members of this committee desire to say
that there is nothing to prevent the state from
disposing Of the same at such price as it
is able to secure.
We recommend the introduction and pas
sage Of a bill having for its object the set
ting aside of the location of the Anoka site
as the site for the fourth hospital, and pro-
vlding for the purchase of the site offered
by the city Of Hastings, and once selected
by the commission, together with the ap-
preparation of $4,000 for the same. Signed.
&C. f. Staples.
j. B. Kendall.
e. T. Young.
IT. D, 5heehan.
w. B. Douglas.
F. Barta
Representative Dare, for the minori-
ty, then read their side of the case
which was as follows, and moved that
1t be substituted for the majority re-
port. This was lost the vote being
Ayes, Culkin, Dare, Hicks, Potter
Shell; noes, Kendall, Staples, Sheehan
Douglas, Young, Barta. The majority
report was then adopted by the oppo-
site vote
me minority report was as follows:
The committee was not able to agree in its
conclusion and the undersigned submit the
following as their report
The joint committee duly convened exam
lned site purchased by the state for the in
sane hospital at Anoka, and also examined
site which was offered by the citv of Hastings
and referred to in the report OF the com
mission. 1t also examined papers plats, maps
and Witnesses. Parties representing Anoka
where the asylum was located also parties
representing Hastings, appeared before the
committee and were examined by it. Both
sides were permitted to have counsel and
the investigation was given the widest scope
for the purpose Of determining whether there
was any fraud or corrupt conduct in locating
the site and hospital it was located
We and that the commission, provided for
by SAID act, was duly appointed and organized;
that 1t examined various sites which were Of
1ered to the state for the purpose contemplat-
ed by the act; that, by majority vote it
pital in the vicinity CT Hastings; that there
after 1t duly reconsidered its action and
decided, by a majority vote, to locate the
said hospital in the vicinity of Anoka; and
thereuPon 1t acquired 64S.60 acres of land
in the vicinity of Anoka; which is particular
ly described in the report Of the commits
was not binding upon the commission, or
upon the state; that that determination has
been heretofore made by the district courts
Of Ramsey county and by the supreme court
OF Minnesota; and no land was acquired at
Hastings. The land on which the site was
located at An0ka by the commission has been
duly conveyed to the state of Minnesota. bv
proper deeds Of warranty, and shat the state
has duly paid therefor the sum Of fifteen
thousand (S15,e0O) dollars
We find, that in locating said asylum at
Anoka, the commission exercised the mowers
conferred upon them by law wisely and
Judiciously; and that aside from the fact
that the place where the asylum was and
is located is well designed in itself for the
location of an insane asylum, we find that
its geographical location is superior to anv
other considered; and that by reason of the
present location If the first and second
asylums at st. Peter and Rochester which
are geographically convenient 10 the territory
tributary to Hastings, and the further fact
that the Auoka site is more conveniently 10
Gated to the Twin Cities, Duluth and the
whole Sixth congressional district the present
location is for the best interests of the state
as a whole and in clear compliance with
the act under which the commission was
created.
That IN the location Of said hospital and the
purchase of the site therefor, the commission
acted entirely within the province Of the act
creating it; that the site selected and pur-
chased by said commission is suitable and
available for the purposes contemplated by
saiC act and " uow owned nT no state; that
the commissioners who voted Y 1avOr Of me
location Of said aaylI.m at AACka, and for the
purchase of this site there acted as f7ev
believe ard as he Undersigned Believe Il:
the best interests Of the state; and the I'M
dersigned members Of your committee after
Of dishonesty, fraud or rad faith on the
part of any of the commissioners, and, there
FORE find that the said commissioners, and
all Of them, are entitled t. complete exoneT-
aticn from any charges ct fraud or corrupt
conduct.
We. therefore, respectfully recommend that
the legislature take such steps as may be
deemed advisable 70 cause to be erected, upon
the land SO acquired by the said commits
sion, suitable buildings fJr the fourth hos
pit2l far the insane.
Later IN the evening. the members
of the minority gst together and de-
cided to prepare supplemental re-
port which will also he submitted this
morning as a rart IF the Same report
which was rad IN Part at the meeting
of the committee yesterday This sup
elemental report an7Esliies The stale