Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-01-03

q new commission was created
by the appointment of Hon. Elizur Beach
OF Lewis and Clarke county, Hon. D. E.
Folsom of Meagher county, Hon. j. M. Fox
of Carbon county, and Hon. a. d. Peck of
Deer Lodge county, who together with the
executive of the state, composed the capt.
toll building commission.
We organized, and before proceeding
further in any way to create an expense,
undertook to find a purchaser for the three
hundred and fifty thousand dollars $780,
10000 worth of bonds authorized by the act.
Not succeeding during 1897, in January, 1898,
we thought probable that if we could raise
sufflcient money to pay the architect his
fees and commissions, that we might find
some contractor who was willing to erect
the building and take the bonds in pay
ment. After due advertisement and con-
sideration of all bids, Messrs. Bell and
Kent of Helena were selected to prepare
the plans and specifications for the new
capitol building and to superintend the erec-
ton and construction of the same, at a
total cost OF eight thousand, two hundred
and fifty dollars (SS, $50. 00). Before these
plans had been fully perfected and COM
pleted the capitol building commission were
g%ratified to know that one of our own citi-
zens of the state of Montana and of the
city of Helena, Mr.. Thomas Cruise, came
forward and agreed to take the whole issue
of the capitol building bonds at par, and
pay for them at such times and in such
payments as the commission might require,
only charging the interest upon the money
advanced from the time of it's actual re-
ceipt by the commission. Having thus Sc
cured the funds and the plans and speci-
f%ications for the capitol building on the
thirteenth day of September, 1898, we let
a contract for the building of the state
capitol building, at a cost of two hundred
and eighty-nine thousand, eight hundred
and twenty-one dollars (2S9, S21. OW, to
Joseph Soss, a citizen Of Butte, with whom
was associated the Hon. H. l.. Frank, of
the same city. They Immediately went to
work in an energetic way, and at the pres
ent time the foundation for the capitol
building is almost completed. The war
rants of the old capitol commission, out
terest. We Immediately called these in and
paid them off. and have issued bonds in
lieu thereof, bearing six per cent. interest.
A full history of the financial transactions
of the commission will be found in the re-
port submitted for your inspection.
We are assured by the contractor that the
building will be finished and completed in
May, 1900, so that the next Legislative as
sembly, instead Of being called together in
the narrow, close and unhealthy quarters
to which you are subjected will be able to
assemble in spacious, elegant and well VEN
tilated rooms and buildings, and can en-
joy to some extent the pleasure of our new
state home.
UNIVERSITY.
The last legislative assembly provided for
the issuance of one hundred thousand
dollars worth of bonds, secured by the
rents and profits of the lands granted to
l0C STATE university, 1OT InG purpose Oh
erecting university buildings at the city
of Missoula. Under this law a commission
consisting of Hon. Alfred Cave. Joseph K.
Wood, George l.. Higgins, Reuben Latimer
and A. E. WinStanley. were appointed for
the purpose of constructing the university
buildings. They adopted a wise course by
reserving a part of their funds for the pur-
pose of equipping and furnishing the uni
versity. Plans and specifications for two
splendid buildings-known as the Main
University Building and Science Hall-were
secured and contracts let for their con-
struction, at q total cost of about eighty
thousand dollars ESQ, 900. 0m. These build
ings are almost completed, and 1 am as
sured will be finished by the first of Febru-
airy ensuing. This leaves a fund of about
twenty thousand dollars $50, 000.0O to be
used in furnishing and equipping the uni
versity with the necessary apparatus,
laboratory. library and other parapher-
MALTA for the institution.
Our university has made rapid progress
since it was first inaugurated, and on the
eighth day of June last, the first graduating
class from the university received their
diplomas, and upon the same day the cor
ner stone for the future home of the univer-
sity was laid with appropriate ceremonies.
Too much cannot be said of the gratifying
results of the school and of its economical
and careful management.
AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE AND NOR
NAL SCHOOL.
Two years ago when 1 had entered upon
the duties TO WHICH l idu IeCelilly DeeI
elected I found that the work in the con-
struction of the agricultural college and
the normal school was dragging exceed
insly slow, the responsibility for which, to
a large extent, rested with the state archi-
tect. He was at once removed and Mr.. G..
S. Haire employed as the state architect.
He began vigorously to crowd the c%ontrac-
tors to complete these buildings. 1t is
gratifying to say that both institutions have
been fully completed and schools have been
inaugurated in each. AT the former. about
two hundred pupils are in attendance; at
the latter, about eighty, this being the Sec
ond year of the normal school.
DEAF AND DUMB SCHOOL.
In January, 1897, the work upon the deaf
and dumb school building, at Boulder, had
practically ceased, for the reason that the
contractors were unable to realize upon
the warrants issued for the construction of
the new building. For some cause Or other,
after the appointment of Mr.. Hare and the
beginning of the new administration, the
warrants found a ready market and the
contractors were compelled to push the
building to a completion, which has been
accomplished, and the school at Boulder has
been fully installed in it's new quarters.
Under the law, as it now stands upon the
statute books, the deaf, dumb, blind and
feeble-minded are authorized to enter this
that the intermingling Of the eeble-minded
with the deaf, dumb and blind of our state
will be a serious hindrance and drawback
to the institution. Separate and distinct
quarters should be provided for these I'M
fortunates, to be controlled and managed
bv the same board and faculty as controls
the school for the deaf and dumb, but the
inmates of the two schools should not be
permitted to comingle or come together, as
they are under the present law.
SCHOOL OF MINES.
The last of our educational institutions to