Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1904-04-05
More MISREPRESENTATION.

literature issued by the StaiWart
headquarters At Madison, is entitled,
Facts Concering the Capitol Fire.
1t Is Of 4 character similar to other
literature circulated by that bureau.
It is intended to deceive and mis-
lead the people, instead Of giving the
facts. This circular states false
hood, by Inference at least. at THE
very outset. 1t says: "Within the
past year 100000 of insurance
Heretofore held on the capitol and
contents was allowed to EXPIRE"
This insurance was allowed to expire
according to the provisions OF a law
passed by the legislature of 1908,
which provides that the state shall
insure its own property. 1t passed
the legislature practically unani-.
mously. The father Of the law was
Senator Mosher, of st. Croix county,
one Of the most pronounced Stalwarts
and one OF the most bitter enemies Of
the governor. He, more than any
person, is responsible for the law.
And the law is a good one, let 1t be
said, and In the long run will be
vastly profitable to the state.
This fire was one of the unfortunate
things that happen, when over, SO
many things are discovered which
might have prevented 1t. While
there were precautions taken to meet
such an emergency, they failed and
the loss was incurred. No one WAS to
blame. The great howl about the
Waterman not having been instructed
In the use OF the city water works Is
all trash. The city water works
could not have been used by the en-
ployes of the capitol. They were
denied their use by the city water
works department., and were not al
lowed the custody Of any OF the ap-
pliances tor their use.
One of the statements contained
In the document Is by former Chief
Engineer w. H. Dean, rank Stall
wart, which Is: Had the employees
OF the capitol building known Of the
piping Of the building as 1t existed,
they could have taken a wrench, and
at the right hand Of the Superin
tendent Of Public ProperJy's doOl
there was u two inch valve which
could have been opened; that wou!c
have flooded the entire Senat.
chamber" etc. In another place, Mr.
Scott, ex-superintehdent Of the Pub
lie Property, makes similar assertions
Had these ex-Offlcials known thu
facts they would probably not have
been led into such unwarranteC
statements. For more than thre,
years there have been no wrenches Ol
appliances of the city waterworks IL
the hands Of the employees OF tn,
state, or that were accessible to them
such as would enable them to use tn
city water.-in fact the state ha(
been denied the use of them In tina
manner, and the wrenches, IL an.
were ever in the hands Of the stat
employees, had been taken away b.
the superintendent Of the waite
works. The state had no access I,
city pipes; they could only be used b.
the fire department or city waite
works department. Whenever it hat
been necessary to use the city pipes
the city water works department ha;
to be appealed to, and then, in som
cases, it was with difficulty tina
water was procured.
These are desperate men employing
desperate means In their attempt +
defeat a worthy man. Falsehood
Misrepresentation and vile abus
characterize their methods. TIL
people, when they know the facts
will make short work Of such men an
methods-Stoughton Currier.