DEAF, DUMB, AND BLIND ASYLUM. The Senate Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds mét at the office of the Asylum, at Berkeley, on Wednesday, January twelfth, eighteen hundred and seventy-six. Present Senators Donovan, Hill, and Spencer. Absent-Senators Evans, Beazell, Haymond, and Nunan. J. Mora Moss, Hamilton, Barker, Crane, and Shattuck, Directors, not present. WARRING WILKINSON, Sworn by the Chairman. Answer-My position is that of Principal of the Institution. A. Ten years. Q. When was the building destroyed? A.-January seventeenth, eighteen hundred and seventy-five. Q-What is the cost of this building? A.-Fourteen thousand eight hundred and seventy dollars. Q-What was the fee of the architect? A.-Seven hundred and forty-three dollars and fifty cents, which sum was presented to the institution. Q. Do you know the cause of the fire? A.-I do. [Gave a description, as in page 15 of his report.] Q.-Was there any exception taken to the defective flue? A.--No. Q-Any to the construction of the building?__ A. Yes, in the newspapers, but I was in the East at the time, and know nothing of my own knowledge. Q-Have you ever conversed with mechanics as to the character of the structure? A.-No. Q. Did you examine the walls burnt? A. Yes, but I am not a judge of such work. Q. What was the first appropriation? A. One hundred and fifteen thousand dollars; the old property sold for thirty-four thousand dollars, which makes the whole amount to one hundred and forty-nine thousand dollars. The contractors got further money from the Legislature-Emery twelve thousand dollars, and McCready twenty-five thousand dollars-making the cost to the State one hundred and eighty-six thousand dollars, and four thousand dollars for heating apparatus. до Q.-Does that include stationary furniture? A.-No; the plans do not belong to the State; a premium of one thousand dollars was paid, and the percentage paid the architects, Messrs. Wright & Sanders, was three thousand nine hundred and fifty dollars, including the one thousand dollars for premium. [Reads report September eighth, eighteen hundred and sixty-nine.] It was six hundred dollars, not one thousand dollars, as before said. Q-Was there any other expenses? A. No, sir. Q.-How soon was the painting done again? A.-In two or three years. Q. Did you receive five thousand dollars for a terrace in front of the asylum? A. Yes. Q. How much money have you spent? A. About one-half for the improvement of grounds and plants. Q.-Was the terrace necessary? Why not slope it? We have not water enough to keep it green. Q.-Is not a stone wall dangerous? -It was to be protected by a fence. Q.-Is that not an extravagance ? A.-I think not. Q. Would it have added to the convenience of the building? Q. Do you not consider such beautifying extravagant? A.-No; on the contrary; it is as necessary as any other thing around the building; its effect on the eye is pleasant. Q.-Did not this committee report against, or decline to report for the cost of the terrace? A. No, sir; nor any other committee. The Committee on Finance reported for us. Q. How did it come before them without a recommendation from this committee first? A.-I don't know. Q-What sum do you want for a new building? A. The Board requires three hundred thousand dollars to erect such a structure as would accommodate two hundred and fifty pupils. Q. What would the furniture cost? A.-Ten thousand dollars; our present furniture would answer. Q.-How many pupils have you? A. One hundred. Q. How many in the destroyed building? A.-One hundred and forty. Q-Why so large as for two hundred and fifty pupils? A. There is a continued increase of pupils from the continued increase of population, as there is a certain proportion of subjectssay one in two thousand-almost certainly to be calculated on-say one in two thousand deaf, dumb, and blind-one in one thousand eight hundred. Q. How long before you would expect two hundred and fifty pupils? A. In ten or twelve years. 67 Q. Do you think it proper to erect such a building and then have to wait so long before fully needed? A.-I would arrange a plan in sections; I would like the first story finished, as we have four classes deaf, dumb, and blind. Q-Was the former building suitable for its purpose? A-It was nearly perfect; the rooms were a little small. Q-If you want a building why not draw a rough plan of what you require; it will be necessary before you get an appropriation ? A.-It is proposed to have a plan for that purpose; we have not one now. I shall be in Sacramento in a few days and present one for your consideration. Q-Do you conduct religious exercises? A. Yes. I conduct them on a broad religious ground. Q.-What is the proportion of deaf and dumb to blind? A-Two-thirds deaf and dumb, and one-third blind, and not more. than two hundred and fifty should be together. Q.-Is it usual to separate the sexes? A.—There is only one in the country where it is done. STATEMENT OF WARRING WILKINSON BEFORE THE ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE. Since I was here before I have had a consultation with the Board. I would like to have this committee lay aside all remembrance that they saw a plan down at the institution. I don't want them to remember that they saw a plan which was a fancy sketch of an architect, and which I had nothing to do with whatever. Since then I have received very strong letters from Doctor Howe, who died a few days ago in Boston. They have adopted in Boston, the cottage. He was very anxious, he said, we should introduce it here. The general idea is, putting up a series of buildings each complete in itself. Of course the general building is not far off. Each of these cottages harbors a certain number of persons and enables us to keep up the family relation-something of it-better than could be done in a single large institution. What we propose is to ask of this committee one hundred thousand dollars. With that we would be able to put up such completed buildings as would relieve all our present necessities. By using the upper stories of the building we are now in, it would be from four to six years before it would become necessary to come here for another appropriation. This plan would enable us to keep separately the deaf and dumb, and the blind. That is the proposition which the Board desire now to lay before you. They propose to put up plain buildings, simple in their structure, and in their interior arrangements perfect. A building which shall not easily burn down, and which shall contain good doors and walls, excellent floors, etc. We wish only as much as will be absolutely necessary to make these buildings presentable, but not in the labored style so much in vogue for some time. Q.-There is a good deal of stone work there that would answer for foundations? Senate Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds met at the State University on Thursday, January thirteenth, eighteen hundred and seventy-six, at ten o'clock A. M. Present-Senators Donovan, Hill, Spencer and Beazell. Absent-Senators Haymond and Nunan. The committee, without being formally called to order, proceeded to examine into the source of the water supply and the State's rightthereto. Professor Soulé, of the College of Engineering, accompanied the members in the examination of the creek source, and testified that he made a careful survey of the whole ground of the University, and of the water-shed adjoining, and was satisfied, from actual measurements by him, that the Heywood Springs would be sufficient for the wants of the University, and that for irrigation it would be necessary to dam the creek. For full details of the water supply, its source, and cost of improvement, he referred us to his report and map on that subject. The President, Professor John LeConte, then showed the members through the buildings, and showed the wants of the Faculty to be— first, a fire-proof building for the safety of the museum, library, and instruments, which are now exposed, and additional buildings for the Colleges of Mining and Mechanics, and referred to the report of the Faculty for further details. After a thorough inspection of the several buildings the committee adjourned to meet at the Asylum for the Deaf, Dumb, and Blind. The source of water supply for this property was then examined and found to consist of two small wells-one partly enlarged, and the other, the main supply, improved with a tank of brick containing about twenty-three thousand gallons, which was only sufficient for the use of the inmates, none being available for irrigation. The committee then adjourned to meet at the office of the Board of Regents of the State University, at number seven hundred and twenty-eight Montgomery street, San Francisco. Committee met at the office above named on Friday, January fourteenth, eighteen hundred and seventy-six. Present-Senators Donovan, Hill, Beazell, Spencer, and Nunan. Absent-Senator Haymond. The Chairman requested the production of the various maps,deeds, reports, and such other documents as would be calculated to enlighten the committee on the subject of the water supply and title to the lands upon which the springs adjacent to the University have г their source. J. W. Shanklin, the agent for the sale of University lands, placed at the disposal of the committee the following maps and documents: No. 1-Deed of Z. B. Heywood to the College of California. No. 2-Deed of Trustees of the College of California to the State of California. No. 3-Deed of President and Board of Trustees of the College of California to the State of California. No. 4-Deed of College of California to the California College Water Company. No. 5-Deed of Z. B. Heywood to the College of California. No. 6-Deed of Board of Trustees of the College of California to the State of California. No. 7-Deed of Regents of the University to Mary E. Brayton. No. 8-Deed of President and Board of Trustees of the College of California to the State of No. 9-Deed of California College Water Company to the State of California. No. 11—Agreement of California College Water Company with the President of the College of No. 12-Certificate of stock of California Water Company. No. 13—Certificate of stock of California Water Company. No. 14-Report of McCullough & Boyd on title to forty acres of land adjoining University, west. No. 15-Proposition of Mary E. Brayton. No. 16-Extracts from official records of California College Water Company. No. 17-Parchment deed from the College of California to the University. No. 18-Map of grounds on tracing-cloth, marked A at the corner. No. 19-Map of Strawberry and vicinity, by Professor Soulé. No. 20-Map of lands conveyed to Mary E. Brayton by Wm. Hammond Hall. No. 21-Four maps marked B CD E, accompanying Professor Soulé's map. No. 22-Plans of proposed Library and Museum. No. 23-Plans of proposed Mining and Mechanical Colleges. J. W. DUNCAN, sworn. Was Superintendent of Construction, elected April fifteenth, eighteen hundred and sixty-nine, and resigned January first, eighteen hundred and seventy-four. On assuming my duties, I found a great scarcity of water, and made a requisition on the Board of Regents for authority to improve the water supply. Was so authorized to repair reservoirs, open and clean the springs. Did so at two springs, and laid one thousand two hundred feet of pipes connecting with the old flume. Laid a pipe connecting with the reservoir, and from the Brayton reservoir to the buildings. The books of the Superintendent, now on file, would give you more detail of the work done than I can now recollect. This work was done in eighteen hundred and sixty-nine. Nothing further was done until eighteen hundred and seventy-three; then six more springs were excavated, and I made a map of the ground, showing spring's distances and altitudes, with the courses of the pipes-this is known as the Hawkins' map. excavated the Heywood Springs, cleaned them out, and fenced them in. Regent Dwinelle accompanied me in my examination of the various springs; he took great interest therein, and was satisfied with my work. Professor LeConte also accompanied me and Professor Soulé. I insisted on the pipes being laid, but owing to the lack of funds it was not done. Bills for all this work were made out to the University, and paid on the recommendation of Regent Dwinelle. No objections were made by any person to improve the springs, until the Brayton sale, and Mr. Livermore objected; the Brayton sale took place in eighteen hundred and seventy-two; the records will give the date. While at work on the water supply, after the sale, Livermore called on me and asked me my authority for doing so, and I gave him the Board of Regents as my authority. He asked me if I insisted on proceeding with my work. I answered, yes; until stopped by law or the Board of Regents. He claimed the right to them, and said that anything that I would do, being a tresspass on my part, did not affect his rights. This was the only objection made on the undivided property. There was objection made by the tenant of the Heywood Springs. Mr. Hill-What amount of money was paid for water improvement in eighteen hundred and sixty-nine? A.-Four thousand two hundred dollars, a portion only being spent on the Brayton property-on the undivided property, about two thousand three hundred dollars. Mr. Spencer-How much was spent on the undivided property subsequent to the sale?' A.-About two thousand five hundred dollars, which included the improvements on the springs. Q-Was the right to the springs asserted by the College of California? A.-They made the first steps thereto, but did not perfect them. Mr. Hill-When Livermore protested, did you report it? A. Yes; to the President and Regents Dwinelle and Merritt; but they did not think it important. The condemnation of the springs by the College of California was before the University was formed, and before my time. Mr. Donovan-Mr. Dwinelle visited the springs more than any other of the Regents? A. He was very close in his attention to that work, and also to the building during its progress. The condemnation of the springs alone would not answer; you must have the land, particularly with open reservoirs.. There was originally a water company which had the water-right, but by some inadvertence the separate ownership was lost before the conveyance to Brayton. When the conveyance to Brayton was made it carried the water-right with it, as I understand it, but reserved to the University the right to carry water over the surface of the land (Brayton's), or at a short distance under it, through pipes, in such a manner as not to interfere with the agricultural employment of the land. The sale of the land to Brayton was in settlement of a question between the College of California and Mr. Brayton, as I understand it. A reservoir was constructed, which is on the Brayton land. These things all occurred before the matter was referred to the Land Committee of the Board of Regents, and before my appointment as Regent. As the difficulty existed that the reservoir was on the land of Mrs. Brayton, and it was likely to become necessary to carry the water through pipes over it, the subject was referred to the Land Committee, of which I am Chairman, I think about one and a half years ago, to ascertain what arrangement could be made, or settlement with Mrs. Brayton, who then was and still is the owner of the Brayton land, her husband having deceased. It had been ascertained that the description in her (the Brayton) deed could not be reconciled to the actual situation of the land, according to natural boundaries and landmarks. It was hoped that the inducement which should be held out to her to have a new and correct deed made, which should conform to the actual condition of the land intended to be granted, would prompt her to a favorable settlement of the question. |