The legislature of 1895 instructed the Board of Control to acquire, by purchase or donation, sufficient land for a home for the feeble- minded and epileptic of the state, and appropriated $100,000.00 for this purpose and the erection of suitable buildings.

In doing this the legislature builded well. The Insane, the blind and the deaf, for many years have enjoyed the fostering care and liberal favors provided for them by the state. Their claims upon the practical sympathy of the community have been munificently responded to, and no one questions the duty of a prospering people to make the helpless the objects of their special care. But during all these years the public has ignored and neglected the idiot and the feeble-minded classes equally abject, equally deserving and in all respects equally entitled to our care and support. We confidently believe that the establishment now ready for them, if carried to the hoped-for development, will be the means of giving consolation to as many homes and happiness to as many stricken hearts as any or all of our other magnificent state. institutions of which the people of Wisconsin are so justly proud.

The Board of Control obtained warranty deeds to the state of the 600 acres donated. In addition, a part of the cash bonus was used in purchasing adjoining lands likely to be needed in the near future, so that now the state owns a clear title to 1,021 acres of good land. The rest of the bonus, in accordance with a verbal agreement with the officials of the city of Chippewa Falls, has been used in grading and laying out drives and walks through 190 acres of this land set aside for the park grounds of the institution.

In the plans and arrangements of the buildings the Board has given much careful study and consideration. Visits to similar institutions in other states were made by members of the Board and the architect, in order to profit by the experiences and experiments of others.

The first point to be settled was the ultimate capacity of the institution. The highest authorities in the land were consulted, and they agreed that no institution of this kind should contain over 1,000 inmates. The Board, in view of the fact that the census shows about 3,000 feeble-minded and idiotic persons in the state, decided to cover the extreme limit and set the final capacity of the Home at 1,000. Everything so far has been constructed with that object In view. The power-house and heating plant has been built large enough for all future requirements; and so has the laundry building. The sewer system, the water-works pipes and the electric light mains are all large enough for any future use. It will be only necessary to put in additional machinery. The underground pipes will not have to be disturbed, nor will the buildings need to be enlarged. When the Institution has been completed to its limited capacity of 1,000, there will be about twenty buildings, as follows :

An administration building; a dormitory for boys of lst grade ; a dormitory for girls of 1st grade; a dormitory for boys of 2d grade; a dormitory for girls of 2d grade; a dormitory for boys of 3d grade; a dormitory for girls of 3d grade; a dormitory for boys (epileptics); a dormitory for girls (epileptics); a custodial cottage for boys; a custodial cottage for girls; a gymnasium and assembly hall; a school building for boys; a school building for girls; a kitchen and general dining room for both classes; hospital building, laundry, power house, shops, farm, colony, barns, railway station, etc.

The appropriation of $100,000.00 made by the legislature of 1895 has been used as follows:

• Contract for one custodial building and one dormitory: $57,987
• Contract for power-house and laundry: 10,350
• Contract for steam-heating equipment: 15,794
• Contract for sewerage system: 2,857
• Contract for electric light plant: 2,491
• Contract for pumping machinery: 1,720
• Contract for water-works system: 1,735
• Preliminary work, architect's plans, surveying, superintendence of construction, lumber, implements and tools: 4,037

The legislature of 1897 made a further appropriation of $75,000.00, out of which a second cottage with a capacity of 150 inmates was built and other improvements made.

The legislature of 1899 made a further appropriation of $158,000 for new buildings, equipment and supervision. Of this amount about $44,000 has been building has a capacity of about 125 inmates. The capacity of the present buildings is about 550 and the population on the first day of February, 1901, was 472.

The whole number of patients received since the opening of the institution is 574. The average during the year ending Sept. 30, 1900, was 387 as against 370 the preceding year, and the current expenses were $62,462.53 as against $61,327.23.

The buildings have been constructed with a view to solidity and permanence, and not one dollar has been spent for ornamentation. Nevertheless the cottages are handsome and imposing. There is nothing cheap and flimsy about them, but every kind of material used is of the very best. The roofs are slate, the gutters and cornices of copper, all the partitions are of brick, and the buildings are of slow-burning construction throughout, and as nearly fire-proof as is necessary.

The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin. Complied and published under the direction of Wm. H. Froehlich, Secretary of State. 1901. page 522 - 524

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