WHEREAS, A bill has been reported favorably by the Committee on Reform School, providing for the re-location of the Girls' Department of that School; and WHEREAS, The Committee on Appropriations has received a proposition from the Trustees of Mitchell Seminary, located at Mitchellville, proposing to sell the building and twenty acre lot of that institution, for the sum of $20,000, payable in two and four years, the title to be perfected on receipt of warrants, bearing six per cent interest till paid; therefore, Resolved, by the Senate, the House concurring, That a Special Committee, composed of two members from the Senate and three from the House, be appointed to visit said Mitchell Seminary, and report at the earliest practicable date, as to its adaptability for the uses of the Girls' Reform School. Resolved, further, That said committee shall also visit the Girls' Reform School, where now located, and report at the earliest practicable date as to the adaptability of said premises for the uses of said school, and also report as to the comparative advantages or adaptabilities of the two localities for the uses and purposes of said school. MINORITY REPORT. Minority (report to be submitted with the majority report) of Joint Committee appointed to visit Mitchellville Seminary, Polk county, Iowa, also the "Girls' Department of the Reform School," now located at Mount Pleasant, Henry county, Iowa, and make report as to the adaptability of said places, and also the comparative advantages of said places for the use and purpose of a Girls' Reform School, beg leave to submit the following: That I visited the Mitchellville Seminary as directed and find the following state of facts: The building is a good, substantial and well constructed edifice, about 80 feet by 50 feet from out to out in size, three stories high; one of the stories is partially a basement, but so nearly above ground as to make it answer the purpose of cellar, kitchen, dining-room, and also ample room for storing all needful supplies, fuel, etc., that would be required. The basement story is constructed of stone, the two upper stories are brick and the roof is iron painted. There is connected with the building twenty acres of land and an offer of twenty acres more, which would make forty acres in all. There is no barn or other out-buildings of any kind. The drainage is reasonably good. There is one well of water; said well is about 90 feet in depth, but was assured that the water supply would be ample, and was further assured that good water could be obtained at a depth of from 28 to 30 feet if a greater supply should be needed. The building will have to be remodeled on the inside to a considerable extent to better adapt it for the use of said School, but to what extent and how much it will cost, am unable to say. The cost of the property, including forty acres of land, will be twenty thousand dollars; add to this the amount necessary to make the repairs on the building, put up barn, hog pens, and other outbuildings, some approximate idea can be formed what it will cost. The cost of the out-buildings will depend materially on the character or kind of buildings put up, so that it is impossible to say just what the entire cost will be. The building stands out in an open prairie place adjoining the town of Mitchellville, has but few or no shade trees, with the exception of some evergreens in the front part of the lot. As directed by the joint resolution your committee visited the Girls' Department of the Reform School where now located. The location is good, occupying an elevated position, surrounded by forest trees that screen it from public view and aid much in giving it a home-like appearance. The land where the buildings are located is sufficiently rolling to afford almost natural drainage. There is connected with the buildings forty-three acres of land in a good state of cultivation, good fences, 150 good bearing fruit trees, with a variety of the smaller fruits, such as grapes, raspberries, etc., etc. The extreme length of the building is 72 feet, by 30 feet in width, with a basement story that is now used for cellar and kitchen combined, with two stories above the basement, constructed of brick with shingle roof. The water supply is abundant-there is one stock well at the barn, two house wells and one cistern, which furnishes all the water that will be needed for a long time to come, an important consideration wherever the school may be located. The buildings are reasonably well adapted for the use of the school, though at the present time is somewhat crowded, or more so than it should be. The present owner of the property where the school is now located, proposes to sell the buildings, including the forty-three acres of land connected with them, for the sum of nine thousand dollars, a copy of which proposal is herewith attached and marked exhibit "A," and made a part of this report. In addition to the nine thousand dollars for the purchasing of said property, it will require the sum of four thousand five hundred dollars to construct an additional building, which in the opinion of the Superintendent would afford room sufficient for many years to come. This would make the total cost of the property the sum of thirteen thousand five hundred dollars. To summarize, and sum up as to the advantages of the two places as required by the resolution, I am clearly of the opinion, that it would be in the interest of economy to permanently locate the Girls' Department of the Reform School at the place where it now is. The difference in the cost of the two properties is almost one-half as will be observed by the foregoing statement; and if the same amount of money should be expended at the location where the School now is that is proposed to pay for the "Mitchellville Seminary," a property could be had that would be greatly superior and much better adapted for the purposes and uses of a Girls' Reform School. But should no greater expenditure be made for the present location than the thirteen. thousand five hundred dollars, it will then and in that case, make a property that will be better adapted for the use contemplated than the "Mitchellville Seminary," in my opinion. S. M. BOLING, Committee on the part of the Senate. COPY OF WHITING'S PROPOSITITION. EXHIBIT A. MT. PLEASANT, IOWA, March 15, 1880. I hereby offer to sell to the State of Iowa the buildings and grounds near Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, now occupied by the Girls' Department of the Reform School, on the following terms, viz: Nine thousand dollars, to be paid as follows: one-half in two years and the remaining one-half in four years from date of transfer, with six per cent annual interest from time of such transfer, the title to be perfect, and I to furnish an abstract of same within twenty days from receiving notice that it is desired; the deed to be a full warranty deed, and to convey a good title free of incumbrance; the grounds containing about forty-three acres, and to include all buildings and improvements on same belonging to me. T. WHITING. |