Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1890 [PAGE 57]

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60

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS.

take the upper floor, or so much as may be needed, beginning- at the west end. At present I am not prepared to recommend any plan of dividing* up the room by partitions. On the first floor I would remove the partition between the pattern shop and the testing laboratory, and give the space of the pattern shop for the steam testing laboratory, and such other forms of mechanical laboratory work as may be developed. I would take out the boiler room, remove the brick partition on the west and north sides, and raise the floor to t h e level of the rest of the apartment to wThich it will be added. Into t h a t department I would remove the blacksmith's shop, giving to it somewhat more room, as well as to the foundry. The foundry could take the chimney now used by the boiler. The new boiler I would put into the present blacksmith's shop, which is admirably suited for the purpose. The iron chimney now used by t h e blacksmith's shop, will serve for the boiler. This will'save the necessity for putting the new boiler into a small house to be built for it in t h e yard, as I supposed would have to be done before it was known t h a t these changes could be made. The changes suggested involve comparatively small expense. The largest item will be the hanging of a new main shaft in the upper story, and the moving of the tools and the over-head gear, most of which will be just as good there as where it now is. I would not make any of these changes during the present vacation, but would proceed in this order: I would first build the new drill hall and get it ready for use as soon as may be practicable. I t may be some time in the fall before it is finished. When the military department has vacated the present drill hall, the work of preparing it for its new use may go forward. Meanwhile the year's work in blacksmithing will mostly have been finished in the present shop, and the new boiler may be set there, say in the latter part of the fall term or in the Christmas vacation, or even afterwards. We can utilize the work for the advanced classes, as a practical lesson in watching and aiding the fitting up of such a shop. I t may take the better part of the year before these changes can be completed, and some, indeed, may have to wait over for want of funds.

T H E SITE OF T H E D R I L L H A L L .

After much reflection and examination of grounds, I am prepared to recommend t h a t the new building be placed in the old campus, or parade ground, near the southeast corner. I would have the length of the building, lie east and west, fronting the south. The center of this front to be opposite the center of the main building, looking into the north end of the avenue which leads from t h a t building through the park and the arboretum. I would put the front, say 20 or 25 feet from the south line of the campus—no more than would be needful to give room for an audience to move in case the hall should be emptied of people on an occasion of commencement and the like. Proper exits should be to the street at side and end and into the campus. I n this place, it will be easy to convey steam thither from the boilers in the present blacksmith's shop, if t h a t should seem desirable. I have not found any other site which seems in all respects so desirable, or free from objections.

THE PLAN OF THE DRILL HALL.

I present sketches of fronts and ends by Professor Ricker. The hope has been to secure a large area, not less than 100x150 ft. from outside to outside. The walls to be of brick, 16 feet high, with large windows placed high. The roof to show a steep, or mansard side, with a deck of low slope covering the remaining area. The most important item is the roof, which should be so trussed as to need no interior support. A design has been made for a steel-trussed framework which, it is thought, at t h e present low prices of metal, may be had, giving strength, lightness and symmetry.