Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1900 [PAGE 116]

EXTRACTED TEXT FROM PAGE:

96

UNIVERSITY O F I L L I N O I S .

[ J u n e 13,

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS, J u n e 8,1899.

Br. A. S. Draper, President, University of Illinois, DEAR SIR:—I desire to call your attention to several things pertaining to my department, which should have consideration at this time, the most of which are much needed for the better preservation of the University property. I will enumerate the things which seem to be most needed: 1. The present roof on the gymnasium seems beyond repair, i have had a good mechanic go over it several times during the past year, and it is now worse than ever, having shown 28 or 30 leaks during the last rains. The present roof is very old and should now be replaced with a new one, which if put on in tin will cost from $550 to $750 according to quality of tin used. If composition is used it would cost about $400. 2. The roof on the Military Hall has also caused considerable trouble, yet the leaks seem hard to find. I think it would be best to give this roof a heavy coat of paint. 3. The roof on University Hall is also in bad condition and would be much improved by having a good coat of paint. I estimate the expense of repainting roofs now in need to be about $250. 4. The exterior wood work of University Hall should have needed repairs and be treated to two coats of lead and oil. I have gone over this building carefully, and find it in bad condition, many places having no paint left on it at all. The cost would be about $350. 5. The tower clock in University Hall needs cleaning and the dials for same should be painted. It would cost about $50 to put this in proper shape. 6. The ventilators in the roof of the foundry and forge shops have been a great annoyance and expense, as it has been almost impossible to heat these rooms with the present arrangement. The present galvanized iron slat ventilators should be replaced with sash which can be operated from the floor. With this arrangement we could ventilate at will and retain the heat in cold weather. The expense incurred in this would be about $250. 7. The floor in the forge shop is made of earth and makes a very dirty place in which to work. If kept wet enough to keep the dust down it seems too damp for the men. A vitrified brick floor would obviate these difficulties. The expense would be about $150. 8. The walls in the wood shop, pattern room, foundry and forge shops all need re-calcimining. The expense would be about $150. * 9. There are a few changes very much needed in the radiation for Engineering Hall. Some rooms have more than is needed and some very much less. It was impossible to heat a portion of this building so as to make it comfortable last winter. I think for an expenditure of $100 we could change and add to the radiation so as to obviate further complaint in this direction. 10. We have about 6,000 square feet of cinder walks which ought to be covered with concrete in order to give uniformity in appearance and for the better preservation of our buildings. As the cinder foundations are now in, I think we can put in the above amount of concrete work for about $600. 11. There ought to be better retaining walls built between the present annex to south end of boiler house, and the bridge on our coal road over. Boneyard, so as to preserve the banks and allow filling in at this point. In connection with this we should dredge and straighten the banks for about 200 feet east of this bridge in order to give better outlet for the water during heavy rains. The cost would be about $100. 12. There are a number of repairs on the inside of University Hall, Engineering Hall, and Natural History Hall, which ought to be done both for their preservation and for general appearance. The expense would be from $£00 to $500. 13. I desire to call your attention to the condition of our buildings with reference to fire protection. I have made a careful survey of all the buildings and find that we are practically without fire protecting facilities in all of the buildings excepting Engineering Hall, the Library, and a portion of University Hall.