LA CROSSE COUNTY HISTORICAL SKETCHES


arranged with the railroad company
to build a spur out to the grounds.
          Was Surveyor
  I was a surveyor and located the
place where the asylum now stands.
Dave    Polleys  staked  out   the
grounds for the builders. I had
suggested to several residents of
West Salem that they form a syndi-
cate to build the foundation for the
asylum, agreeing  to  pay  them
$7,000 for the job. They acted up-
on this suggestion, but lost $300.
  There was still intense opposi-
tion to the asylum's coming to West
Salem due to the fact that it was
though supplies would be bought
at retail of the merchants instead
of wholesale.
  Politicians got busy, and at the
next election I was defeated. I had
not had a written contract with the
old board for going on with the
building, and notwithstanding the


fact that I had already let contracts
for the building the new    board
voted against the West Salem loca-
tion and ordered an injunction re-
straining me from signing bonds or-
dered by the old board.
  I was living on a farm near Sa-
lem, and was in the village on an
errand when I heard of the injunc-
tion. Immediately, clad as I was, I
took the train for La Crosse, and
went to the court house. Behind
closed doors and drawn shades I
remained until midnight signing
bonds. I then requested Mr. Losey
to come before the new board and
speak for the asylum at Salem.
  He assured the supervisors that
it would cost more for them to get
out of the contracts already made
than it would to go ahead with con-
struction. They finally concluded
to go ahead and finish the building
at West Salem.


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