The West Salem Insane Asylum was comissioned by the La Crosse board of Trustees in 1887. Upon the establisment of the facility, the building was comissioned to the La Crosse County's Construction Company in 1910, with the notion that all exterior work would be completed by December 1st. 1910, and all interior work would be completed by April 1st 1911. The Architect who designed La Crosse County's Asylum for the Insane; Wells E. Bennett was given the "right to dismiss any incompetent workmen from the job" The structure of the bulding included many fine details. Below, many of the precise materials and specifications are outlined as were depicted in the manual "Specifications for Additions to La Crosse County asylum of the Insane" |
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Contract Documents: Two copies of the contract shall be supplied to contractors and one to the trustees at the asylum the origina being filed at the county courthouse. Footings: Footings shall be a mixture of (1) part cement (3) parts of sand and (5) parts of broken stone Painting and furnishing All exterior wood work shall be painted 3 coats of pure white lead and pure linseed oil paint |
 Pictured above is the maquette for the new Lakeview. All materials were required to be of first class; this specification was set so that the patients did not have the possibility to "tear anything lose from the walls or the celings." Hands on Deck: A news paper article dated 4-11-1887 talks about the brick work contract; that alone called for 300 cords of stone. A team of West Salem men were contracted for $7,000 to do the brick and carpentry work. Those men conisisted of: J.K Johnson, Ludwick Larson, George Robinson, J.H. Gilfillan Alexander Johnson, and W.H. Grales |
Face Brick Work: All exterior walls shall be faced with red sand molded brick like no. 7 Me hemite. contractor to submit samples for Architect's approval. Concrete: In cold weather the materials shall be heated; concrete reinforced floors (1) part portland cement (2) parts sand and flower (4) parts broken stone or gravel; mixing by machine is required Piping: All supports for the pipes shall be adjusted; able hangers or clamps as the case they may require |
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