Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1859-06-03


Some fourteen years ago the construction of our
State Capitol vas commenced. notwithstanding
such ediHes was greatly needed, and its consruo-
ton justified BY the increasing prosperity and wealth
Of the State, there we're many who we're apprehen-
sivs Of Wasleful expenditure Of money in its con-
strueton To quiet the fears Of this class of lsgis
lators, estimate Of the probable cost was procur
ed TO be made BY Mr.. Strickland, he Architect,
which estimate was submitted to the Legislature
The entire cost Of the building Wss put down at
$4,000 if done by contract, but which it was
said might be reduced some $50 900 or $780, 600 by
The employment Of Penitsntisry labor, leaving the
entire cost of the building ct from S24O, coo to
$2600O0, with the addition Of 81 per cent for con-
tingent expenses, hosting machinery, tools, SC.
Upon this estimate the,wOrk commenced, under
the management and supervision Of Board Of Com
missiOners, controlled by majority of the OppOsi-
ton, which majority has continued to characterize
the Board to the present time.
What has been the result? We find il in the fol-
lowing extract from the Governors Message to the
Legislature in 1867: sit has now been more than
twelve years since the cornerstone of the State
Capitol was laid and the work is still dragging along,
ing at this slow rate it has already cost the State in
Guiding appropriations directly from the Treasury,
labor performed BY the Penitentiary convicts, and
issuance Of State Bonds, &C., ONE MILLION TWO
HUNDRED AND FOUR THOUSAND AND SEW
ENTY TW0'DOLLARs and, twelve cents, Isl, 204,-
0T2 l2.) To raise this amount, in part, there has
been issded eight hundred and fo.ty-One thousand
dollars Of six per cent. State bonds the principal
and interest 10 be paid out Of the State Treasury
These bonds constitute part of the Slate debt, and
must ultimately, be paid out Of the peoples taxes"
The expenditures connected with this building are
not yet complete. good many more thousands
will have to be added t, the above It's seldom, in
the history of public improvements, that we have
found so great difference between the original
estimates and the actual cost of the work. How 30
great difference could have occurred we leave the
Opposition, who have had the chief management of
the work, to explain That this large amount has
been honestly expended we would not FOR moment
question, but that it has been extravagantly used
we are equally well assured.
We are warranted in this conclusion, not only ,
the heavy aggregate Of expenditures, but by vari-
Gus items in detail We presume no one will ques-
tiOn that chandelier, at a cost of one thousand
fire hundred dollars, might be put down slightly
extrsVsgsnt We suppose that additional ehande-
liers, at cost of four thousand three hundred dollars
and seventy cents would hardly be class d by plain
people as economical, We suppose that nino hun
dred and fifteen dollars for lithogrsphing- princi-
paly, believe to furnish to strangers and others
pictures Of our cspitOl-wl scarcely be regarded
very economical, after having expended so mush
the original estimate in the construction OF the
capitol We hardly suppose that three thousand tOO
hundred and srtsen dollars for the mere article Of
window curtains, win be regarded by the people
who pay the taxes, as specimen Of economy.
But be this as it may, our conclusion must force
itself upon the mind Of the reader that in looking
to the cOrruptiens and extravaganza abroad, We
should not be unmindful Of such things at home;
and that Col NE1HsRLAND, if really shocked at the
extravagant manner in which the National Capitol
has been furnished by his party friends, Meigs and
CullOm,) should not be altogether unmindful Of
similar extravaganza right under his own nose
and about which the people he is addressing have
| more immediate concern.