, 1869-04-27
TIE STATE HOUSE EXp0suRr-


TIE STATE HOUSE EXPOSURE.
The fact that the construction Of the new
State House at Springfield was job got up
for the pscuniary and political benefit Of u
Select few, has never been doubted,
although there have been always persons
willing to overlook that fact in considera-
ton Of what they regarded the desirableness
OF having a new State House. 1t was
found, however, at tho start, that however
able the ring might be to control por-
ton Of the Republican party, the Dem
ocracy would not consent to plunge the
State into that fearful extravaganza unless
they had some representatives to share The
plunder- Consequently, e1-Membe1 Of
Congress, and e1-candidate for Governor,
james G. Robinson, and ex-senator Van
dever were included in the Commissioners,
and theuceforth the Democratic party
sustained the State House job under all cir
cu,nstances. The thing broke down last
winter, but was patched up again, aud,
despite au sense Of propriety, the leading
men Of the old commission were 1eappoiut-
ed. But now there is another breakdown.
General J. c. Wcbber, who was the Secre-
tuy Of tho first board, has fled charges
md specifications which, if true, should az
rest the whole undert king instantly, und
should he followed, not unly by tho dis
nlissal of the Commissioners, but their pros
ecution.
The distinct churge OF ''violation Of pub
are presented. The first specification isto
the effect that the Commissioners sold the
buildings upon the new site, which were
convey ed to. the State with it, for the sum
Of :ss3G, 900, not penny Of which did they
ever pny into the State Treasury, nor did
they make any report thereof to the Le,is-
turc, though they certified to the bill of the
auctioneer for his fees for selling the same.
Tho 1.ext Specification is that in answer to
the advertisement for proposals for lnasoa
work On the foundations the following bids
were received:
Edward So1an, Of Alton: Excavation, 45c per
clh yard. concrete sto'sc, s1.t! ics s1utre yard;
AMI setting fuulltnt"a-=toue, :lo.i5 re1 cube
u. ]. It. l. Nitcns: Tex: Excasatiun, .:i soc per
NutuC eUulIclt hl1llt AOE Jill Will
trip hammer aud dry Macttdan, Sl.e1 per square
.ald foI all concrete put Ill, s; per yard; for SET
ting and dressing stoue-"osk, except the tower,
3lh feT yaEd: t:l,nc on tnwcr, SIC per yard.
''Ba1nar4 i Gowan, Of Chicago: Sewer pipe, ,3,c
per foot ramming tcIches siH per llarc; tAca-
vSiion, Gec per CUBIC yarta putting In concrete, =
yari."
These bids were MI duly filed, and wero
! accompanied by the necessary bonds.
T>1,ooa
March 2ltl, 1867, at the Office Of the Com
nlissioncra. After the bidders and others
had withdrawn, the Commissioners, in COL
lusion with BarnArd & Gowan, altered and
changed the bid Of the latter by allowing
Barnard to write out n new bid for the
mason work, substituting sSlo.5o per cubic
yard for laying masonry in the place Of tho
oaginal hid of :S12.
Another specification is, thnt tho Com
! missione1s, at the instigl.ion of CochrAne,
J the architect, caused to he paid to D4rnard
i Gowan $1,000, for what Cochrane esti-
mated as cut stone, but which WAS really
the ordinary work necessary to prepare the
stone for setting. and for which B,rnard
! l. Gowan had received payment at Sl0.50
! per cubic yard. The architect, it is alleged,
reduced his estimate for cut stone
to conceal from the public this illegal ex-
penditu1e. Cut stone was not mentioned
in the original oontract, and No payment
for it was legal, because the law required
p! that no expenditure Of over $500 should bo
made without advertising for bids.
The fourth specification Is that tho Cou,-
missioners paid to Barnard & Gowan
! :SlA 900, which the Inv required should be
reserved until their contract was conf
pleted.
The fifth specification is thai the Com,
missione1s paid to Barnard s. Gowan
| $50, 600 upon 4 contract, Known to them to
have been obteiued by fraud nud corrup-
ton.
These charges embrace wilful corruption
q betrayal Of the interests uf the State, m
Illegal expenditure Of public money, and
fnnd md deception On the part Of ths
Commissioners. They are made by tht
officer selected by the Legislature, ns thu
confidential repository Of their records ant
Of their proceedings. AL their official oct!
arc known to him, md he makes these nc
cusatious from the books Of the Commits
sioners nnd from personal knowledge l
these charges be true, and they are mnle b,
gentleman fully the equal in character O
the Commissioners, then there is mucl
light thrown upon the terrible nn1iety CT
hibited in certain quarters, TINT in reo1gan
i1nG the board the active members Of til
old board should be retained New Com,ni,
sioners would not probably approve OF cove
mp tho things which General Webber hH
made public.
Tho Legislative Joint Committee on Pul
tic Buildings meet today ut Springfield
md have business before them which vi
occupy their time for several days. The
should not only ttke of6cinl notice Of thes
: accusations md Of the other fac
made public last winter, but they should H
J rest the whole proceeding just where it i
and not permit another dollar to he e:
pended by any person until there is re:
so1lalle certainty TINT tho State is not to t
swindlcd. Now isthc time to stop this wosl
and not year or two years henc'
when n million If dollars will have been G.
: pended and one-fonrth Of that sun saa,
leEcd aud lnisappled corruptly and otho
wise. The way to protect tile State is
: arrest fraud in its inception, nn,f mt Ivy il
vestigating it after the money has been los
O PROTECTION OF THE CURRENCY.
: 1t is generally supposed that the c1istir
$ Federal statutes, providing penalties f