The Daily state register. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1870-1872, 1871-08-31
NEVADA A CAPITOL
COMPLETED AND ACCEPTED!
History and Description Of the Build
inp-Ihe Com missiouers- Archi-
tect, Contractors and Build
ers Quantity and
Weight of Mate
rial Used.

The Legislature Of the State of Ne
xada passed IAN Act to provide for
he erection of a State Capitol at Car
ION CITY,, which was approved Feb
ruary %, 1869. The Act created aState
CAPITOL Fund of 100000, and a Board
of Capitol Building Commissioners
under whose direction and supervision
the money WAS to be expended. IL
also made it obligatory upon the State
TO furnish stone for the wall material
which material was not to be included
in the cost of construction. After ad-
yertisinp, the Commissioners received
several plans from architects, hnaiiy
aloptinr hat of Joseph Costing, OF
No. 9 Post street, San Francisco. a
number of bids were put in by con-
tractors, and the Board accepted the
lowest. that of Peter Cavanaugh, ST.,
who agreed to construct the building
according to the plans and specifica-
ions for ssh. 900 in gold coin-the State
IN furnish stone for the wall material.
Two weeks after the work was COM
menced the Commissioners informed
MI. Cavanaugh that it would be i'm
possible for the State TO comply with
the provisions Of the contract by lur-
nishing the stone, but advised nam 10
90 on with the work, and look to he
fairness of the Legislature and the
honesty of the people for compensation
for losses which he must sustain by
reason of the State'sinabi!ity to comply
with its contract. This was done, and
eight months after ground was broken
the magnificent edifice was ready for
the reception Of the Legislature. The
commissioners allowed the contractor
81 900 for getting out the stone, which
the State had failed to furnish, but this
>r,1n did not begin TO cover the extra
.xpense incurred. Moreover, instead
of gold coin, the State paid in variants,
hich had 10 he sold at ruInouS
in order to push the work to compile
tion in time for the mex session OF
rbe Legislature. These circumstances
caused heavy losses to the contractor
which he could not have foreseen at
the time of bidding. The nature of
the ground was found to be such as TO
necesitate a deviation from the original
t,lans for the foundation, and various
other changes were made III the
pians from time 10 time, all materially
increasing the coSt of construction.
49, tl.nf v n m 10 10 N N 49,
s~ubseuuentlv allowed Mr.. Cavanaugh
50 .367 10, which amount but little more
than covered the cost of extra work
and material used in the foundation.
sp.luding the $50 awarded the archi-
feet for the plans. the Commissioners
pxpended S6332 % for advertising, office
rent, blanks, engraving casket for
corner stone, stationery. etc. This
absorbed the whole of the first appro-
rriat;on of 800, 600. The last Legisla-
lure, finding that the failure of the
state to comply with its contract had
caused heavy losses TO the contractor.
and to MANY others who had furnished
material and laborforthe Capitol, made
an additional appropriation of $4,000.
of which S5i, 900 was to be devoted to
the pay.nent of bona tide claims for
iaborand material furnished, and sc, 900
was to go to Mr.. CaVanaugh Tor extra
work put on the building according TO
instructions from the commissioners.
When this last appropriation shall
have been paid the State will have paid
out $3.50, 600 for a building that is worth
fully $3.50, 600.
ON Saturday last, Goth instant, the
commissioners met, made a thorough
examination of the building and the
material used in its construction, and
accepted it on the part OF the State.
The edifice is One of the most beauti-
thl. solid and substantial ones on the
coast. There is no ''shOddy" about
the material or workmanship. The
rapid construction and great weight OF
the walls, together with the friable
nature when first unearthed) of the
sandstone used, caused many of the
long window stills to crack; but the
building itself (DOr any portion Of the
wails) has not sunk even 70 the hun
dreth portion Of an inch, as may be
e BY the perfect state Of the Pias-
tering. In the upper stories . few
wooden partition wallis were put In, and
these have shrunk up and cauaed the
p~tastering to crack, but the innar faces