Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1872-04-05
Report Of tho Capitol Investigating
Committee.

The Joint Committee of the Leg
islature, consisting Of Senators Dy-
sart and Gault and Messrs. Leahy,
Davis and Maxwell, of the House,
to examine into the character of the
material used and labor performed
on the foundation of the new Capt.
toll, at Des Moines, have completed
their work, and submitted their re-
port, copy of which lies before
us. A large portion of the report
is devoted to the testimony taken,
including that of number of the
members Of the Capitol Commission,
workmen employed on the work,
architects, builders of experience,
&c.
The Committee report that nine
varieties of stone have been used in
the foundation of the building
The first mentioned is the granite
from this county, of which the re-
port says:
1.-THE strength and durability OF the
rock speak tor themselves, md require
no comment. 1t is evident that neither
time nor seasons exercise any influence
eslpon it,"
!aS The first stone laid in the founda-
and was from Bear Greek, Dallas
,y9Gnty, and was Of good quality,
but the quarry gave out after fur
nishing only $50 yards.
The next was from Van Buren,
county, three varieties being fur
nished. OF these, two kinds are
worthless for building purposes;-
one crumbling by the action Of the
frost, and the other very soft and
more like clay than stone These
defective stone are scattered all
through the wall and will have to
be removed. The Committee esti-
mate the cost Of removing those
already detected and replacing them
with stones Of good quality, at from
$4,000 to $4,000. Besides these,
there arc 200 cubic yards Of stone
dressed and ready to be laid, and
the same quantity undrcssed, ma
king 400 yards on hand, one-third
of which has been so injured by
frost as to be not suitable for the
wall.
The Committee express their con-
viction that chemical tests establish
no reliable criterion for the durabil-
ity Of building stone, and say:
"Your Committee find that the stone
used in the foundation has been tested
only to slight extent by the test Of ex'
perience and actual observation. None
of the identical stone from the identical
locality, has been tested by chemical OF
mechanical tests"
In regard to the actual condition
Of the foundation, and the probable
expense of reconstructing it, the
Committee say:
allow much of the wall must be taken
down and renovated, is q question which
none of the witnesses fully answered.
The conclusions of the architect, and the
experts, were based on the inspection o.
the base alone. Yet the testimony clear
" develops the fact, that an equal, If moi
q greater proportion of the bad stone
was laid in the front and interior Of the
walls. Inasmuch as the mortar was
green, and the stone full Of sap when
winter set in, the whole is now solidly
frozen mass. II then, It should be ascer
tanned that the action Of the frost has
been as damaging on the hidden material
us is plainly descernible on that which Il
exposed to the weather, it is but fair to
infer that whole sections of the walls
must be wholly removed and reset. AS
all the calculations Of the cost Of recon
structing SO much of the stone work, as
is now acknowledged and pronounced
unfit to stand, are predicted on q partial
examination Of the exterior, the expense
will necessarily be much heavier than es
timated."