The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-02-02

j
say to you, with great confidence, that the
plans they now submit to you are such as
will meet the necessities OF the public SER
4 vice, and that they can be executed inside of
$1,000, 600. They feel that they are prepared
| to appear before the general assembly and
give such explanations and reasons for their
decisions will be satisfactory; and that
you will not fail to appreciate the great
amount OF time and though they have be-
slowed on the trust confided to them.
| Your committee, in submitting their
plans, as the best under the conditions and
limitations of their appointment, would by
| no means have you conclude that they are
perfect, for there was not a plan before
them they would not require to be modified
| in some particulars, and we are not even
willing to affirm that these three plans are
absolutely the best of the eighteen; but
/ simply that they are the best which come
| within the limitations imposed. Your COM
mittee have reason to believe that they
have been singularly fortunate in hsv-
/ ing presented to them so many plans of
| merit. With one or two exceptions, all of
them have been really good plans, and in
/ some instances it has been difficult to deter
mine between them. Three or four plans
of very great merit they have reluctantly set
aside, because they could not conscientiously
| assure you that they could be erected within
the sum limited. But it would be impossible
| to give you in detail the reasons which have
led them to decide against the plans not
chosen by them; nor would it be just to
| do so, as the plans not chosen are the private
property of the architects not properly
| open to public criticism, and are to be re-
turned to them as soon as you give your
| consent.
| 1t is not the province of this committee to
dictate to you the form of legislation by
! which you shall authorize and provide the
erection OF state house, but in the discharge
of their duties they have been compelled to
consider, not only the cost of such buildings
and the time required in their construction,
but also the methods of management by
which expenditures are regulated and
which exercise so important an influence on
their cost. A loose and negligent law " II
give room for. ii 1t does not produce extrava-
gance and peculation. Hence, we have felt
that we could do no more valuable service
than to digest all the laws and methods
within our reach and present the result to
you in bill. We have, therefore, prepared
such bill and submit 1t as part of our re-
port, and ask your favorable consideration.
We have endeavored to provide
as will secure official responsibility, guard
| the public money from all fraud and waste,
and secure an intelligent, economical and
honest superintendent of the buildiDg.
| The bill is
ELABORATE BUT NOT COMPLICATED,
and there is no such uncertainty or conflict
of duties as will leave room for leakages
AS far as law can guard the public interest,
We think we have made ample provision.
In the prosecution of their work your
committee have been compelled to consume
time and meet expenditures. and they re-
spectfully ask that your committee on
claims will consider the financial report
they will make by their secretary. They
| also call your attention to the fact that the
late secretary of the state has given TO them
| q large amount of valuable service, ard they
have been compelled to retain him since his
exit from Office, and that his services can
not be dispensed with until the question. of
a state house is disposed OF
by your body. The plans are
in his safe keeping; on him we depend TO
exhibit them to you during your session
and properly TO dispose of them afterward :;
and we do not doubt you will allow to him
| a fair compensation.
THE BEST PLANS.
The plan selected by your committee
and recommended for your adoption,
as the best, is that of Dir. Charles.
principal dimensions are length, 4S2 feet,
with porticos projecting IL feet, making
total length of 456 feet. Width through.
the center, 24O feet, and with the porticos,
264 feet. The interior diameter OF the dome
line, 240 feet. The height of the ceiling of
/ the basement story is % feet, OF main story.
"a feet, of the second story "a feet, and of the
third story ID feet, and the height from,
| ground line to roof line, SO feet. The style
of architecture is the classic Roman, and
for simple grace and beauty it un-
doubtedly excels any other plan
before your committee. In its interior ar
engagements there are those your committee
would peremptorily change The Senate
/ ri IA abori il of ON nd iG nd mi do
signed. The hall OF representatives. is under
the dome, circular chamber, one hundred
and twenty feet high. This is an expert
mept to which your committee could
not consent. If, therefore, the
proval, this hall should be removed TO
the wing opposite the Senate and con-
structed in similar manner, the State
Library placed under the DOME and the
Supreme Court room placed in the wing
now marked for the library. But you are
invited to inspect and criticise the design
tor yourselves.
2. The plan selected and recommended
by the committee as the second best is that
of Mr.. j. G. johnson, of Fremont. Ohio.
Its style Is that OF what Is called modern
} Renaissance, having turrets and mansard
roof. Its length, exclusive of the poItico, is
: 1884 feet, and its width through the center
} 257 feet. The main building to top
of cornice is 90 feet, and. of the
+, dome to top of lantern $50 feet.
The doors, sash, frames and shutters are all
, firon. The arrangement of space is iudic-
ious, and it will meet every want of the
, state. Your committee find some objections
! to the plan, chiefly that the immense weight
( of the iron dome is supported on arched
7 trusses instead of resting directly on the
: brick walls, that the floor of the rotunda IN
: the main story is raised above the
l corridors and offices, thus compelling officers
( to go up and down stairs in their daily COM
3 munication.
The plan selected and recommended
by the committee as the third best is that of
3 Mr. G.. b. f. Cooper, of New Albany. The
3 style of the plan is also the modern Renais-
sance, but differs totally in its appearance
: and arrangement from the former. Its
, form is that of
GPEEV CROSS