The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1878-03-23
The State House Repairs.


At the last session of the General Assem-
by the sum Of thirty-two thousand dollars
was appropriated for the purpose Of making
I improvements in the State House. That APP
/ preparation was based upon the cost of the
| improvement as estimated by Mr.. Frederick,
I the architect selected to make the survey and
to ascertain the work required to be done.
/ The plans and specifications we're drawn up
and the contract made on the basis OF the
architects estimate. So far everything was
/ done By the supervising board Of public works
! prudently, ludiciously and according TO law.
/ But in the process Of stripping the interior to
make the alterations agreed upon serious de-
/ fects were discovered that jeopardized the
/ safety of the structure, and made more extern
sive repairs necessary. These additional re-
pairs ran up the total cost Of the work to
/ S109. 2S6, or 81, 2S6 IN excess Of the sum
originally appropriated. The appointment
| By the Legislature of a committee TO investi-
gate the subject followed early in the session,
and on Friday last from that committee two
reports were presented. The committee in
It's first report justify the additional repairs,
and express the opinion that the board of
public works would have been dereliet in
their duty s'if they had not pat the building
in repair when they found it unsate-many of
Its tImbers being rotten and dangerous
The committee concede that the board had
no constitutional authority for the outlay in
excess Of the appropriation, but as this out
lay had been incurred the committee adludge
the charges to have been reasonable, with the
exception Of the bill for plumbing and gas
fitting materials, in which they recommend
reduction of twenty per cent. Ii will be OBJ
served that the report of the committee en-
braces but two points:-First, that the addi-
tional repairs, though made without warrant
of law, were justihable under the circum-
stances; and next, that the charges in the
supplementary contracts entered into were
fair and reasonable, with one exception.
Three members of the committee, Messrs.
Hardcastle, Hamilton and Cox, while agree
ing with their colleagues as to the condition
of the building and the propriety Of strength
ening the respective parts Of the edlhce, make
an additional report, in which they state that
It was the duty of the architect, when he
found that his original estimate would have
TO be exceeded, to have made new one and
submitted It to the board of public works.
This, it appears, he did not do, but went on
repairing and furnishing as il he had full au-
thority TO do whatever he thought proper.
The minority say that il was this neglect on
the part of the architect on the one hand and
of the board Of public works on the other,
that led step by step 10 the contracting OF
the large public debt incurred over and above
the appropriation They also say very just
ly that only such repairs should have been
authorized as would have rendered the build
ing fit for occupancy, deferring all further
improvements until the Legislature met and
made an appropriation to cover them. They
point in an especial manner to the purchase
Of new and expensive furniture, which alone
cost S35, 202.77 of the STT,2s6 expended in
excess of the original appropriation. The
moral to be drawn from this report of the
minority Of the committee is that the archi-
tect and the board of public works alike ex
ceeded the authority that was vested in them,
and that if such violations of the law were al
lowed to pass without comment they would
afford precedent upon which others may
seek to justify similar departures in future.
The report is in the nature of an indirect
protest against undertaking expenditures
which the law does not warrant, even though
the plea may be good one that the improve
ments were needed upon which such expen-
ditures were based. In this sense it is timely,
and the three members of the committee de-
serve credit for speaking so plainly and point
ing warning so much needed at all times
Baltimore Sun, Tuesday.