Louisiana capitolian., 1880-06-05
COMMUNICATION FROM HON.
THOS. ]. BURLINGTON.
BATON R0UGE, June lst, lsaO.

'Na's> ANVs"1s ""'N '''S -~"
EUtro. ADvoCATE-In your state
mcnts in regard to tho proceedings OF
tho state House Commissioners, you
have misreprcScnted Ono doubt un'nten-
tionally) tho action Of the Board, and
given such an. incorrect report Of their
transaction ~ to make ycry false i'm
preston upon tho public.
In . matter Of such Importance to the
citizens of Baton Rouge, in which they
feel 10 much interest, it is to l'e regretted
that you did not request tobc present Mt
the meetings of the Commissioners or
obtain correct information from q per-
sonat interview with them, any one OF
whom would have taken pleasure in
giving you IN accurate and full account
Of their transactions.
In behalf of tho Commissioners, and
for your better information, l will say
tl,ey have employed o competent Ar
chitect, . woll known citizen OF tho
State, to'plsn and construct tho state
Houss, o native Of Lo,iisisns shd 2 gen.
tle,asn who tskcs tho grestest pride in
beinx.ths Architect Of hisstate Capitol,
sua whom it IL completed tht citizens Of
Baton Rouge. will be pleased, not only
with ito beautiful appearance, with ito
old style preserved and improved. butt
also, satisfied with tho manner OF its
construction.
The duties assigned TO Mr.. Bird DO not
require him to bs sn Architect or a.ms'
chauic, but that he should h. .an honest.
energetic, capable business man, oil Of
which qualification" ~" ntmit he Pc
ssSsss. = -"
'.A.'youIr' statement. that tAs :st.ts
HoIss vill h built BY incompetsn, per:
.sna, is wholly. 'incorrcct-sn unjust 70.
Aectiou upon tho Commissioners, and
calculated to miSlcMi tho public, l lope
YOU will hasten to make tho correction.
As TO tho salary given to Mr.. Bird,
there might be an honest difference Of
opinion, The Commissioners thought,
aS his duties would necessarily consume
all his time, involve him in considerable
expense, and was u position, also, OF
great responsibility, that two hundred
dollars per month was not too much.
Tho late Judge Avery, When the state
House was originally built received for
the same services FIVE per cent. on the
amount expended.
Respectfully, TnoS. J. BURLINGTON.
Having learned, with regret, that Maj.
Bird feels aygricvrd at the publication
of q cut Of the State HoUSc, oyera para
grap, relative to the supcrint'ndency,
we take this opportunity of assuring
him that no personal ottrusc was iutc,h-
dcd and that had we Thought such
Wonld have resulted from it, we would
certainly not have published it in these
columns. We, personality, have tool high
a regard for the Ma iur to give him per-
sonal otirnsc, which fact has been clear
ly manifested IN the friendly and cour-
tcous manner il which he has been alu-
dcd to in all our articles. We again
most heartily disclam any intention to
do HIM IN an Injustice, and rs we have
been informed hy mutual friends, that
the elui"d to seems to have
beer, regarded to the contrary, we hasten
to voluntarily assure him that no such
purpose was intended, and this amend
to set the matter right is chceltuliy
made.
We had Intended TO write Al article
that no misrepresentation OF
the proceedings of the State House Com
was intended, and rs our re-
marks have been 80 construed, we will
here take occasion to state that there has
been an honorable difference Of opinion
concerning the proposed duties Of super
We have construed that part
of the proceedings of the Commission to
mean that tho superintendent ls to act
in the capacity Of IN assistant to the Ar
chitcct If We have not construed that
part of tho proceedings correctly we GER
tainly, among the first, would feel it Il
duty to make the correction and place
the Commissioners right before the pub
lie. lfthr duties of superintendent are,
that he is to act in the same capacity
filled by Judge Avery at the original
building of the State House, opposition
to disappointment made would be I'M uSt
and unreasonable. but if, as we have con
strucd them, he is also to act in the
capacity IAN assistant ''uudcr the dircc-
ton Of the architect" undcr such cir
cumStanccs practical mechanic should
have been appointed to carry out the
plans of the architect who, We have been