The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-08-06
THE NEW STATE. HOUSE.
A Suggestion that the Commissioners Com
piete 1t Themselves.

"rhe building of the new state-house is about
the biggest thing that Indiana has ever at
tempted" remarked gentleman Of official posi-
ton to q journal reporter last Saturday, in
speaking of the latest phase in the matter of its
erection. "Tne building is now not more than
one third DONE" he continued, ''and yet if the
history of the scheme in the last five years were
written it would fill a volume of-wen,
great deal more than anybody
would ever care to Try to read.
If the history we're faithfully given, you would
find IN the turn of every chapter that the ten
dency OF the whole thing would be in the direc-
ton of a preparation of "gouge." The State
house scheme may be characterized as kind of
battering-ram which has been playing ON the
treasury vaults of the State. Nearly everybody
who has had anything to do with it has attempt
ed to "gouge" the State and 1 am not in
clined to be at all conscientious if
the State succeeds in getting the
best of any of them. The contractors may have
lost money. but that should not concern the
State 1t is supposed that the contractors un-
derstand their business. They offered to do the
work at stipulated price. Others claimed that
the work could not be done for the amount esti-
mated. The State of Indiana is under Obi-
cations, morally, to make good any losses to
contractors any more than a private individual
49,"
"But the State of Indiana must build her Stare
house in the best way she can" was suggested
That's quite true, and IL the present
contractors willing to do the work for
less than anybody else can be induced to, 1t is
certainly to the interest of the State to give
them the job, but the conscience of the public
should not be strained TO make good any losses
on a contract. That State-honse can be built for
$2,OOO,OOO, and the commissioners should be
held to their obligation 70 that 1t IS done"
"But if they can't md contractors to take the
job, what will they dot"
f"Take the work into their banda and RIGHT
here want to say that l have been surprised
that the newspapers have never turned
mssioners How many times in year do you
call at their ofiicea"
every day"
"And how many times have you found the
members Of the board workf"
$50 far as one may Judge from appearances,
not often"
81 will venture the assertion that il all the
hours that board has had its attention occupied
with State-hOuse business during this year were
added together, three weeks, which is a liberal
estimate, would cover it all. Yet they are in
session six days week ana draw "A salary of
five dollars day each. All this summer, while
there has been only one man at work on the
State-house, the board of commissioners have
been drawing their salaries regularly for every
day in the week. In addition, there ia the clerk
State-house who are drawing regular salary,
and all this oai6ial supervision ia
required for that solitary workman,
nho probably gets as much as
ST. so a week. The law provides that the State
house commissioners shall get 80 day, for
each day the board is in session. The time for
nesting was left TO their opuon. but it was
never supposed that the position would develop
into one of such continuous salary, from the
little work that is required There is
snpe rntendent of work and there
is need for the commissioners meeting for
any other purpose than to allow bills, fix the de-
tails of WORK and attend to such other business
as similar official boards do. If they are going
TO be in session the year round they ought to he
given something to do, and that something
should be the building of the State-house, now
that the contract has been abandoned. The
commissioners say that the building can be
completed for 81, 100000. Then let them do it.
The reporter afterward called the COM
missioners and questioned them regarding the
possibility of their assuming the responsibility
or completing the bnilding. AT the suggestion
of the idea, Mr.. Nelson asked: "Wil you fur
nish n bond for the performance of the work?'
Mr.. Nelson's acquaintance with the reporter is
not Of nature to warrant him in asking such a
favor, aud he was every respectfully" with
many regrets" etc, refused. MIR.
Nelson was not disposed to give
any encouragement to the proposition that the
Commissioners should take up the work that the
contractors had abandoned. General Morris
thought that they would not have the power to
do such a thing until after they mad endeaVored
TO teleJ the contract