The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-01-18


ent leRisialure), very severe wind and
rain storm caused the northwest corner
and parts OF the north side and west end
OF the building to fall.
The portion OF the fractured walls that
stood exhibited what was regarded as
| defective work, in not banding them suf-
hciently, and caused an apprehension Of
The safety OF the building, IL the walls
| were rebuilt as they had been.
There had been paid on the building TO
the contractor 81, 100, and n considerable
| portion OF the materials on the capitol
| grounds had been used, leaving to CON-
plete The building the balance of said ma.
terials, aud SI7.3O0, which would not have
been sufficient to repair the damage and
complete the building. as it has been
done upon a contract with another per-
son. The board was, therefore, anxious
to have him continue the work in such s
manner as would give to the members OF
the legislature, anu to others having bus
iness within IL, full assurance of the safe
~ of the building for the purposes in'
tended. They made him a proposition
for that object without having any addi-
tiOnal means to pay him Tor THE addi'
lional work, thus made necessary by the
falling ofthe walls, to which he acceded,
resulting in the supplemental contract,
referred TO iu the report. Pursuant to
| this contract, the fallen walls have been
rebuilt in u substantial manner, the walls
having been anchored through 10
each other, and bracing supports to the
walls OF the halls in the west end have
been constructed, and the house has been
! thereby. as it is believed, rendered per-
fectly safe for use. This work, in addi-
uOh to the rebuilding of the walls, has
entailed upon the contractor a large ex-
! pense, over and above what was contem-
plated in the original contract. 1t Is but
Just to state, that in this and other chan
ges, and additions found necessary as the
work progressed, the contractor has ex.
hibited a liberal spirit of self-sacrlf1ce 10
have the house properly completed in
readiness for the meeting of the legisla.
ture at its present session.
If he had not done so, after the mis-
fortune OF the fail OF the walls, which
would not have occurred but tor the
storm, IL would hsve been impracticable
to have had the house completed for use
now, II 1t could have been rebuilt at all
without very considerable additional
expense, and the great expense OF rent
| Ing houses and rooms would have been
| continued. necessarily.
| While the board could not, and did not
| give him tiny promise OF additional com
| pensatiOn for ali of the additional work
necessary to give full assurance of the
safety OF the building, i6 is equitable an(
right that he should have 1t, on The same
principle that, ut every session hereto
lore held, lately at least, persons whC
have volunteered to make necessary pro-
vision IN advance for the holding OF SOS
siOns OF the legislature have been com
pensated for the expenses incurred.
There is other work necessary 10 b.
done to and about this house, for its p c
seryatiOn and utility, which the bOarC
did not haVe.the means to have done, ant
which could not have been done befor,
the present time, such as drainage
for the foundation, sewerage, sup
| ply OF water In case OF fire, pave
ments, enclosing the lot west OF th'
building, and the planting OF trees in 1t
so as to protect Its rear or western sidt
| from the view OF the governors mansion
The necessary work IL FULLY set out in
| letter OF the superintendent In said re
port.
| GOVERNORS MANSION.
In this connection 1t may be proper Il
state that the mansion should have tn,
addition of u good ornamental roof, tina
would turn the water that falls on it OF
the outside of the walls, and the walls
/ especially on the north side of it, shoulC
be heavily painted, so Ms to prevent th,
water from penetrating them; which
necessary improvements could not b,
made to 1t with the appropriations here
The report of the
| CAPITOL COMMISSIONERS.
detailing its action, with that of the CAPT
toll board in regard to all that has beel
done about the permanent state capitol
re nders IL unnecessary to do more thai
refer your honorable bodies to it.
| will exhibit q full account of the ex
penditures made for 1t. including tn
$4,000 placed under the control of tn
| governor at The session of 1881.
If the contract for the construction o
the building is faithfully carried out. o
which the character and capacity of tn
contractor and of his sureties give ampl
assurance, Texas will have a magnificen
capitol, which will be the pride of all o
Its people.
STATE SEWER.
The law providing for the construction
of state sewer is found only in the &C
of appropriation of the special session o
1882, in the following words and figures
tO.wit:
"To provide efficient sewerage for tb
lunatic asylum, state university, stat
capitol and institute for the blind, forty
i've thousand dollars (S45, 000)"
No board having been otherwise ex
| pressly created for the ordering of thi
work. and for the disposition OF this funC
the comptroller va consu ted as to wha
authority would be recognized as tn
proper one for those objects, wnen IL wa
determined that the heads of tue board
having control of these installations
would be SO recognized.
Therefore, in view OF Its pressing ne
cessity, for The lunatic asylum particular
ly, at present, the president Of the boar,
of managers of the lunatic asylum, tn
president Of the board of regents OF tn
university, the governor, as president Q
the capitol board, and the president O
tue board of trustees OF the institute TO
the blind, have acted as state sewe
board. This board has appointed an en-
-ineer, had routes selected from the in
situations named to q joint main. au
thence TO the Colorado river, had y pro
file made OF 1t, obtained the right-Ot-wa
from owners of property, where necessa
ry n the route, and have let out the cor
| tract for 1ts constructions; all OF which !
fully explained in the report OF the stat
sewer board, to whic you are respectful
ly referred. 1t is obviously an omission
in not hav ng expressly named the m N
bers of board to carry this law into ei
feet, which this legislature can readiI
supply. and insure the speedy completion
OF this important wOr6 for the state.
A BOARD FOR SUPPLYING WATER TO TIL
PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS.
The great necessity OF supplying waite
and proper sewerage to the iunatic asy
lum caused the board of managers 10 sub
nit the subject to the special session o
the legislature of 1882. They had previ
ously had In contemplation the procure
Gent of tue water for that and other pub
lie buildings from the Colorado river, OPP
pOsite Mount Barker. near Mount Bon
nell. They had survey and profile o
the route made, with estimates thereon
At the same time two other plans or sup
fras tar fr.a
Barton springs, by the purchase and us'
| of the water power of that stream, anC
the other by what ia known as the Holl!
system
The Water Works corporation OF thiI
city having contracted with parties Il
have this Holly system introduced int
the city of Austin, that plan of supply fol
the public buildings and grounds wal
adopted by an act Of the Legislature, ant
an appropriation of seven thousand dol
lars per annum was made, and bOarC
was created 10 carry itIntO effect.
This board is COMPOSED of the governor
the president of the asylum boards, the
capitol commissioners, and president o.
the board of regents of the university
| The work of the company IL progressing
| but IL has not yet been put In operation
and therefore the board has never beer
called together for action under the law
| did not approve the. law for the r. asOI
that I did not believe that the state o
Texas ought to be dependent upon q pri
vate corporation to supply water TO IT.
public buildings and grounds, merely be
cause the immediate expense of procur.
| ing facilities for 1t might seem to be, Of
promised to be, the cheaper. 1t wa
allowed TO pass, in Difference to the neces
slty of getting a water supply In some
way or other. No contract having been
made with the company, the legisla
ture may OF course repeal the law
| mr. sn modifv its nr0YisI0ns a,