St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-08-15
BUFFINGTON'S BOTCH.
The Committee of Experts Inspecting
the Building-What is Be-
inp Done

The capitol investigating committee consisting
of Contractor and Builder Thomas Grace, Archi-
tect j. p Stevens and Chief Engineer Y. c.
Smith of the Manitoba railway, convened at the
executive rooms at 10 o'clock yesterday morning,
where they were met by Architect Burlington
who produced his original plans and spent a full
hour in trying to explain them, after which,
they received instructions from the governor and
proceeded to view the upper portions of the
structure, spending quite period of time in the
wilderness of timbers and lumber in the attic
They were chaperoned all about by Burlington
he having succeeded in removing some Of the I'M
slightly debris, including the jack screw beams
in front OF the private rooms of the supreme
court justices. The commission concluded
the labors Of the day just about
noon, and it is understood that other
examinations and observations are to be taken
before Saturday, on which day they will make
out their report. The principal examination yes
terday was of the wooden trusses and of the
walls, the latter being found to be sound and safe
as has before been reported in these columns.
In regard to the commissions idea of the safety
of the towers they expressed opinion but
it is safe to say that they will
recommended that the roof of the capitol be bet
ter supported and made safe by running iron pill
lars from the basement to the same, and possibly
recommend the substitution of an iron beam for
the wooden one in front Of the supreme court
department in the second story, instead Of the
plan being pursued by Burlington of tying knots
in the air.
There was evidence also that imperfections
were found in the construction OF the roof in
which the rafters too weak, and with the
whole arrangement OF hanging fire proofng upon
the ceilings after more imperfect manner than
the ancients suspended in the air the hanging
gardens of Babylon.
With the memory of last winter in his mind
when the boilers at the state capitol were fed on
tons piled on tons of coal, but which like great
tape worm consumed the revenue of the state
voraciously without being able to raise steam in
the capitol radiators sufficient to elevate the
mercury in the apartment thermometers day in
and day out, above sixty or seventy degrees, and
| the tearing out of these bran new radiators
| in the spring, and their replacement with new,
| the representative of the GLOBE, not on err
rand of skipping ''imperfections by in this
structure called at the auditors department, the
| floor in one OF the rooms of which has just re-
| covered from an attack Of dry rot, necessitating
| Immediate replacement with new lumber
70 look at two magnifcently outlined full moons
recently developed on the ceiling by the mortar
4
| farewell, and numerous cracks betokening in the
| near future similar occurrences.
In the hall of representatives workmen were
/ prodding the walls for loose fire proof which
| came tumbling down in masses upon the gallery
| and main floor, reminding of the daily toll Of
| the roof guards in the Hoosac tunnel who every
| day go over its four miles and a half OF cavern
| roof with hammers and prods to detect the pres
| ence Of loose rock and remove it.
Hearing sounds of hammering and falling de-
bris in the senate chamber, an attempt was made
to enter by way OF Ike main and side doors. post
/ Office and committee rooms and the gallery en-
frances. but all were fonnd to be securely locked
! against public inspection, and even the janitors
| did not blush when they informed the GLOBE
| representative that they did not know 'swhat was
going on in there Three knocks, and three
times three, with sundry friendly and familiar
| whistles. and the telephone s'HeIlo'' keyed in
/ c. made no impression the ears of those
Within and there being no transoms to peek
over as at the Deiayin house at Albany. inform
| alton was sought elsewhere. Finally. gentle
man in one Of the public Offices stated, that he
| understood that Bufington's carpenters were
| tearing out the desk Of the president Of the
| senate to put il further back against
the wall to make more room in the body OF the
senate chamber. and further inriTnated that the
southwest committee roons we're TO have their
| partitions torn down and were also TO be thrown
| into tie chamber. Taxing this as q solution OF
! the mysterious lock up against, or lock out of
the public, instead OF the clipping Of truss, it
| eeems rather strange that II the original senate
chamber was large enough to accommodate the
legislative soons Of the state, thai il should have
to be inflated IN size before the states assembled
| wisdom had held down its cushioned seats but q
single s1s=ion