The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1885-07-05

| toAos -nu fAihoiPios w puDllc matters
he applies to his private affairs would
say he wanted the best material for
the money, no matter where he comes
from. The State is not known to own
any .quarries from which the stone
could be brought so that the benefit az
well as the burden ofthe building would
reach all alike. How many OF the two
and half or three millions people
OF our State would reap any benefit
from the use OF Texas stone, but don't
you know that all would reap a bene-
NJ Dy getting the best possible mate
RAJ worked into the walls of their pub
TIC buildings? Some men whose lands
are luckily or unluckily rocks are
likely TO take different view of this
question e,,ss from the rest Of the citizen
cum stanced.
"The majority of the board, the COM
missioners and superintendent of con-
struction, said that they stood between
these TWO alternatives, to wit: Either
accept stone from Indiana superior to
that contracted to be put In tho
building or let the work be not merely
suspended, but the contract aban-
doned. 1t was in view of this condi-
tlon OF things they were called upon TO
act; The men are few who think that
II this contract is abandoned the man
who Is living a quarter of a century
hence will see Texas with o capitol
building, but the very beginning of a
monumental structure will be a
ruin and stand as idle as a painted
ship on q painted sea.
ut appears from what / have road
In some OF the papers of the State
there is an egregious misunderstand-
ing OF the condition Of things, for in
stance, 1 have seen in more papers
than one, that having the choice be-
tween the two, that is Indiana lime
stone and Texas granite, we had de-
llberately chosen Indiana stone. But
what was in fact offered us was In
dlana limestone or nothing. Some of
US preferred the Indiana stone to
nothing; but we would have preferred,
AT any rate ! would, the granite, no
matter where it came from, to either
INDIANA stone or Texas stone, as speci-
, lied in the contract.
Most OF the late delay has resulted
from the hope that by some means
, Texas granite could be worked into
e the building. When that hope was
sponged OIL we yielded to the proposi-
tion TO substitute Indiana stone, but
T not till then felt, l must confess,
| greater desire TO see Texas material
used In the building on account of
: the employment its preparation for its
: place III the building would give TO
l people wanting work to do than for
any other reason. Not only would 1t
l have given such employment, but
Q itwould have encouraged the drift Of
0 certain class of skilled labor into the
: country, but no man wanting work
0 can say his condition Is made worse
i by the construction of tho building of
: Indiana stone than it would be in
: were the work discontinued and the
great enterprise abandoned alto
/. gether.
o "You will bear In mind that but a
: limited quantity Of the stone comes
4 from abroad and there is chance to
9 do much work here in the prepara-
| ton of Texas stone.
: You ask about the title to the land
r earned by the contractors. I can per-
haps best answer that by referring you
q to the law under which the contract
t was made and TO the contract. Sec
+ ton l6 OF the act TO provide for build
i ing the new capitol is in words as
II follows:
VI "Should q contract be. made to con-
Q struct said capitol for tho land hereby
o appropriated titles to tue same shall
y be made to the contractor by tho COM
d missioner OF the general 1snd Office
under certificates OF the building COM
|. mlsslonerH, to DO countersigned and
y approved by the comptroller as the
IS work progresses as may be provided
l. FOR in the contract.
r "Ihen the contract in this respect
9 follows the law providing in what In
u Stallments or in what per cent. the
Q lands shall be titled to the contrac-
II tors. IL would seem then that when
they have worked to certain stages
o and have obtained certificates of that
Z fsct and filed them In the land office,
they have as indefeasible q claim Ia
Z the land as II the installments were
paid in dollars or in ohattles and the
b dollars or the chattles had been de-
iiyered to them. Their right to the
9 iand does not depend on
d a patent which is but the
IS evidence Of their title. 1t ID
o true they Will have great trouble in
y negotiating their lands without a pat
d ent, and should they abandon their
y contract it is possible that doom will
s. have cracked long before they get a
l. patent. When the State RECEIVERS n
10 Judgment against them on their bond
, and for damages, II can seize and sell
,t the land as 1t can any other property
10 TO bo found belonging TO the contrac-
II tors. Perhaps 10 could attach IL or any
q other property In the suit that would
{. be brought for breach OF contract,
10 There Is no use OF our trying TO force
70 on ourselves any other construction OF
st their claim to the land. 1t would be
r. as bootless as trying 10 work into the
It blind asylum by shutting our eyes.
J. "of course the proposed change will
be abortive without the approval OF
d the Governor. In such a matter the
y action Of the board can only be
u ADVISORY, Just as yours might
il Ing than good advice wouId I5
l. be. The contract is made by the COM
t missionors and the governor. The rest
J. OF us can only advise, and the advice
s- can be needed or not. Either one OF
& the commissioners or the governor can
o quash the business. In other words II
% takes their Joint action to make the
d change.
l. "rhis question has been as produ-
o tive OF sentiment as the Fourth OF
= July at high tide, but the matter OF
!. sentiment was forgotten both in the
> constitution and the laws enacted In
D pursuance thereof. In neither is there
: proyiso that the capitol shall be bull
I In whole or part OF the products OF
o Texas. The only thing in Texas which
u 1t was stipulated In the laws should 20
: into the building was the land.
o My ruling sentiment Is TO dorlye the
k best possible bargain for all the people
3 OF Texas now and hereafter. That's my
i shibboleth. When they attempt "a
d build the capitol otherwise than by ex-
J. changing the land for 1t, they Wilt And
o that Texas has become q land where
3 the tsx-gatherer never sleeps. 1t IL
the experience OF other States with
o like undertakings.
: GAS = part OF the new contract the
l. dome OF the building, admitted by all
o to be insecure and many OF the interior
o walls also unsafe are made stronger.
o ALI the ornamental features of the in
Q terlor remain as they originally
were and nearly all tho ornamental
i features OF tho exterior so remain.
% "The style OF tho architecture re.
o mains unchanged.
q III do not think tho conduct of the
A..