Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1885-07-11
THE OTHER SIDE
About Limestone in the New State
Capitol Building.

Odplbul DuAahhbs
Houston Post.
The interviews Ina last Sunday
Post with Messrs. swain, Templeton
and Walsh, members OF the capltol
board, in which these gentlemen make
public the reasons and considerations
actuating themselves In voting to per
init the use Of Indiana limestone in
the construction Of the proposed new
state house, merit the careful pefusal
of every man in Texas. The gentle
men speak boldly and 10 the point,
aud those who have read them will
learn something new relative TO
this capitol business. Grouped
together there were many
reasons for the position they have
taken, but, stripped OF all other con-
siderations, they claim that II was
simply a choice between Indiana lime
stone and an abandonment OF the con-
tract. IL IL plain, also, that the opin-
ion existed in the minds Of the mem
bers OF the board that the syndicate
desires TO abandon the contract, aud
these gentlemen concluded that they
would not place the state In the posi-
ton Of forcing such abandonment, by
requiring impossibilitles, and thus,
perhaps, relieving the contractors from
liability on their bond. As the
case now stands, the contractors, in
the event OF abandonment Of contract,
would have no sort OF legal or even
moral defense against the plain pro-
visions OF their bond. Other interest
ing points are made, and forcibly ex-
pressed, by the gentlemen interviewed,
but 1t Is not the purpose to advert to
these now. One feature, however de-
serves particular attention. When
asked by the reporter about the origi'
nal contract, Com missioner Walsh,
who was a member OF the old board
and helped 10 make the contract, re-
piled:
the former capitol board, when
preparing plans and specifications
secured the assistance OF the test eX-
pprts and experienced builders TO be
secured 70 aid IL In selecting materl al
and determining the amount accessi,
BILE. Not one member of the board
was a builder, nor had the members
been selected for their various pc.
sitions on account OF architectural
capacity. The Information furnished
indicated that at least two classes Of
stone In the immediate vicinity OF
Austin could be obtained In sufficient
qusatities to build a dozen such
houses. Work was scarcely
begun, however, when 1t
was discovered that stone
classed rs 40. 4, and Of
which the foundation and basement
were to be constructed on account Of
it, strength and abundance, was an
utter failure, both In quantity and
quality. Cement of Texas manufac.
ture, and OF almost fabulous strength
was presented TO the board, and, upon
assurance of ability to fdrnish a like
article in any required amount, its use
WAC incorporated in the contract
When 1t was needed the manufac
| turer could neither supply the amount
/ necessary nor did any of its samples
compare with the samples upon which
! the board had based their contract fol
the construction of the building
This il reprinted for the purpose o
calling attention to the fact that pOpu
lar belief and Impressions are not al
ways to be relied on. Certain news
papers are denouncing the use of In
diana stone, alleging that Texas Ia
plenty OF the finest building stone II
the world, their assertions being baseI
simply upon popular belief Her
was a fair test. Experts were EN-
ployed by the state, and upon their re-
port the contract drawn upon the has
or a quality of stone furnished iron
the quarries where there was enough
to build "a dozen such houses" Tn
work had scarcely begun, how
ever, when one OF the classes OF tn
stone was condemned by the commits
sioners, aud now the other class ha
"run out" 1t was the same case wit
the Texas cement, and, COMMISSIONS
Walsh might have added, with othe
: Texas material. II 10 easy enough I
find quarTles containing splendi
stone in sufficient quantities for a
ordinary house, but this Texas oapitc
Is a huge building, the magnitud
OF which, seemingly, Ia ne
appreciated by many who al
condemning the use OF Indiana ston,
II has been asked why not take sey
, eral quarrles and thus obtain sufl
cient quantity. The answer is tina
, hardly any two quarrles will agree /
uniformity of color Rs demanded b
, the contract. These things all 20 I
/, show that In this matter the member
OF the board have been In possessio
J Of facts not known to the outs ID
public, and that, in the absence {
these facts, certain Of the Texas papel
have been exceedingly premature /
their criticisms.