The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1886-02-25
CAPITOL EXPENDITURES.

| hnat special committee OF the Leglsla-
ture Says About Extravaganza in the
! Use of Public Funds.
The Legislature having instructed the
Committee on State Affairs in the two
Houses 10 examine into alleged Irregular
ties in the expenditure OF the $4,000 APP
propriated for repairing the east wing of
the Capitol, that committee reported to the
Legislature, from which the following eX-
tracts are taken:
Early during the last session Of the Legis-
! lature resolution was adopted. requesting
the board of State House commissioners 10
| cause TO be prepared plans for remodeling the
Senate chamber, and an estimate of the cost
thereof. and report the same to the chair
man of the Committee of Ways and Means
90 enable that committee to report an appro-
priation to carry the same into effect. At
! this time the board was composed of j. Ii.
Anderson, John Hammond and - Hood,
and E. 7. Carr was State architect General
| Anderson, who had been a member of the
| board since the organization, in 1878. resigned
! in May, 1885, his place being filed by Mr..
Carr. who resigned the position of architect,
! anSlz5 per month, to accept that of commits
( sioner at $50 per month. Thomas Butler was
I appointed commissioner in March 1885. to
/ succeed MIR Hood, whose term had expired,
! and the board then and since, during the en-
tire progress of the work has been, and now
: is composed of Mr.. Carr. Mr.. Hammond and
Mr.. Butler. Messrs. Haskell Wood having
prior to the resignation of Mr.. Carr, per-
! formed the assistant supervisory and archi-
tectural services. at salary of $50 per
month, were, upon his resignation. appointed
as a firm to the Office of State architect; but
finding some difficulties in drawing the nee
eSsary amount of salary, the firm resigned
and Mr.. Haskell was appointed State archl-
tect, at a salary of SIS per month, by law.
and his partner. Mr.. Wood, was appointed to
do the assistant architectural and supervisory
services, at a salary of $50 per month, fixed
by the board since which time the State has
been, and is now, paying 1915 per month for
architectural and supervisory services. be-
sides paying $l3j per month to a SUI perintend-
ent during the time the work was actually in
progress"
The committee rectes tie Senate resolution
4 of 1885 asking for estimates, the action of the
board of commissioners the estimate of Mr..
/ arr, then the architect and his estimate
that the work would cost $1,000, and the APP
preparation by the Legislature of the $4,000
which was to complete the work. The COM
miitee continues:
From the facts already found. as well as
/ from the history of the appropriation and the
! language OF the act itself, we are impelled to
/ the further conclusion that the present men,
bers of the board of State House Commission
ers, as well rs the architects, all well knew that
/ it was the intention of the Legislature to limit
/ the expenditure TO be made upon the east
wing to the $4,000 named i'll the act. And we
urther find thai the board of State House
| Commissioners, in violation of their duty, and
in violation of what they knew TO be the in
/ tention of the Legislature and the law, being
ably aided and allotted therein by the archi-
| tcct. who i equally cupable, have already
]
but not paid. more than S4D.0O in excess of
! the amount appropriated, and that from $l5,
| 0lb to SO. 100 more will be required to COM
plctc the work The excuses made for this,
are that it was necessary TO put in additional
! iron trlSSeS to support the ceiling. at q cost
of $10,390, and new boilers for the heating APP
paratus, at cost of S2,lS4. which were not
| known to be necessary at the time the cSti-
mate was made: and that they, the architects
/ as well as the board. supposed that the Senate
| wanted a better room than the House: and
! that if the Senate chamber was finished in the
same style as the west wing. it would not be
! in Keeping with the growth and progress OF
| the State. We do not think the excuses Suili-
cient. This increased expenditure caused by
! these items amounts to but Sl25W. General
| Anderson tcStiieS that the sum of $3.50 WAS
put into the estimate for r4ncwng the steam
| heating apparatus, which reduces the amount
! of expense not IN the estimate 10 less than
! $1,000. and the expenditure OF 500 OF that
! sum was caused 10y not letting the iron
! truss contract to the lowest bidder; and
[ as TO the style and expense of the finish
( which should have been adopted, the
/ board of Commissioners and the archi-
/ tects had no right to gainSay the wishes and
| commands of the Legislature. The board OF
| State House Commissioners met once a
month-and in one or two eases oftener-
went through u routine of business, allowed
! the bills that were recommended by the arch
| fleets. and went home-rarely staying more
| than one day. and frequently leSs-fOr which
! they were paid by law $50 per month-in reali
! ~ about $50 per day Instead of giving the
/
! interest of The State required. and as the law
makes il their duty to do, they gave IL no
! personal supervis on, allowed il TO take care
of itself. turned il over entirely to the archi-
| tectS; allowed them to run it without let or
| hindrancr: on their rccOmmc ndat on allowed
! illegal claims amounting to hundreds of dol
lars. and seemed in all things to forget or
neglect, the duties and responsibilities which
| the law devolved upon them as sworn Off
GERS of the State"
The committee then refers TO favOritism in
the letting of the contract for The iron which.
TO say the least, appeared suspicious. and
adds: THE board allowed work To he done
ard material to Ice furnished amounting TO
thousands of dollars, without any written
contract. the person doing the sslInc present
ing his pay rolls and bills. on which he was
allowed bV the board pay for his own services.
ami for all expenses as reported 10y him. and
in addition thereto. ten per cent as 4 PcrGUls-
lite. As for the arch 'tcctS, in the mat
| tiers of exceeding the appropriation, letting
of contracts to other than the lowest bidder,
payment OF illegal claims, we FIND them to he
I equally Glame-wOrthy with the board. As In
I ali these matters they advised the action that
was taken. and were able advocates of the
adOptiOnS of the plans that they well knew
would require an expenditure far beyond the
amount appropriated. The Senate chamber
IL in many respects well planned, beautiful
and artistic in design. in material and IN
workmanship and in other respects the plan
is bad. the material faulty, and the workman
ship poor.
Here follows a criticism on the character
of the work and designs in the Senate cham
Der, and defects, which should never have
oeeu permitted, but having been done under
the eyes of the architects, the most that can
be expected will be an attempt TO patch. or
cover up the most glaring defects, leaving
the others TO be criticised and condemned for
all time" The committee protests against
the system that has been pursued i'll this
State of apprOpriating money to he expended
in build ing. before full plans. specifications:
and estimates are prepared and approved.
The report concludes:
I'VE recommend that the present board of
State House Commissioners, the State archi-
tect and assistant architect to be ut once re-
moved from office. That when new board
is appointed. it shall in addition to its duties
as now prescribed by law. cause to be pre-
pared full plans and specifications for the
construction and completion of the central
building of the State House, with careful eSti-
mates of the cost thereof, and have the same
ready to submit to the next session Of the
legislature"
The report is signed by W. W. Smith. T.. c.
WATSON. l.. ID. Young, f. J. Donnell and c. II.
Kimhal on the part of the Senate, and G. ".
Lewis II. A. Miller, W a. Lower, George VI.
Kreger. Thomas ]. MatOck. J. Ware Butter
field, w. II. Mcbride and J. X. Sp.ers, on the
part of the House.
He Was Prophet.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 20.-PrOf. DevOe, of
HackenSack, who came to Washington to
wreste with the weather problem. has been
thrown in the first round. The professor on
Friday week last announced the glOomest
weather imaginable to prevail. until the 18th,
when the climax would be reached in a
heavy fall of snow. The minute the pro-
feSsOr announced gloomy weather the skies
cleared, and the sun and moon took turns
making Washington life thoroughly enjoy
able. The professor will probably retire to
his rural retreat to evolve another infaIlible
system Of weather prophecy.
-oc
First Boston tourist (amateur) to
Southern hotel clerk-'.I say, can't YOU
Dut me in front room first hoOr9"