Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1886-02-25
CAPITOL EXPENDITURES.

CAPITOL EXPENDITURES.
What a Special Committee of the Lesisla
ture Says About ExtravaSance in thu
Use Of Public Funds.
The Legislature having Instructed the
COMMITTEES on State Affairs in the two
Houses to examine into alleged irregu!ari
ties in the expenditure of the $4,000 ap
proprlated 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
iature resolution was adopted. requesting
the board of State House Commissioners to
cause 10 De prepared plans for remodeling the
Senate chamber. and an estimate CT the COS,
thereof. and report the same to the chair
man or the Committee of Ways and Meana
10 enable that committee to report an appro
priation 70 carry the same into effect: Al
this time the board was composed OF ]. b.
Anderson. John Hammond and - Hood
and E. L. Carr was State architect. General
Anderson, who had been a memper of the
BOARD since the organization. in 1873, resigned
IN day. 1885, his place being filed by Mr.
Carr who resigned the position of arch itect,
HI sl2o per month, to accept that of commits
sioner at $50 per month. Thomas Butler was
appolnted commissioner in March 1885, to
succeed Mr. 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-
tecturai services. at salary of $50 per
month, were. upon his resignation, appointed
as nrm to the office of State architect; but
finding some difficulties in drawing the nee
essary amount of salary, the firm resigned,
and Mr.. Haskell WIS appointed State archi.
tect at salary of sl25 per month. by law.
art sIr infn N
do the ass slant architectural and supervisory
services, at salary of $3.50 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 fl35 per month to superintend-
ent during the time the work was actually IN
progress
The committee recites the Senate resolution
OF 1855 asking for estimates. the action of the
board Of commissioners, the estimate of Mr..
Carr. then the architect, and his estimate
that the work would cost $4,000. and the APP
preparation by the Legislature Of the Sl5,0D
which was to complete the work. The COM
III itee continues:
From the facts already found as well as
from the history of the apprOprat on 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 We'll as 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 in the act. And we
further find that tie 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 abetted therein By the archi-
tect who is equally culpable. have already
expended. including liabilities incurred
but not paid. more than $4,000 In excess Of
the amount appropriated. and that from 3d.
000 to 49, TO more will be required to COM
plete the work. The excuses made for this,
are that it was necessary to put in add tional
iron IN the aailDp
of $l03t0. and new boilers for the heating APP
paratuS. at cost OF S21S4. which were not
known to be necessary at the time the esti-
mate was made; and that they, the architects
as well as the board, supposed that the Senate
wanted q 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 su I'll
Gent This increased expenditure caused by
these items amounts to but Sl2,5U. General
Anderson testihes that the sum OF $3.50 was
put into the estimate for renewing the steam
heating apparatus, which reduces the amount
of expense not in the estimate to less than
$1,000. and the expenditure of 500 OF that
truss contract to the lowest bidder; and
as TO the style and expense OF the fnish
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 cases Oftener-
went through 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-
ty about $50 per day. Instead of giving the
work such personal supervis on as the best
interest of the State required. and as the law
makes it their duty to do. they gave it no
personal superviS on, allowed il to take care
OF Itself. turned it over entirely to the archl-
fppfS. allowed them il without let
hindrance; on their recommended 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: 1.-The board allowed work to be Gone
and material to be furnished amounting to
thousands of dollars. without any written
contract, the person doing the same present
ing his pay rolls and bills. on which he was
allowed by the board pay for his own services,
and for all expenses as reported by him, and
in addition thereto. ten per cent. as peIqu' $
lite. >" As for the architects, 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 be
equally blame-worthy with the board. as in
all 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
is 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
been 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
State of apprOpriating money to be expended
in build ing. before full plans specifications.
and estimates are prepared and approved"
The report concludes:
1--WE recommend that the present board OF
State House Commissioners, the State archi-
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
and completion of the central
building of the State House. with careful esti-
ready to submit to the next session of the
legislature"
The report is signed by w. W. Smith, L. G.
WATSON. L. d. Young. f. ]. DOnnell and c. II.
Kimball. on the part Of the Senate, and c. H.
Lewis. H. A. Miller, W. A. Lower, George NJ.
field, w. Fl. Mcbride and ]. X. Spiers, on the
part Of the House.
He Was Prophet.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 20.-Prof. DevOe, of
who came to Washington to
wrestle with the weather problem, has been
thrown in the first rourd The nrofesSor On