The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-01-03
GEoRaIA,s NEW CAPITOL.
Condition of the Structure Jan. /,
l88S-The Cost to Date.
from the atlanta (Gdl Constitution.

Inc beneral Assembly or Georgia, at III
session in 1883, passed an act providing foi
the erection of a State capitol building,
which received the executive approval on
Sept. s, 1888. 1t contemplated that 81,
years would be consumed in the erection Of
| the building, but the building was TO be
completed Jan. /, 1889, and the appropria.
| tions were made: First year, 100000; five
| subsequent years, $lS0,000 each But a
year'was lost between the introduction and
passage of the bill. leaving i'll reality only
five years for that purpose.
The city Of Atlanta surrendered TO the
State authorities, duly cancelled. the out
standing lien against the present capitol
/ building in the name of the Northwestern
Mutual Life Insurance Company. On Oct.
4, 1888, Messrs. T.. +. Alexander, Phillip
Cook, Benjamin f.. Crane, A. L. Miller and
| w. w. Thomas took the oath of office and
| filed their bonds as Capitol Commissioners.
The board organized by electing Mr.. w. II.
Harrison as Clerk.
On Oct. 8, 1888, they advertised for plans
for the proposed capitol building fixing the
time of opening the bids or Dec. 49,, 1888,
but on Nov. ID the time was extended until
noon Of Jan IS, 1884.
Mr.. George b. Post was secured as con
sulting architect, and the designs for the
building were opened on Jan. 49, 1884, and
submitted to Mr.. Post on Feb. T. On Feb.
IL he reported, and the board selected the
design submitted by MesSrs. Edbrooks &
Barnham they agreeing to certain modih
cations. Messrs. Edbrooks a. Barnham
were appointed supervising architects, and
instructed to prepare duplicate and litho-
graph copies of the principal plans, sections
and elevations, etc.
On April 3, 1884, the board advertised for
proposals for furnishing materials and con
struction of the Georgia State capitol build
ing, to he submitted by July Is, 1884. On
the day specified the board met and re
jected all the bids, because none of them
would enable the building to be erected
within the limit of the amount fixed by
law. The board re advertised, and on Sept.
20, 1854, met and accepted the alternate
bids of Messrs. Miles and Horn, amounting
to 1862, 156 rs. A contract with Messrs.
Miles and Horn was approved and executed
on Sept. 80, 1884.
The board finding that more land was
needed to square the lot, obtained from the
city deed to the part of McDonough street
necessary and purchased land from citl-
zens, paying therefor $50 600.
The old City Hall building was sold on
October 10, 1884, for $685., and
ground broken for the new building
on the 26ta Of October, 1854,
one year after the passage of the act. On
laid. Commissioner r. E. Crane having
died on January Is, 1885, Hon. Evan T.
Howell was appointed his successor.
DESCRIPTION OF TIRE BUILDING.
When the material and debris are re-
moved from around the structure the public
will, at a glance, take in the ediiice in all its
symmetry, grandeur and beauty. The style
is that of the classic renaissance. The main
front on Washington street shows a central
projection imposing in its dimensions, the
mann entrance being emphasized by
massive pOrticu The design combines, in
high degree, the qualities of dignity, elo-
gance aud impressive simplicity An idea
of the proportion and size of the building
may be gathered from its dimensions. The
east and west fronts are each 325 feet inch
| long, while the north and south fronts are
112 feet ! inches.
The width through the centre, from east
| to west including the pOrtico, is PIP feet 3 !
inches, and the length through the centre
| from north to south. is 341 feet and inches.
! The height of the House of Representatives
and Senate chamber is IS feet. The height
of dome to top of lantern is 81 feet inches,
and the diameter of dome at base IS feet .
! inches.
The basement will be used for the boilers,
! fans and other machinery. and has e mum
| Der of rooms suitable for offices, if any
should be required. The q st story is de
voted to the accommodation Of
State house officials, the Executive
! Department, Comptroller General and In
surance Commissioner, the Treasurer, Com
missioner of Agriculture, Secretary of
State, the Railroad Commission, State
School Commissioner, Attorney General
and Adjutant and Inspector General.
The hail of the House of Representatives,
Senate chamber, tho Supreme Court room
and the State library will occupy the
second floor The hall of the house of
! Representatives anu Senate chamber are
ten feet larger than the present one, al
though not appearing so. On the second
floor are the galleries of the House and
| Senate and the committee rooms.
An open rotunda, in the centre of the
building, extends from the basement
through the upper stories to height of :.
feet Two grand light shafts rise TO a
height Of eighty feet ON the north and south
side Of the rotunda. 4 grand stairway in
the corridor gives access to the upper floors.
The dome viii rise above the main roof, ex-
elusive Of the statue, to a height of 100 feet
| and be surrounded by colonnade appro
priately enbelished. The full height of the
dome is 237 feet inches.
The pediment over the main entrance is
supported by six monolithic columns
STATUS OF THE WORK TO-DAY.
! All the stone work has been completed
except that which goes into the dome. The
stone is ready, and the work on the dome
will begin in February. All the exterior
work is finished. The floors, arches OF
| brick and hollow tile are ready for placing
! in the cement and marble floors in the halls
and wooden floors in the Offices. Fre-proo
and burglar-proof vaults for the preserva
ton of the public documents are on every
floor. The work of putting III plumbing is
now going on simultaneously with htUlng
up the interior of the offices All that can
conduce TO comfort and dispatch of business
is embraced in the general plan.
The fl ishing up of the interior, putting
! in marble stairs, and completing the dome
will have to be done this year so that thu
new capitol may TO ready on next New
Years day for occupancy.
MATERIAL NOW IN THE STRUCTURE.
1t required the excavation of 922S cub,
yards at q cost of s.. 16S 40 to get ready fo
| beginning the erection of the structure
There are 1876, S2j cubic feet of stone mason
~ in the foundation, the cost OF which i
$50, 206 p. Nineteen hundred and forty
eight and one-half cubic yards of concret
has been used in the air ducts, trenches ant
arches costing S9,tAl 81. OF the oolit
limestone. 124 039 cubic feet was used, in
volving an expense of S24S, 1874. OF com
mon bricks, l0.6 2j, 600 have been used at
cost of $3.50, 1876 D. and 5000 fin
brick, costing 81 $50; 1881 cub
feet Of granite base cost $5,5GS 20
The earthen pipe cost So
and rastiron drain pipe 81 .OJ. The irOi