The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1888-09-06
inisliigsntly operated, once in FIVE yssrs,
and 10: then without 81 accident
-uaxGEE or EyIrzIsG r-y-

IEszs1Fst LrbOCcE about this time
startled the board and csu.ed the meek
reporters 70 tsrn pale By Announcing
thz; day or ITO ago, while
calmly contemplating the big cash
balance, z. peace With the
word and the balance of mankind. he
heard ~ explosion. Then Be heard a
other and it Jared the room. sad then an
other followed 1whieh shook this build
ing. remarked that somebody mu.t be
doing some hssTy blasting b1t he found
ont afterwards that II vas
from the steam heating, and
be wanted 20 know about it.
General Wslker-@Te!L, can tel you
the steam heating for this building i. il
tended - carry tao or three pounds
pressure, and lie maximum, a. tested il
only ten pounds, but On that day / sm in
( formed there Ee.e be:~ssu fifty and sixty
I pound, ard il il wonder il
! DID not break loose the pipes. Il
vas es1sed By ignorance. Ten pound.
Of steam il the Maximum"
General Hsrdeman- ''Ten pounds Of
| steam won't run the elevator
Ny. McLs1rin-"Thst's il, General
Hsrdemsn; you wanted TO run the elevator
aud did't turn the steam from the heating
pipes. Instead Of turning the steam off
you simply turned the radiators and
shut the heat out of the rooms, and
II il wonder the heating pipes were not
twisted out Of the walls. II competent
man il not placed in charge Of the steam
heating, this building will be blown up"
Something was then ssid that the attOr-
Ley-genersl Rad been unable 70 find
where be could regulate the steam
that was 70 flow through the
pipss in his department. l. vas mildly
intimated that possibly the attorney
general knew more about the intricscies Of
Law than than he did about the intricscies
Of steaIn heating, and that eli of his rooms
we're well provided with the necessary sp-
plisnces for properly regulating the
temperature. IL was also suggested that
If he wanted to cut of the steam en-
tirely, 20 az TO cool of Oliver,
the cheerful and energetic typewriter
he would have to step down into the base
ment where the proper valve would be
found in it's proper place.
General Hardeman's objections did not
create much Of an impression upon the
board, fiOm the fact. that they were his
opinions only and he had never examined
hictsd with the requirements Of the con-
tract.
THAT LEAKY EOoY.
Governor Ross then called attention TO
the roof, and read extracts from the
records, about which he. asked General
Walker and the commissioners 70 explain.
General NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS., as to the
roof, I've got an explanation to make.
opposed it from the beginning; | OPP
posed 1t at the time and oppose it now,
because it is worthless. You will find my
record clear on this point. At the time
the commissioners signed that contract |
told them before would sign it / would |
cut off my index finger half inch at a
time.n
The governor then read the clause in |
the contract which says in subs ancs that
ample provision must be made for expan
sion and contraction Of the metal
The capitol commissioners explained
that the only provision that could be
made had been done, and that the roof
Was on the building il strict conformity
70 the plans and specifications.
The governor wanted TO know if Colo
mel TaylOr's protest against copper had
price of material. II WAS shown that it |
had-not been aud that the copper was
purchased for 10 cent? a pound. 1t has |
since advanced to 70 cents. There are |
about 10000 pounds on the roof.-Rep.l |
Treasurer Lubbock took the floor and |
proceeded to vindicate himself as he is |
largely res ponsible for the unfortunate |
roof, in spite of the protest Of letters from
experts, aud in spite Of the protest OF
General Walker and the commissioners.
He stated that the original contract
called for copper, but he aud Others
thought it would ruin the drinking water
and they had it changed to slate. Subse
quently slate was discarded, and, after
much wrangling, the present roof was put
on. He stated in his speech that the roof
leaked from the very first, it leaked now
and That IL never had been perfect roof, |
and no obi ected TO receiving it.
After some further discussion the |
board adjourned, the governor calling |
the attention of the commissioners |
to the fact that he Understood that the |
wood work was inferior in material and |
workmanship. The board meets this |
morning at 10 O'Clock.
bIANDlNt FAT.
Mr.. Wilke last evening received the FOL
lowing from Colonel Abper Taylor:
IL do not understand what we have to do
with new roof. They compelled US to
put it on against our protest and have
accepted it. | can't agree to take it off,"
1t is evident that Colonel Taylor feels
that he holds four aces aud n little Joker
Of 100000 acres of land, to say nothing
Of the official acceptance Of The state Off
cia's.
In addition to the regular acceptance
Of tho root by the commissioners the, fol-
lowing has beer entered into, and it in
Guided the roof as matter of course:
Memorandum of agreement in dupli-
safe, made and entered into this the 8th
lay OF May, A. d., 1888, by and between
The state OF Texas, acting by and through
Joseph Lee and NJ, II. McLaurin, capitol
building commissioners, and Abner lay
or, building contractor.
Nitnes4eth, That whereas the governor,
comptroller, treasurer and comm !ssioner
Of the general land office, acting as
board for the reception of che new state
capitol building, did or that day adopt ,
the following resolution:
Resolved, This bOard, acting unler and :