The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1888-09-13
THE CAPITOL BOARD.
Proceedings of the Meeting Held
Yesterday.
Resolution of General Hogg Re-
questing designations Voted
Down Unanimously.

The capito! board held meeting yes
tnrday afternoon, with Governor Ros
> Treasurer Lubbock, Attorney-generc
Hogg, Comptroller Mccall and Ian
Commissioner Hall, present.
General Walker, supervising 6rchitec
, and Commissioners Lee and McLauri
were also present, as were Hon. w. Il
Burgess, of Seguine, Contractor Wilke
Mr.. Price and several visitors, as tn
meeting was open and above board to all
Governor Ross: 81 believe all are pres
ent. Mr.. secretary have you any com
munications"
handed to Secretary Dickinson, who reat
it as follows:
CALLED MEETING.
CAPITOL, September 10, 1888.
Whereas, For more thai year past
many complaints of serious character
have been made against the workmanship
and material of the states new capitol
mostly by private parties, but more re
Gently by Gen. W. p. Hardeman, superin.
tendeDt of public buildings and grounds
and they yet continue to be made and,
Whereas, Notwithstanding these official
and unofficial complaints, the two capitol
building commissioners, Judge Joseph
Lee and Col. M. H. McLaurin and the
superintendent of construction, Gen. r
l.. Walker, disputed them, and on August
81, 1888, filed an official report and
statement that both as to work,
manship and material the contractor had
| finished said building according to the
contract and specifications, and therefore
agreed to advise its final acceptance by
the capitol receiving board; ard,
Whereas, The said capitol receiving
board, after due elaboration and official
inspection of the contract, plans, speci-
tications, work and material of the build
ing, took issue with said commissioners
and uperintendent, and on September 6
formally and officially declined to receive
1T for the state, which makes now con-
tlict between the said two sets of officers,
and,
Whereas, The contractor, by bond
obligated himself to construct said build
ing according to contract, which, among
other things, required the workmanship
and material thereof to be first class in
every particular, and the said two com
missioners and the superintendent each
entered into bond with the state that he
would faithfully perform his duties in
protecting the interest of the state to the
end, that the said contractor should COM
ply with his contract; and,
Whereas, The said receiving board has
in effect by it's said rejection of the CAPT
tOl officially declared each of the bonds
violate d; and
Whereas, The present secretary has bean
the only Keeper of the accounts and trans
actions between the state and the con-
tractor and said officers, which may need
verifcations aud corrections; and,
Whereas, In the course of events, per-
haps soon, litigation may become neces-
sary to protect the interests of the state
by action on the bonds of the contractor,
by the commissioners and superinten-
dent; and,
Whereas, This state of af-
fairs necessarily produce grave
advertisements between the
board on one hand seeking proof by which
to justly succeed if suit is brought, and
the said contractors and officers on the
other side in attempting to vindicate and
protect themselves; therefore, be it
Resolved, By the capitol board now in
session that the said two commissioners,
the superintendent and the secretary are
each hereby rendered an opportunity to
resign their official positions so that their
successors, unembarrassed by the compli-
cations aforesaid, may be appointed.
Respectfully submitted,
JAS. S. HoGG,
Member of the Capitol Board.
General Hogg moved the adoption of
the resolution.
There was silence for some moments,
when Treasurer Lubbock said: at has
not been seconded, but, if you will permit
me, will second it. But l do not wish it
understood that l favor it, nor am COM
mitting myself to vote for it. l merely
wish to accommodate General Hogg."
General Hogg-"I do not wish to be &C.
commodated in any such way,
Mr.. Hall opposed the resolution, saying
it was reflection on honest men.
Judge Lee said in substance, / regard
the resolution as an attack upon our in
tegrity and upon our character. In 1880
was sent for and asked if l would serve
on the board. l consented. We we're to |
build this house with land valued at
s 100000. We have done SO, and it has |
cost doable that; yes, it has cost the con
tractor nearly three times that sum. This |
shows how we have discharged our duties, |
and yet our characters are essailed by |
demagogues and others. This is a grand |
building and it stands here to speak for us
and he (alluding to AttOrn ey-gener raj HOgg) |
cannot talk it dOwn, he cannot write 1t
down. Talking with an architect whom
the state has honored, only the other day
in the corridor of this building,
he said it's a grand building. Since it
was commenced three governors have
passed upon it and our work. This reso-
luton has been introduced here for a pur-
pose to prevent US from making our an
nual report to the next legislature. We
have nothing to conceal. We do not con-
ceal any thing. If the gentleman can put
his finger on one thing where we have not
acted in the true interest of toe state, l
will fofever seal my lips. This house
stands here to speak for itself. 1t has
been seen by the people of Texas aud they
bear US out that it is fue building.
Mr.. McLaurin stated that he considered
the resolution an imputation
upon the commissioners in gen
sral terms. We have right
TO demand that he, General Hogg, make
mis- charges specifcly. We would like
for him to present to US something
specifcly. Let him come forward as a
man and point ont these defects and