The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1890-12-18
FULL REPORT OF THE IMPROVEMENT
BOARD TO THE LEGISLATURE.
Cost Of the Pence, Electric Light PLAN
and Artesian Well "A Saving to the
State in Cost of Lights
and Water.


made an appropriation for fencing and
improving the capitol grounds, to pur.
chase fixtu es and to supply the tuild.
ing with lights by contract or purchase,
to include the wiring of the capitol, to
be let to the lowest responsible bidder
or bidders, and for that purpose ere.
ated board, composed of the governor,
attorney general and superintendent
of public buildings and grounds. the
appropriation by its terms contem-
plated the following improvements,
viz:
Fencing and improving capitol
grounds.
Wiring the building.
Purchase of fixtures.
Supplying the building with lights.
For the above several purposes the
sum appropriated Vas $4,000.
TIL board recognizing that the
amount of money under their control
was small when the number and char
acter of Improvements contemplated
were considered, spent much time in
determining how best toproceed in
order that as much as possible might
be accomplished with the amount Of
money at their command.
Proposals were invited to complete
each of the several branches of the
work, and the aggregate of the bids
received was 80 largely in excess of
the amount OF the appropriation it
was evident that the improvements
proposed could not be fully completed.
Ascertaiuing this fact the board de-
termined ID proceed with the work on
the line indicated by the appropriation
as fer as the funds at their command
would permit, making all improve
ments OF 3 permanent character so
that nothing would be lost in making
additions to tie work in the future.
Fencing the grounds being first in
Importance, a contract was entered
into with Messrs. Flume Il Rex of
Austin, they being the lowest bidders,
to build the necessary W, II around the
grounds and to place upon the wall a
granite coping upon which to set an
iron fence. The contract for the iron
fence was given to Messrs. Most, Voss
& Co., of Springfield, Ohio, the lowest
bidder on the style of fence selected
by the board.
The work has been we'll done and
the capitol grounds are now enclosed
by neat and substantial fence at
very reasonable cost.
The following embraces the ex-
penditures for this improvement, viz:
For building the wall around the
capitol grounds with the granite
coping upon which to set the
iron fence .....................$ SIS, 089 40
For iron fence. Observation-Disclosures. CLIP So
For salary of engineer. ........... 1880 81
For advertising for bids. e.. ...... l66 81
For labor surveying etc) 81 30
Total expenditure ....... 80. $22,SS6 25
ELECTRIC LIGHT.
Lighting the capitol building was
next considered.
Finding it impossible to completely
wire the building and purchase full
supply of fixtures, and in view of the
great expense to the State in provid-
ing light by contract, the board, after
carefully considering the subject, con-
cluded it would be best to wire the
building as far as possible, purchase
such fixtures as Was absolutely neces
sary and put into position an electric
plant of sufficient capacity to furnish
such number of lights as would meet
immediate requirements and to pro-
vide permanent fixtures for the two
balls of the legislature only.
The work has been done in such
manner as that it may be resumed
and completed whenever the legisla-
ture shall make an appropriation for
that purpose.
The amount spent on this branch
of the work is as follows, viz:
For wringthe building, purchase
of engine, boiler, dynamo and
lamps -. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. $9,O66 10
For fixtures for the two legislative
halls ........... ............... 1,7ON 90
For labor and repairs ......... 4S9 20
| For freights ................... los IS
Total expenditures. ........... $ll,3 1867 65
The building is wired for 1900 10
candle power incandescent lamps.
The dynamo was purchased of the
Thompson Houston Electric Compa-
ny, of Chicago, and has capacity for
$50 16 candle power only, so that while
the building is wired for 1900 lights,
only $50 can be used at any one time,
that being the full capacity of the dy-
namo.
The lights have been so distributed
that with $50 lamps lighted good
light is furnished in most of the de-
partment offices, corridors, legislative
halls and committee rooms.
The switches" and "cut-offs', have
been so arranged that when lights are
not needed in one part of the building
they can be cut off and the electric
current used for lighting other por-
tons OF the buildings.
There will, perhaps, be few occa-
slons, except during sessions of the
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