The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1897-09-02

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THE PROJECTED CAPITOL AT ST. PAUL
sessions of the board that it's members
could not agree upon the kind of ma
terial which should enter into the con-
struction of the new state house, and
this final result of their elaboration,
which is in the nature of compromise,
was not altogether unexpected.
Discussing the Propositions.
1t is known that two, at least, of the
board favored the Winona limestone
and three others voiced their senti-
ments for Minnesota granite. 1t is
stated on authority, however, that, if
the board had felt assured that the Wi
mona stone could be secured in sufficient
quantity or in blocks of sufficient size,
it would have been the preference.
Next came the St. Cloud granite, and
here again was opposition, although
majority of the board favored hard
stone. In fact, every bid and every
stone was thoroughly and exhaustively
discussed, discussion which threat
ened at one time to continue indefinitely
without an agreement. The question of
being able to complete the building
within the limits of the appropriation
(S2,000,OO0), if granite was used, also
came up for considerable argument.
Inasmuch as the lowest Minnesota
granite bid, that of w. G. Baxter of
Minneapolis, was for $737 900, the COM
missioners feared that they would be
treading closely to the danger line if it
were adopted.
The Vote on st. Cloud Stone.
The board convened at $3.50 a. M, but
no formal action was taken during the
forenoon session, although all the mem
bers expressed their opinions freely. In
the afternoon vote was taken on the
question of adopting Minnesota (St.
CLOUDY granite for the entire super
structure, which would really mean the
awarding Of the contract to w. 9. Bax-
ter, his bid of $737 900 being the lowest.
This proposition was defeated by the
following vote:
Yeas-De Laittre, Du Toit and Weaver.
Nays-Corliss, Graves, Lamberton and
Seabury.
This was the first decisive step to-
wards definite action. 1t was the plac-
ing of the commissioners OH record, and
was followed by another interval of dis
cussion, after which a second PROPOSE
ton was submitted-the construction of
the entire building of Georgia marble,
for which the ButIer-Ryan com any OF
st. Paul was the lowest bidder, their
price being $69OOO0. This as also lost
by the following results:
Yeas-Seabury, De Laittre ar Lam
berton.
Nays-Corliss, Du Toit, Graves and
Weaver.
Compromise Agreed On.
The Butler-Ryan company were not
only the lowest bidders on the M rble,
but also had in low figure Oh ST.
Cloud granite, $759,652, and the M
bination of granite and marble, $780,
600, while still another combination,
with the Kettle RIVER stone for piers
and foundation of the dome was figured
at $696,000. The propositlt to adcr-
this was then submitted to the board
and was agreed upon, by bare ma
jority vote, as follows:
Yeas-De Laittre, Graves, Lamberton
and oeabury.
Nays-1orliss, Du Toit and Weaver.
w. B. Butler, president of the Butler
Ryan company, was then sent Tor and
notified OF the success OF that company
in securing the largest contract IN the
Northwest of the year.
This com bination means that very
large proportion of the stone is to come
from Minnesota, that it will be dressed
here, and both hard and soft stone be-
ing used, it will give employment to-
cutters of both branches of the trade. It
also means that the dome will be con-
structed of Georgia marble, to har-
monte, but that,is matter which will
not come up for consideration for two
years yet.