Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1897-08-27
HARRISBURG LETTER.
The Work Of the New Capitol Com
mission Moves Slowly.
NO DESIGN YET AGREED UPON
There Are Several Objections to the
Plan Approved by the Experts, aud "a
New scheme For Obtaining Designs
May BE Decided Upon.

Especial Correspondonce)
Harrisburg. Aug. 2i.-The selection OF
a design and plan for the new capitol
building has not been the easy thing
that the commission charged with the
erection Of the new building imagined
when they were appointed All sorts
of questions have arisen. and until these
are settled no definite understanding as
10 the plan VIII be reached The orig
lnal idea was to force the work so that
the new building would be ready for
the next session of the legislature This
now seems to be impossible. owing to
the uncertainty regarding the plan At
the outset the commission authorized
the creation of a board Of experts con-
ssting of three disinterested architects
who examined the 30 designs submitted
| by architects from all parts Of the
country and under the terms OF the
competition recommended TO the com
mission eight plans IN the order Of
merit Up 20 this time no public an
nouncement OF the plan approved by
the experts has been made, but in
some mysterious way picture Of the
design and the ground floor plan Of
the drawing which the experts regard
I as the beat of the eight has been pub
| lished. OF course this design is still
/ subject 10 the approval of the com
/ mission. and II Is not certain that II
/ viii be adopted. one of the objections
urged against II Is that the chambers in
/ the senate and house Will not have the
outside light and air and that they
/ will be surrounded by committee and
| other rooms and corridors SO that the
| interior chambers win be uncomfort-
| able and unsanitary The contemplated
/ plan embraces the colonial renaissance
/ style of architecture, ands many of the
| features OF the old capitol. For the
present the name of the architect whose
| plan is regarded as the best by the ex-
/ perts is unknown. When the plans were
/ submitted each was numbered and the
envelopes containing the plans bear
4 ing the corresponding number was
/ placed in the custody OF Judge Simon
/ ton. of this city Until the commission
has taken final action nobody will know
| which one OF the 80 architects has been
successful.
The Experts Preferred plan.
In the plan approved by the experts
| ample provision has been made for
both official and public uses. Four ell
/ evators are to be suitably placed, one
for each house and two for the public,
Both senate and house chambers oc-
/ cupy the main floor They may be
/ lighted from above II desired. The
basement story is nearly or quite above
ground, and well lighted. Beneath the
| basement, or ground floor, is a sub
cellar arranged for storage rooms. on
the right of the main entrance Is the
| public reception room OF the senate on
| the opposite- side of the corridor is a
/ similar reception room for the house.
There are two reception rooms for
ladies' Three galleries are provided for
each house-one for the press. another
for the public and reserve gallery
There Is also provision for a restau-
rant and cafe. with kitchen, storeroom,
I pantries etc The restaurant VIII be
convenient TO the public corridor, and
have suitable outside entrances.
! Under the program directing the
4 competition Of the architects the COM
missioners agree to award the prize to
the author of one of the designs se-
lected by the board of experts, and fur
ther agree to neither inspect, consider
nor adopt any OF the designs not thus
selected and presented TO them by the
board OF experts. Whether the commits
I sion can reject the report Of the ex-
perts under this provision Of the pro-
| gram remains to be seen. There Is a
story to the effect that the commits
sioneTs are not pleased with the re-
port Of the experts, and that there is a
disposition to reject the report and
start off on a new scheme for obtain
/ ing a design. All or nearly all Of the
estimates for the capitol are beyond
the appropriation made by the legis-
lature. and the probability is that all
the plans will be turned down for this
reason although majority of the
commission believe that the appropri-
alton of $55O,O00 is insufficient for the
erection Of such a state house is Penn
/ sylvania ought TO have They argue
that when the fee OF the architects is
deducted. with the items of prelimina-
ry cost, the actual balance for build
ing purposes win not be more than
s5O0,0 0G0 and that not even the skele-
ton Of a building can be erected for
that sum. They refer to the fact that
the Legislature gave almost as much
to two large educational institutions
for two years as was appropriated for
the construction Of the capitol. At the
outset Governor Hastings favored a
larger appropriation. but when the cru
sade against extravaganza and profit
I gacy IN the expenditure Of public funds
was inaugurated the governor changed
front and sent a message to the legis-
lature In which he stated that the new
building could be eyected for $3.50. 900.
This message had much to do with
fixing the amount of the appropriation.
as the legislature understood that any
larger sum would be vetoed by the gov
ernor.
Republican Leaders Gathering.
This VIII be political week In Harris
burg. The meeting Of the Republican
state convention on Thursday will
bring TO the city the leaders In the
party from all parts Of the state. There
seems TO be 40 doubt now that Major
Levi q. McCauley. of Chester, and
James s. Beacon of Westmoreland
will be the nominees for auditor gem
eral and state treasurer All talk OF
opposition seems 10 have died out, eN-
cept IN Allegheny county, and a few
other places where there is opposition
to Beacon. The York county candl.
date, Il. Hathaway Shindel. win droI
out Of the contest. and his delegates
VIII support Beacon. II Is understood
that Congressman Hicks. Of Altoona,
will be the temporary chairman Of the
convention. and either Senator Pen
rose or Senator McCarreH. Of this city,
permanent chairman The resolutions
TO be adopted win endorse the admin
istrations OF President Mckinley and
Governor Hastings. and also the course
Of Senators Quay and PenrOse. There