The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-05-04
STATE HOUSE.
Continued from Page ~

portions had 10 De maintalhcu tnrouBh-
out IL was necessary To both widen ana
lengthen the building Its height also
had 90 be Increased, and also the diameter
and altitude of the dome"
The architectural character of the build
ing was determined by your honorable
body in the act which created this Board.
The size of il has been fixed by che present
needs of the state and small allowance
for the prospective additional require
ments OF the future. The cost has thus
necessarily been determined by both OF
these factors, neither of which this Board
has had any power 90 alter. IL would
have been at least Sl50 900 greater based
upon Norcross Bros. bid for the original
design, IL IL had been constructed OF
granite No ornate expensive finish has
been provided for, and the interior Will be
as plain and simple as modern oilce
building.
We suggest that 10 any one who cares to
examine the floor plans of the building
now being erected, IL VIII be readily
apparent that none too much room has
been left unallotted To accommodate the
new departments which Will necessarily
bo created by the General Assembly in the
not very remote future
During the past year this Board received
from the joint special commission,
appointed by your honorable body. Ito
take into cons liberation and report upon
the probable extraordinary expenditures
of the state within the next five years for
public buildings and such other public
works as are now i'm process of construc-
ton and contemplated, request for
such information as il was able To give In
relation 20 the subject matter of the COM
missions duties so far as the wants OF
this Board were concerned
Approaching from the scope of the res
olution appointing that Commission that
IL was not impossible that an issue of
state bonds might be recommended for
the puprose of providing for the cOntem-
plated and existing improvements in pro-
Gress, and feeling that If this was 20 be
done the largest sum which the state
might in any event desire TO expend
upon the State House and the surround
ing grounds should be provided for this
Board applied 20 the architects OF the
Capitol Tor estimates OF the cost of every
thing that in their opinion IL would Inc
desirable TO do 10 make the state House
and its surroundings n suitable seat for
the government of the state. The figures
furnished To us by them were transmitted
by us TO the Commission accompanied 10y
"a statement that In the opinion OF the
Board some of the expenditures suggested
were not required. These amounts have
not been asked for by this Board. They
were furnished To the Commission in re-
sponse to its request, for the reasons given.
IL IL for your honorable body to Indicate
which, If any, OF these expenditures it
desires To have made.
The price for SO much OF the building
as has been contracted for Is, as before
stated to you, 81, 51b,OOo.
This, provides the building ready for
occupancy, with the exception OF the ele-
yators the electric wiring and lamps,
boiler house with boilers and conduit To
the State House, and the furniture.
The estimated expense for these matters
is as follows:
-E4,r elevators, xl3- I'M
For electric wiring and lamps, %, 000
For boilcrhouse, boilers, conduit,
etc, $1,000
For furniture, 100, OO0
Sl6S, 600
This added to the contract price, makes
tho cost of the building furnished and
ready for occupancy sl,14iOOO, without
including the architects fees.
1t will require at least $500, 0O0 in addi-
tion To the funds now subject To the orders
Of the Board, to complete the payments on
the contract with Norcross Brothers,
which, with the Sl6S, 900 given above,
makes s7tS, 600 that will be needed to put
the building in condition To be used for
the purposes for which it is designed.
This could probably be reduced 10 S56S. 600
by omitting for the present the construc-
tion of the dome and tourelles; but such
course would be an expensive one in
putting up again the false work of the
dome, ana of putting on and taking OFF
temporary roof over the rotunda, together
with the expense for interruption of the
labors of the contractor and tho extra cost
of constructing the dome from the out
side after the building is occupied, would
PROBABLY amount TO from $40, 600 to
Sl00. 600
The contractor has located here now
all the apparatus necessary for the com
plete construction of the exterior of the
building in the most economical manner,
the plant for the saving and polishing of
the marble alone having required an
replacement here again cannot bc done
without "a large expense, which will have
to be made part of the cost of construc-
ton.
The funds now subject to the orders Of
the Board are sufficient To make all pay
ments necessary To continue the work
until the lst of July, 1898, and no moro
will be needed for any of the purposes
indicated until that date
In view Of these facts, this Board i'm
vites from your honorable body, at some
time previous To May lst, 1895 an expires
sion of what will be your policy in rela-
tion to providing funds for completing
and furnishing the building in Urtter tfInt
tho Board may carry out the provisions
of its contract with Norcross Brothers as
TO notice.
The contracts at present outstanding
are one with Norcross Brothers for the
erection of the building of 81 536, 900, on
which 1896, l34. 47 has been paid one with
McKim, Mead * White, architects, for
five per cent Of the cost of the structure,
on which S36, 2!S j6 has been paid; one
with Professor l.. III. Woodbridge, expert
on heating and ventilation, for five per
cent of the cost thereof, on which $500 30
has been paid, and one with the Mosler
Safe Company for IA Corliss safe TO be
placed in the vault of the general treas
urcr of s., 800 on which nothing has been
paid.
There has been expended up 20 the
date of this report the sum of 1861, sos. ID,
of which S4O0, G07. OF H. for land
All of which is respectfully submitted.
BOARD OF STATE HOUSE COMMIS-
SIONERS.
HORSE SHOW AND PARADE.