Omaha daily bee., 1899-03-28
WHY CAPITOL LOOKS SHABBY
Bonrd Entrusted with Its Care Com
plains that There Are No Funds
for Repairs.

for Repairs.
LINCOLN, March 27.--(special )-The fol-
lowing is the reply of the Board of Public
Lands and Buildings to the Van Dusen reso-
luton concerning the condition Of the capitol
building and grounds:
To the Senate Of the State of Nebraska
Replying to your resolution, as passed by
your honorable body and delivered to the
secretary CT the Board of Public Lands and
Buildings, in regard to the condition of the
capitol building and our constitutional and
statutory duties in regard thereto. we sub
init the following:
You truly state that "it is apparent to the
most casual observer that the state capitol
building is in a most dilapidated condition
and you could just have truthfully have
stated that 1t not only is but that 1t has
been in a dilapidated condition for a good
many years and is growing no better and
but little worse since in our charge. Its
condition ought to have been apparent to =.
number of preceding legislatures aud yet no
adequate remedy has been placed within our
reach. While we are certainly thankful that
you have so clearly pointed out our consti-
rtutional and statutory duties in regard to
this matter, we hope thai the present legis-
lature will not, as former legislatures have
DONE also overlook an equally plain duty on
its part. In fact our duty can only lie per-
formed, you can readily imagine, after the
by a specific and sufficient appropriation. Ii
is just as clearly our duty to repair and
to keep in good condition many other STATE
buildings and build new ones when neces-
sary and to clothe, feed ana make com
Portable the inmates as it is to look aftel
the capitol building Itself but il this legis
lature should adjourn without making she
necessary appropriation we Imagine that We
should hardly be censurable by the next leg
islature for not doing what is our plain con-
stitutional and statutory duty to do.
Two years ago there was placed at our dis
posal for repairs and care of capitol build
ing and grounds the magnificent SUM OF
81, 500 and the board begs leave to assure
you that it has all been expended COR the
purposes for which it was appropriated, bus
not being sufficient to even newly roof the
building, 1T has required large part of 1t
to stop the leaks in the old roof in order to
preserve the papers and records in the build
ing, as we considered this of the first i'm
portance.
This seems to the board, and we are sure
it will be accepted by your honorable body
as coed and sufficient excuse, reason
why the provisions 6 the law TO which you
refer have not been more fully and satisfac-
torily complied with on our part. We have
all the time been aware of the condition of
the building, as we have also been aware of
our duty in the matter and have regretted
as much as any one else could our helpless
condition in the matter for want of means
I properly placed at our disposal.
In our report making estimates for the
coming bennium, which was placed early in
the session upon the desk of each member of
the Legislature, you will find that the board
asked for $25, 900 for repairs and care OF
capitol grounds and buildings" We also
had our engineer, in consultation with
others, make an estimate in detail of all
needed repairs and this was also delivered to
the chairman of the committee on public
lands and buildings, both Of the house and
81,
OF which we submit herewith and as a part
thereof.
And further, and finally. the board would
state to your honorable body that. if the
present legislature, in its wisdom and its
lberality, would make the appropriation
sufficient for the purpose OF all needed re-
pairs and improvements as set forth in our
inclOsed estimate, the work will be done and
the money, or so much thereof as shall be
necessary, will be iudiciously and econom-
ically expended aud the most casual OBJ
server will be able to see its effects on the
improved condition and appearance of our
capitol building, but without means, and
means sufficient afforded by the legls
lature, all the constitutional provisions and
legal enaetments prescribing the duties of
the board however plainly stated aud
pointed out, would not be an adequate rem
edy and ought not to be a ground for CEN
sure, for our state government Is so framed
and organized that there is an interdepend-
quently when one fails in its duty the duty
imposed upon some other branch must fail
in consequence. II it is brick you want
furnish us straw and YOU shall have them
Hoping that we have satisfactorily an
swered your inquiries and believing that you
, fully understand the situation and needs of
the capitol building, and that you will wisely
and literally provide for its preservation
and betterment, we are, very truly yours,
j. V. WOLFE.
nnn Of lfp | Iu nnI n,,il
ings.
The committee submitted the following
estimate of uhe cost of repairs and inn
provements to the capitol building and
grounds
New 16-ounce copper roof over entire cap
itol building, $3.50; repairing, painting and
pointing windows $2,044; repairing and
painting window blinds, s34O; repairing and
painting doors, $40O; painting and pointing
! dome, Sl,45O; repointing and repairing ma
sonry, Sl,65O; sixteen new stone
steps, from street to capitol grounds,
500; new roof, ash elevator new
coal chutes, cement floors, etc, for
boiler house, 1925; changing steam pipes
in basement SO one part of building can be
shut off without shutting off entire building,
SEES; increased radiation in rooms where
necessary, $3.50; new lavatorles and closets,
two on the first floor and one on the nd
floor all TO be for public use, 81 $50; ne1
rain sewers connected with roof and down
spouts and street cutters, S575; iron doors
to valuts in basement, Sl,250; yentlating
house and senate, $3.50; walling windows
back of speakers chair and Lieutenant gov
ernor's chair, Sl25; pumping apparatus for
he state to furnish water for the capitol
building, including tanks in garret, Teser-
yrirs, deep well pumps, pressure pumps and
boiler piping, SiS5O; new boilers, including
smoke ke-consuming setting, electric genera
tors, steam engines and wiring building all
for electric lighting apparatus for the state
house, sl7,015; for taking out eighteen inches
of present clay soil in one-half Of capitol
grounds and renewing with black soil ST.
200; surface rolling and seeding with blue
grass, 1925; flooring basement with sand
stone now used for outside walks on capitol
grounds, sl,S40; for making new cement
stone walks. $3.50; total, s56,O9i.
Deal 10 Combine Castiron Works.