Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-08-22
TIVE STATE CAPITOL.

4 D" oAu pun
uclans' endowed with temporary power.
~reconsidered the proposition to erect a
million dollar capitol, and provided for
a cheaper structure. it was believed their
parade of virtue would bear fruit. Though
1t was known their attack upon the old
capitol commission was wholly, without
merit, and inspired by a desire to show
that in point of integrity and ability and
enterprise and economical
the democratic administration could give
it's predecessor cards and spades and
then nave enough aces up it's sleeves to
score a winning. it was hoped thai the
building wou be pushed forward to
completion without friction when once
undertaken. The democratic admiinistra-
ton was left to it's own free will in bring
ing about the reforms which that party
had undertaken in the matter of giving
to the people of this state a creditable
capitol building. .r
From present indications a disappoint-
ment is in store for the publicS~ and a
complete revolution in present Methods
seems to be necessary in order to insure
the completion of the building in accord
ance with all the terms of the contract.
The eighteen months in which the struc-
ture is to be erected are fleeting swiftly
by and the growth of the building is
micTOSonnio An ,to11;no,,t ,-o,l:.-..>
employed on the building informs the
writer that but fifteen stone-cutters are
at work, while it would require more
than double that number a period Of two
years to properly finish the work covered
by the contract. At the present rate Of
progress it seems impossible to complete
the building in a thorough and workman !
like manner within the time specified,
and there are some who predict a number !
Of interesting developments before. the !
dome of Montana's new capitol shall have
pierced the sky.
The Inter Mountain cannot speak in
diligently at his time of the character of
the work being done. as the building is
surrounded by a halo into which none
enter without a special permit. Pc
licemen guard the grounds and visitors
are warned off before they can get near
enough to inspect the quality of the brick
used, and form an idea as to the manner
in which the contract is being carried out.
Possibly, there may be no grounds for
complaint along these lines but the demo-
policy Of holding the public off at
arms length when a building is being
erected for the public use is anything but
reassuring, especially when unpleasant
rumors are circulated by those who have
been denied the right to examine the ma
terials used in the construction of the
walls. ".au
In Helena the stone and brick used are
freely criticised, whether justly or
justly the Inter Mountain is not prepared
to say, and there seems to be a great deal
of feeling over the mystery that sur
rounds the construction of the state CAPT.
tol. Aside from the proper precautions
to prevent interference with the progress
of the work, access to the building should
be denied no citizen of this common
wealth. While it may be true that the
state administration deems itself fully |
competent to deal with the capitol ques-
ton and see hat the terms of the con-
tract are fulfilled to the letter, it is like
wise true that any oversight or inadvert-
ence on it's part resulting in a defective
building would be just as hard to correct
as if made by h common herd.
1t is to be hoped that the capitol COM
mission is attaching due weight to all
phases of the situation, dealing justly
with the contractors on the one hand and !
the people on the other, to the end that
the building may be completed within the !
specified time in strict accordance with
the terms and specifications of the con-
tract. If the present rate of progress in
dictates inability on the part of the con-
tractors to complete the work on time, it'll
would seem to be the duty of the state
officers to urge them to greater activity !
during the time of the year when the work
can be carried forward to the best ad-
vantage. Having assumed the work of
giving to the state of Montana a credit
able capitol at a minimum outlay within
the life of the present administration the |