Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1901-02-06
COMPLETING The STATE CAPITOL.
9. rs ~ q 8 ~
Facts and Figures About Material Being Used
IN Its Construction. ss,aS y

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more wholesome progress than any
other by South Csrolinians will be
completed before the end of October.
In the country as we'll ,as towns peo.
pie, representing eitherlaboror capt.
tai, are awake and guard sensitiyely
the unusual advancement they now
perceive in the diversified industries
even in their own localities. This
is progress.
The architectural adornment OF
the State capitol $50 long left unfin-
ished-is the most popular improve
ment the State has, seen for years.
Every oneis willing every one is
proud. This pride is honorable
because the benefits are not local !;
they pertain to the whole State.
This is patriotism.
B The work on the capitol is adyanc-
ing, rain or shine. The outlying
grounds are covered with finished
stone. The Legislators within may
vote yea ornay, but the sound Of
the automatic drill and the stone
cutters hammer is heard continu-
ally.
There are perhaps 425 tons Of
granite lying on the ground left
from the incomplete building. This
granite was obtained from the bed
of the river near the old CRANKY sta.
tion and hauled from the quarry to
the present site by tram road built
by Col. j. g. Gibbes in 1856. The
stone needed to complete the work
comes from the Keystone quarries
at Pacolet, s. O. The Unkefer
McIllyain Company, the contractors,
own these quarries and this is why
the Columbia graniteis not being
used. AT least 1900 tons more of
granite will be needed to finish the
building as was formerly intended.
Each one of the "a columns sup
porting the roof of the portico
weighs $4,000 pounds. On the brick
girders carried up to the roof the
dome will rest. The girders are SO
inches thick, yet it is we'll, for 450,-
600 pounds of stone and 10000
pounds of steel alone will rest upon
the walls. The rest of the work
will require $4,000 pounds Of steel.
The cost of granite is so variable
according to the uses and finish that
one can hardly present in an average
way the expense of the stone that
will be furnished. Common rubble
masonry is worth so per ton and
upward I; carved Corinthian cap is
worth $500 per ton. Twenty-four
of these caps will adorn the columns
around the porticoes, each weighing
2t tons.
The columns in the rough are
worth 5000 apiece. To finish one
like the design adopted costs 81 900,
making each column cost $1,000.
At present there are 90 stone masons
engaged in the work. A stone out
ter gets SO q day on the 8-hour sys-
tenn. Mr.. Unkefer's monthly pay
roll, therefore, averages $4,000.
Mr.. Unkefer's contrat ends with
the completion of the porticoes, lay
ing new roof on the main building
and the construction of two concen-
trio domes. But even then the CAPT
tol will not be architecturally fin
ishe6. There are many improves
ments in the way of adornment
sorely needed. The most notable
one Is IN the halls and vaulted CELL
ing of the first floor. A stranger
entering is forcibly struck with the
dingyness Of the dark red brick walls
and Ssi!iag The exposed brick was
intended to remain only a year or
so. And, now, while we are taking
up this magnificently unfinished
project of our fathers it should be