Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1902-01-15
REprsrRfcrlING..

gressional districts VIII be disposed of
and the McGi iowan bill seems to be tho
one in favot !. This bill has, practicaliy.
been decided upon by The senate. s
TAXES.
Taxes is at the root Of all govern
meilt, and the legislature may pass
some laws to perfect the system of
assessing prorerty for taxation. The
cotton millss,S IN | such Industries were
assessed in a. y w way iast year, and
tho revenue OF tho State considerably
Increased thereby.
ELECTIoNS. n "
There are number OF elections to
be hold, and this will cause o great
deal of confusion until ali these mat
ters are settled. The lobbying OF can-
sdidates and the friends OF candidates is
always a bar to satisfactory and states
manlllSe legislation.
FINAL PREPARATIONS
Saturday there was no end OF rush
work going on in and about the cap
itol. The contractors forces, after
working all night on the interior, were
relieved by large forces Saturday, and
these In turn were relieved by the for
nrer force Saturday night. The finish,
ing touches were nearly all put on. On
the exterior front nearly all the work
of cleaning the columns, ETC., was COM
pleted and tho scaffolding was tom
down, showing the front In all it's ar
chitectural beauty.
SOME RECOMMENDATIONS.
Il Speaking OF tho State capitol and
grounds. the recommendations made
in the forthcoming annual report of
the secretary OF state tho custodian of
the building, are OF interest:
"The completion of the capitol build
ing giving the State creditable pub.
lie edifice. necessitates the improve
ment of the grounds surrounding it,
which can and shonld be made attrac-
tive and in Keeping with the building.
Tho contract for the building includ-
cd no renovation OF the old portion OF
tho building, except for new outside
doors and for cleaning the outside
walls, and did not go beyond the base
line Of the building. The terraces
around tho building have been erected
by the secretary Of State, with con-
victs from the State penitcntiary at
very little cost Granite steps should
be placed to this terrace at the various
entrances OF the building. A granite
retaining wall around 1t would increase
greatly the apparent size of the build
Ing A permanent low granite curb
should be placed around the square at
the side walk line, and all the walks
properly paved. While work of this
kind Is expensive at the outset 1t can
be afforded by the State and Is econ
omy in the end. During the present
winter will have the grounds levelel
and terraced and reseeded with grass,
and put In the best conditions which
the means at my disposal will permit.
~ submit herewith report of
Messrs. w. B. Smith Whaley & Co.
upon the heating apparatus now in
ase, made at my request, on account OF
cracks developed in the boilers, and a
complete break down in the system,
which required several days to repair.
I would earnestly recommend that pro-
vision be made for the improvement of
the present system. which has now
been In use Ia or is years.
"I would suggest to your body the
advisabjlity of painting the lower cor
ridor OF the building In imitation OF
enamled brick. This could be done at
nominal cost. and would increase the
light in this corridor, which Is now so
defective, very materially.
'T would also suggest that the rear
.lavatory on tho west side OF the build
ing be fitted UP as receptacle for the
original acts OF the leglslature--if
vault door is placed at the entrance
this room will be absolutely freproof.
"While the building Of course is fire
proof and can never be destroyed by
fire, many of the offices are veritable
fire traps. The wooden doors between
them would communicate the flames
and the building is thus in danger of
being gutted OF the contents. This Is
especially true of the room containing
the hostoric records in the secretary of
states office, which are far from safe.
with the large quantity Of inflamablc
shelving, counters and often loose pa"
pers In the room with them. The orig
inal acts OF the legislature--the ac-
cumulation OF 200 years-are in the
wooden cupboard bases to these cases.
liable not only to attacks OF rats hut
constantly In danger OF destruction by
fire.
"I'he original corporation papers
which are SO rapidly accommodating In
the office, involving as they do Drac-
tically the ontire corporate wealth OF
the State. are In loose pasteboard
boxes. which are likewise in danger of
fire and vermin, and which prevent
that systematic and proper arrange
ment so essential to the future eff
cheney Of the office. u
ut is not Il source OF pleasure to a
department of the State government
to recommend appropriations for purr
poses like those suggested above. 10
the occupants OF the office, personally,
1t makes little difference whether they