The Forrest City times., 1903-08-21
ARKANSAS STATE NEWS.
Case Against Claiborne and Mrs.
Gaines at Hot Springs Dis
missed.
EVENTS OF AWEek BRIEFLY CHRoNICIsD
Contract Let to an Indiana Firm for
the New State capitol-"smiIing
joe Clarke Gets Twenty-one Years
for the Part He Took in Bank Rob-
berry.
Contract for New State House Let.


The state capitol commission has
let the contract for the completion of
the new state house to Caldwell &
Drake. of Columbus, Ind The con-
tract price is $947,S46 and the struc-
ture is to be completed by December
25, 1905. Caldwell & Drake had SUBJ
mitted two bids, one for $S98. .65S for
Bedford stone and one for $947,S46 for
Batesville stone. George w. Donaghey.
who was the only Arkansas bidder. of.
fered to do the work for $937,450. u.s.
ing Bedford stone and Arkansas gran
ite for the basement. The act of 1902
provides that as far as practicable the
commissioners shall contract for Ar
kansas materials in the construction
or the buildings. The commission
spent some time in considering be-
tween the bid of Caldwell & Drake and
that of Mr.. Donaghey. Members of
the commission give it as their opin-
ion that the Batesville marble is supe-
rlor to any building stone in the
United States. 1t is obtained in indie
pendence county, seven miles from
Batesville. in unlimited quantities.
The act of 1903, under which the
present capitol commission is proceed.
ing, contains the following provisions
covering the letting of the contract:
The contract for the completion of
said building above the basement
floor line. shall be let to the lowest
and best bidder by the state board of
capitol commissioners upon notice BY
advertisement for thirty 800 DAYS in
such newspapers as the board may
deem proper, advertising for sealed
bids for the completion of said build
Ing, reserving to the board the right to
reject any and all bids. And no bid
shall be accepted for a greater amount
than one million dollars $4,000, ,O0O)
all bids to be on the same basis and
for the same work. AS far as may be
shall said board of state capitol com.
missioners shall contract for Arkansas
materials in the construction of the
building.
The successful bidder shall be re-
CURED to enter into a bond to the
state or Arkansas, to be approved by
said board of capitol commissioners.
in the sum of $500. 900, conditioned for
the faithful performance of his con-
tract within the time herein named.
and conditioned further that he will
pay off and discharge all debts con
tracted for, labor and materials used
in and about said building. In no event
shall said board of staet capitol com
mlssioners ever pay to said contractor
more than 80 per centum of the
amount earned until the building is
fully completed and accepted, when
the 10 per cent retained shall be paid
with final estimate to the contractor
under estimate made from time to
time; nor shall they ever undertake
to bind the state for anything what
ever on account of said contract, it
being the intention of this act that the
state shall never be liable in any man.
ner except for the amount stipulated
in the contract herein provided for
In no event shall the board undertake
or agree in the contract herein provid-
ed for to pay in any one year a great
er sum than can be realized in such
year under the provisions of this act
There is now in the state treasury
to the credit of the capitol fund close
to 100000, and next years revenue
from the halfmill tax and the proceeds
OF land sales, except school lands, will
swell the fund to over $550000 Pro-
vision is made in the act of 1908 for
the sale of surplus ground embraced
in the sixty-three acres owned by the
state. including and adjacent to peni-
tentiary hill