The Van Buren press., 1903-08-22
Case Against Claiborne and Mrs.
Gaines at Hot Springs Dis
missed.
EVENTS Of AWEEk BRIEFLY CHRoNIClED
c,,,ract Let to an Indiana Firm for
the New State CaptoI-"SmiIng
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 &
brake. of Columbus, Ind. The con.
tract price is $947,S46 and the struc-
mre is to be completed by December
q 1905. Caldwell & Drake had sub.
mitted two bids, one for $S9S ,65S for
Bedford stone and one for s947,S46 for
Batesyille stone. George w. Donaghey.
who was the only Arkansas bidder, Of.
fered to do the work for 1897 ,450, us.
Ing Bedford stone and Arkansas gran.
tie for the basement. The act Of 1903
provides that as far as practicable the
commissioners shall contract for Ar
kansas materials in the construction
Of the buildings. The commission
spent some time in considering be-
tween the bid of Caldwell & Drake and
that Of Mr., DOnaghey Members of
the commission give it as their opln.
ion that the Batesyile marble is supe-
riOr to any building stone in the
United States. 1t is obtained in Inde-
Dendence county, seven miles from
Batesyille, in unlimited quantities.
The act Of 1903, under which the
present capitol commission is proceed.
ing, contains the following provisions
covering the letting of the contract:
The contract for the completion of
said building above the basement
floor line shall be let to the lowest
and best bidder by the state board OF
capitol commissioners upon notice by
advertisement for thirty 800 days in
such newspapers as the board may
deem proper, advertising for sealed
bids for the completion of said build.
Ing reserying to the board the right to
reject any and all bids. And no bid
shall be accepted for a greater amount
than one million dollars ($l,000,000),
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.
nIssloners shall contract for Arkansas
materials in the construction of the
building
The successful bidder shall be re.
QuIred to enter into bond to the
state OF Arkansas to be approved by
said board Of capitol commissioners,
IN the sum OF 100000, conditioned for
The faithful performance Of his con.
tract within the time herein named,
aud Conditioned further that he will
pay off and discharge ali debts con.
tfacted for, labor and materials used
In and about said building. In no event
shall said board Of staet capitol com.
missloners ever pay to said contractor
more than 80 per centum Of the
amount earned until the building Is
iaIly completed and accepted, when
'he 10 per cent retained shall be paid
with ilnal estimate TO the contractor
under estimate made from time to
ume; nor shall they ever undertake
10 bind the state for anything what
ever on account of said contract 1t
being the intention Of this act that the
state shall never be liable in any man.
her except for the amount stipulated
N the contract herein provided for
10 no event shall the board undertake
VT agree In the contract herein proyid'
20 Tor to pay in any one year a great
V sum than can be realized In such
year uEder the provisions Of this act. -
There Is now In the state treasury
" The credit Of the capitol fund close
100000, and next years revenue
from the halfmlll tax and the proceeds
VI lahd sales, except sslool lands, viii
sweII the fund TO over Sjj0000, Pro-
vision Ia made In the act Of 1908 for
'ue sale of surplus ground embraced
III the sl:ty.three acres owned by the
s"'e, including and adjacent to penn
'cntiary hill,