The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1904-02-23

h0tn 10 the extent OF tne law. ANY
facts in the possession Of this commits
sion. either matters of official record
or matters Of personal knowledge in
competition with the work on the State
house, will be fully and frankly given
that the legislature. governor or any
other properly constituted authority
may appoint 10 prosecute suits in the
interest of the State. This commits
sion, under the provisions of the law
constituting it. elected an architect and
paid him the usual fees to design and
superintend the work Of completion of
the capitol. The commission, under
the provision Of the law, let the work
to the lowest bidder. If there has
been any collusion between the archi-
tect and the contractor it Is fact ab-
solutely unknown and unsupported by
the State house commission, and there
has not been published or produced a
scintilla of evidence to prove that any
such collusion existed.
CAN WE AFFORD TO PAY FOR
MAGEIFICENCE?
When the commission was appointed
to complete the State house the scope
Of its duty was clearly marked out in
the act creating it. It was required
by the law to complete the State house
within the appropriation of SITS, 5,000
When the fact is considered that the
State house as it stood in its incomplete
condition had cost the State Of South
Carolina over $2,000,000, it would have
been the height Of folly for our. COM
mission to attempt with the limited
amount given US to carry out the de-
sign Of the original architect, who de-
signed and contemplated a $1,000, 900
building. The act further stipulated
that not one dollar Of the money ap-
propriated should be expended until
a contract for the completion of the
building within the amount stipulated
was made, and this contract we were
directed to make and did make. It
has been the purpose Of the commits
sion in the expending of the limited sum
at our disposal to make all permanent
work good and substantial, to conform
as near as possible to the original
building, and if there has been, as al
legged, cheap and Shoddy work. put
upon the building, an investigation will
reveal that such work can be easily re-
moved at any time, without marring
in any way the substantial portions
of the building, and that it can be re-
placed by as costly material as the
State cares to pay for. Only 1000
was spent for the root. This roof it
was believed, would be satisfactory;
if it has not proven so it can be easily
replaced by as expensive a structure as
you wish and in the meantime it will
have served the purpose. The COM
mission in this matter, as Ia many
others involving questions Of the re-
latire quality of materials and meth
DDS Of construction, relied to a large
extent upon the judgment Of the archi.
tect. AS business men they felt. that
the wide and varied experience ~ the
men whom they had entrusted with
the power and authority Of an lrchi-
tect, which must Of necessity be lkten-
sive, justified them in deferrnIg to
his judgment and advice. This arch
itect was necessarily soverne,, OF the
amount appropriated for tae 5%ork,
and. Of course, could use only such ma
terial as the appropriation would pay
for.
The limited funds placed at our dis
posal is the only reason that any part
of this work is inferior in character
to the best work on the old petitions
Of this building. ...
We do not wish, however, to II un-
derstood as apologizing for the psfser:t
condition Of the State house. 1t IS to-
day, an. imposing and stately structure
and credit and an honor to South
Carolina, and the new work, as we'll
as the old, will stand for centuries.
While the interior of the new work
has not been .embellished with Italian
marble and with delicate carvings by
imported artists, it was not believed
by the commission that the people OF
South Carolina either desired or pur-
posed to have them now. When they
are willing and able to pay for these
things they can be placed there. But
this criticism can be made Of thr OLD
portions of the building. as we'll ~ the
new, and notwithstanding the SOL alleo
$4,000 galvanized ceiling liable, j the
words of this architect, HuntH to
! rust out in a few years." which was
placed there by the commission, Of
which Senator Marshall was men,
Der, fifteen years ago. the NAN cor
ridor Of the building was unsishtly
and unadorned by the beautiful marble
with which John r. SiernSee designed
to cover its walls.
AS TO THE SELECTION OF
THE ARCHITECT.
In selecting an architect for the tSork
it was the sincere desire Of the COM
mission to put aside personal cons!d-
erationS and to secure for the State the
services Of the best and most expert
enced man whom We could find. Two
plans were presented to the com snls-
sion. while numerous architects were
suggested as thoroughly competent to
do the work. Six OF the ten members
Of the commission voted for Frank T.
Milburn, whose plans seemed pest
adapted for the work contemplated.
Mr.. Milburn had not only enjoyed wide
experience in the erection OF public
buildings throughout the south, out
came with the prestige of employment
by the Southern railway for the cree
ton Of all its stations and buildings.
Besides. he had erected the Thor ;PsoIt
auditorium at Charleston, the Purt
house at Anderson. and other lid-
ings, which within the personal k.SWl-
edge of members of the comm flon
had proven satisfactory and eJ"as
as we'll highly recommended to by
all with whom we knew he ha.. t4ad
dealings. 1t may be added that .Elce
that time, Mr.. Milburn has bees Sc
lected as the architect Of botF8the
Florida and North Carolina State
ltols. Consequently. the con!: - =,
thought they were justified IN L
lection they had made. s@'
If the report Of the joint lnves :at-
ing committee, however. is fol!oH 10
its logical conclusion. it is evident fhat
it was the opinion of that conn. rec
that the commission made ms. axe
in electing an architect at all, out nat
we should have sent to washington for
a haneer-on around the national Capt.