Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-01-02
STATE CAPITOL REPAIRS
Over 100000 Necessary to
Make the Building What
1t Should Be
GENERAL AssEMeLvs PROBLEMS
GENERAL AssEMeLYs PROBLEMS
The Capitol Commission Leaves It's
Work Of the Past and Policy for the
Future Entirely in the Hands of
Those Responsible for Care of Pub
lie Property and Use of Public Funds.
Special 10 rimes.Republican.

Special to Times s-Republican.
Des Moines, Jan. 2-One of the hard
problems before the general assembly
which meets in ten days is that OF
providing sfor the completion OF re-
pairs and Improvements to the state
capitol Of Iowa and the final decora :
ton of that edifice. The last legisla-
ture acting On the report of a special
commission, which some years ago
figured up the probable cost of of COM
pleting the s3,00o,0o0 building, appro-
priated quarter million to do the
work; and while 1t was fully realized
by many of the members OF the leg
islature that this appropriation OF
funds would hardly be sufficient all
estimates have been so far exec eded
when the work has been taken fully
in hand. that 1t is now certain that
over 100000 will be necessary to make
the building what 1t should be. The
capitol commission has In the past few
months expended upwards of 100000
and has bills out In excess of $4,000.
while the estimate of the superlnten-
dent OF construction calls for over
$4,000 for completing repairs, and
some smaller sums will be needed to
complete the mechanical equipment.
Unless the present legislature puts
more money into the work. much of
that which was planned by the COM
mission TO recommend changes and
repairs will be left undone.
The capitol commission, consisting of
Messrs. A. B. Funk. L. p. Schoentgen
and Charles A. Cumming. has just I'LL
ed its repor, to Governor Cummins
for transmission ito the legislature.
The commission makes detailed report
on the work that has been done. and
estimates on what is yet necessary.
4 complete explanation Is also made
OF eyei.g contract and every step talsS
en- and 1t Is made clear In almost every
case just why the original estimates of
a few years ago have been exceeded
when 1t came to doing the work. In
most cases there has been contracting
only after competitive bidding, but
most of the general repair work has
been done under supervision of skill
ed workman by day labor. J. r.
Crawshaw. who was employed in the
construction of the capitol, Is the SUI
perintendent of repairs: Champion j.
Linley, OF Chicago. has been supervis-
ing engineer and also prepared the
plans for the new mechanical equip
ment; Frank d. Harsh has acted as
secretary for the commission and has
kept the accounts. while the major
portion of the contracting has been
done by L. II. Kurtz, of this city, the
lowest bidder.
The report states that the commits
sion has endeavored to conform. inso-
far as practicable. with the legislative
commission. but the requirements of
the situation have made necessary a
good deal of independent action in Or
der to give the state the best practice
able service. Some of the recommends
ations of the commission which pre-
pared the estimates were found to be
impracticable for the reason that. be-
ing without funds. that commission
was Obliged to do Its work with some
degree of haste and without the eX-
pert assistance necessary TO close cai-
culation. The estimates were in some
degree misleading because of changes
necessarily made and for the further
reason that an increase of about %
per cent in the cost of construction
work and mechanical equipment has
resulted since their report was filed.
Two changes alone largely increased
the cost over the original estimates.
The plan of having a tile roof had to
be abandoned and a copper roof sub
stituted. because the roof is too steep
for tile. and instead of costing $13,25O
the new roof cost, $5,S2S more. 1t was
also necessary to spend about 81. :sSsa
IN painting and repairing the steel
work OF the roof. The warehouse.
which was estimated at $4,000. ro..
S12.465 more because of changes OF
location and the decision trgbuild it
where it could partly be used for in
stalllng the mechanical equipment and
because of increase in cost of work.
Regarding the heating, lighting and
the commission says:
The responsibility involved in the
installation OF heating, ventilating and
lighting systems conformable with the
vast improvements made since the
capitol was erected, was fully realized
by commission. II Is much more
differ to do this work in a building
constS .vted without regard to their re-
quirements, than in new structure,
and we were beset with all difficulties
along the line. 1t was our purpose to
keep in view the fact that nothing in
the way of real excellence of service
and durability of character was too
good for employment in our state cap
itol, together with the fact that there
should be no expenditures for which
the state did not receive full value.
We made no decision In this connection
without the most careful scrutiny and
absolute confidence on our own part In
every particular. AT the time this re-
port is made the various systems and
elements of equipment have not been
fully tested. but we feel and believe
that our judgmnt will be fully justified
by the operation OF the same. In this
however. we were con-
fronted by very serious dilemma. Our