The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1904-02-17
STATE HOUSE WORK.
The Architect and Contractor Hit
Hard by the Commission.
IN THEIR ELABORATE REPORT.
Expert Government Constructor Pre-
nounces Their, Work ''Par-
ody Upon the Science.
of fArchitecture."

The report of the commission ap-
pointed last year to investigate the
completion of the State capitol was
submitted to the general assemble on
Monday of last week. The report
contains very serious Criticisms or the
work done by the contractors. NC.
Twain Unkefer Co., under the super
vision of the architect, Frank P. Mil
burn, and the original commission;
for accepting the work. Those mem
bers of the commission who approved
the final report Of the contractor ana
of the architect were: Gov. NC
Sweeney, NJ. R. Cooper, secretary OF
state; Representatives CAN'T and W.
J. johnson, and the following from
the sinking fund commission: Sena-
TOR Mower, Representative J. Har'
vey Wilson, G. Duncan Bellinger, at
torney general; j. P. Derham, COM
ptroller general; R. 81. Jennings,
State treasurer. The governor ana
the secretary of state were also mem
bers of the sinking fund commission.
'Ehe Investigating commuters report
sustairs the protests made from time
to time by Senator Marshall, which
were not headed By the commission,
and his minority report to the legls'
lature which brought about the inVes-
tieation. The Investigating commits
sion consists of Senators Robert Al
drich and R. I, Manning, Representa-
tives J. .. Patterson, J. NJ. Rawlln-
SON and T. Y. Williams, by whom the
report is signed.
-. TIE COMMITTEES REPORT.
After some preliminary statements
the committee says the subject maIter
for our consideration. is the work done
upon the State House to complete tne
building, and the manner OF It's per,
Torrance, Ely an Act Of the General
Assembly, approved 18th February,
A, D., lSoO, the sum OF one hun
5red and seventy-fye thousand dollars
OF the sinking fund was appropriated
80 ccmplete the State House" and a
commission consisting Of the Cover.
nor, Secretary of State, one memoerof
the Senate and two members OF Jne
House, was designated with the sink.
ING fund commission to take charge or
and direct the completion OF the State
House, to let out all work herein au-
uborized, to make all necessary con-
tracts, including the employment OF an
architect, and to see that the Sald
work is completed according to the
contract, and to do any and every act
necessary to carry out the purposes or
this Act; provided, that the funds be
used unless a. contract be entered into
complete the said State House for the
sum Sc set apart" AS the last session
General Assem- bly, the said commission
made it's third and final annual report,
bearing date 4th February, a. ~,
1908, giving circumstanGially all Ghat
was done under the Act, and couclud-
ing with q resolution as follows: BE
solved, That it does appear TO the
commissi0n for the completion OF Ine
State Hoase that the work is satlsfac-
tory aud that the contract has been
substantially performed. Page ~,
majority report. At the time a MI
nority report was made by one member
of the commission, Senator j. Q. Mar
shall, whereby the attention OF the leg
islature was called to many defects IN
the work.
The matters referred to in these two
reports put your committee in posses
sion Of what they had to investigate.
The first thing they felt called upon to
do was to secure the services OF com
petent man familiar with this kind OF
work, skilled in his calling, and OF such
eminent standing in his profession as
to entitle his testimony to full respect
and every consideration. Thereup0n,
we correSponded with United States
Senator B. r. Tillman, and solicited
his aid in the matter. With his usual
promptnesS and efficiency, he put us
in communication with Mr.. Elliott
Woods, Superintendent of the Capitol
: at Washington, who recommended to
us Cant. S. S. Hunt, chief constructor
of the United States Capitol buildings
and grounds, who he recommended as
a "first-class contractor, who had over
forty years experience in the erection
of large buildings" etc. Accordingly
vour Committee employed Capt. Hunt
at a salary Of SIS per day, the sum
stated by Mr.. Woods to be his usual
compensation, besides his travelling eX-
penses. He came and examined plans
and Specifications of Architect Mil
burn, for the completion Of the State
House, and the work done Hereunder,
and attended a meeting of the COM
mittee at the State House on the 18th
and 26th days of May, A. D., 1908,
went all over the building, in com
pany with your committee, and point
ed out separately, and in detail the
different pieces of defective work,
all Of which is described in his teStl-
nony ;.nnexed to this report. Capt.
Hunt impressed your committee as d
conscientious and able man, fully alive
to the reQuirmentS of the work IN
hand, and fearless in performing it.
Your committee feel constrained to
report generally that the minority re-
port of Senator }. q. Marshall IS fully
sustained by the evidence taken and
by the visible facts for all to see Tor
themselves who choose TO 20 over the
building and make even casual exam
inatOn of it.
More specifically we find:
i. That the architect, Frank p. Mil
burn, employed by the commission
under the Act for the completion OF
the State House, did not furnish SUIT
able plans and specifications for such
work, notably in failing to specify in
detail what the contractors were re-
uuired to do in many instances, put
leaving the same to be decided by the
architect, thereby vestlns large dlS'
cretiondry powers in himself, which
could, and we are constrained 10 say,