The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1904-02-25

it would be necessary for the State to
furnish column to replace the one
broken. The column was a portion OF
the material to be furnished by the
State under the contract and there
was no doubt in the minds Of ma
iority Of the commission, after care
full examination Of the contract, plans
and specifications, that the commission
could have been compelled by the con-
tractor to furnish new column.
To quarry and carve a new column
would have cost the State at least
$4,000; it would have delayed the work
Of completion Of the State house about
six months.
The contractor reported that the
column could be patched by putting in
a section Of new stone at cost Of
about $500, and delay in the work of
80 days.
according to the plans there were to
be two columns placed within what is
now the open floor space on the front
portico. These columns supported none
Of the weight Of the walls Of the strue-
ture, and were located by the architect
within this area because. under the
approved plans the State had on hand
two columns that could be used for
purely ornamental purposes. The con-
tractor proposed 20 the commission
that he would deduct the cost Of rails
ing these two inner columns into posi-
ton and the cost of the unfinished
be left out, and the work proceed.
Upon the report Of the architect that
the strength Of the structure Of the
completed building would be in no
wise impaired, this solution Of the
problem was deemed the best and most
expedient, inasrnuch as the funds IN
the hands of the commission were
limited, the work would rot be de-
layed and no damage would be done
the structure. At subsequent meet
ing of the legislature the broken col
urnns were appropriated and given by
the State to Greenwood and Spartan
burg.
The question of utility having been
settled to the satisfaction Of ma
jority Of the commission it then be-
came one purely Of taste and ornament,
and upon this issue we considered that
the best interests Of the State were
subserved by carrying to completion
the front portlco as it now stands.
It may be ad6ed that in the final vote
as to leaving out these two centre col
unns that Messrs. Can't and Johnson
voted with Mr.. Marshall in the mega
| tive, the other members present con-
stituting a majority, voting in the
Affirmative.
In addition to the $500 above men
toned as a part Of the consideration
for relieving the contractor Of the work
Of placing the columns the commits
i sion reserved for the benefit Of the
State the remnants of the broken coll
umns.
THE CEILING m THE MAIN
LOBBY.
One Of the most serious charges
brought by the Investigating commit
tee related to the removal OF she cell
ing in the main lobby and 1sais is a
typical Illustration Of their methods
and oe the value OF their eenclusiens,
Captain 9unt in his testimony
%. 10 swore that saseuState|n mad lost
in his opinion $4,000 by the removal
, of this ceiling, '2hich was represented
as ''steel' ceiling and that had cost
in the neighborhood Of s10,oc0." (p. ID
Now. what are the facts?, The Off
commission show the awarding Of the
contract for this ceiling as. follows:
Columbia, S. c., May End, 1889. The
commission met this day. Present:
Hon. J. @. Marshall, secretary Of
State; Hon. j. S. Werner, comptroller
general. The bids were presented, be-
ing six in number, for putting in iron
CgalvaniZed) ceiling, beams, skylights,
etc, in the main corridor on the second
floor, together with the ceiling over
the senate. lobby. Mr.. John
Alexander's bid upon plan No. 1, for
1888 was accepted. -
This record was accessible to the in
vestigating committee and could have
clearly shown them that this ceiling
Gid not cost Gin the neighbornood Of
s1O,ooo,'' but that the ceiling Of the
senate lobby, which had not been re-
lobby, which was Still there, consti-
tuted three-fourths of the work for
which less than 5000 had been paid,
and that the ceiling that had been
removed cost, IS years ago, less than
$1,000. It is very plain piece Of work
with little ornamentanon and cer-
tainly not beautiful. Architect Wilson
in mis- report stated that it could now
be put back for about S1,Seo.
This ceiling, as the records show, was
not only bought as galvanized iron, but
that the ceiling taken out was nothing
found that 'the contractors bodily took
and carried away and converted to
their Own use this valuable and beauti-
full part Of the old building" (p. y
when one of the FIVE witnesses whom
they themselves put upon the stand
certified and could have told them that
it was galvanized iron, and when re-
moved worthless even as junk" (See
affidavit Of J. 3. Garfunkel, Exhibit
F.. DR.. Babcock, superintendent Of
the Hospital for the Insane, certifes
that the ceiling is now in his posses
sion as an officer of the State. (See
certificate of ]. w. Babcock, Exhibit
y.
The commission put back exactly the
same material they took out, simply
requiring the contractor to replace
worthless and damaged material with
new material Of the same kind.
The wanton Misrepresentation which
it was necessary for this so-called
architect to make to show that the
removal of dozen squares Of gal
vanized iron which was in bad shape,
bent and rusted. and replacing it with
other galvanized iron ST a pattern
which better suited the aund opening
Of the dome entailed a ross Of $4,000
upon the State, certainly entitled him
to the compensation Of SIS a day. which
he was paid and which he was evi-
dently industriously endeavoring to