The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1904-02-17


base OF the balus1rade is too shallow
and is built up three inches and a half
with thin slabs of stone to give it the
proper height See testimony Of Capt
Hunt, pages Is. II and l8.
8. The drawings call for a Tood
truss under the portico root. Inns
has not been put in place and Is q
deteriment to the strength OF TINS par
of the roof. 1t should have been puI
in so as TO give connection for the otne5
timbers. to which the ceiling coulo
have hecn finally nailed Testimony
Capt Hunt, page 49,. oo,;
The bottom members OF the arcnl-
1rave is the stone Intel course over
the capitals and should have Deen
moulded inside as well as now shown
on HE outside. This stone shoulo
have been carried around the entire
area Of the portico ceiling; tnls IS re-
auired in all classes OF acnlteceule,
regardless OF the requirements OF Ine
special orders. These stones Saou!o
have been solid and not built up IN
sections, as shown by the drawings.
| Testimony Capt Hunt, page 19.
10. Between the wall OF the building
and the caves of the roof there is a
vacant space Of something over nine
inches. and but for sheet OF galranlz-
iron l-;;22 OF an inch in thinckness there
would be nothing at al between the
interior of the building and the wide
wide world Testimony Capt Hunt,
page 20.
II. We call attention to serious
defect in the rear portico, between tWo
of the columns, which support it. One
of the large Intel stones, which car
ries its portion of the gable, is crack
ed, apparently entirely through and is
likely at 2ny time TO give away.
The contractors appropriated 10
their own use and actually sold thou
sands of dollars worth OF the old ma
terial upon the State House GROUNDS,
and which came out OF the building
and seek to justify their acts by! a
provision in the Specifications which
allows them to "use' certain portions
of the old material. The contract re-
ouires the contractors to provide all
the materials and perform all the work
mentioned in the SPECIFICATIONS and
shown in the drawings etc. In this
connection they were allowed to use
AL old material that is now on the
grounds, and such parts OF the present
! roof that conforms to these plans and
specifications" with certain named
exceptions. and to make plain what
was intended the said provision reads:
This only covers the granite columns,
ballusters, old iron bracing, granite,
etc. in the roof that is suitable and
the proper size as called for. - Does
that mean suitable and proper size rs
called for" for them to carry oil at
sell. or does it mean suitable and pro-
per size as called for" by the specihca-
tions. to go into the building: We
submit that it is too plain for discus
sion. that the latter is the construc-
tion TO be placed upon it and that IN
carving away and diSposing OF this
valuable property of the State they
were naked trespaSsers.
The glass floor to the portlcos, IN the
| opinion Of the expert should not nave
been put in The architect had the
choice Of other old and reliable styles
and passed them over to make an ex-
pertinent with this untrled kind OF
| flooring and as in all other depart
ments of the work with disastrous re-
suits.
The water closets installed under
meath this portico leaked so badly they
had to be removed to another part OF
the building. At first this was reQuir-
ed to be done at the expense OF the
architect. Afterwards the commlS-
sion allowed him $500 out of the State
funds as a contribution towards it.
And the lower pass away from the
grounds to the entrance to the lower
story of the State House is covered
with water after every rain. The till-
ing between the rows Of glass IS break
ing up already, and change Of this
flooring is 4 matter OF Immediate
necessity.
The water closets, like everything
else, are defective, and will cost the
State more money TO put them IN
shape and suitable condition. We re-
fer to the testimony OF Mr.. A. w:
Edens, civil engineer and Inspector OF
sewers and plumbing for the city OF
Columbia. which explains this.
The contract required the contrac-
tors to protect the interior of the build
ing from rain, while removing the old
roof, by the use of tarpaulin or canvas
covering. This was not done, and in
consequence all of the galleries and
many Of the rooms were flooded dur
ing this period, and the painting and
| frescoing on the walls Of the two cham
bers were permanently ruined.
nfn n
furnish a good and sufficient bond for
the faithful performance Of the con-
tract, and did give bond in the sum
Of $50, 900, of the City Trust, Safe De-
post and Surety Company, Of Phila-
delphia, to Governor NJ. B. McSwee-
ney, chairman OF the commission on
completion of the State House, to Sc
cure and guarantee the faithful per-
Torrance of the contract: said boEd
bears date 2lst August, 1900. The
form and execution of the bond was
approved by the Attorney General and
accepted BY the commission. On the
ID of June, 1902, Governor McSWeeney,
chairman OF the commission, acting
under the oral advice Of the Attorney
General las testified TO oy D. II.
Means, secretary, caused Satisfaction
to be entered upon that bond and sur
rendered it to the obligors.
This surrender and attempted dis
charge of this bond, the States only
security for the vast losses sustained.
was not the act of the commission, as
the Governor alone, advised as it is
said, by the Attorney General, under
took to perform this act, and it may
be that Che State may yet be able to
realize upon said security.
Your committee do not consider that
it comes within the scope Of their du-
ties to determine questions Of law in
volved in the matters embraced herein,
but would regard it remarkable indeed
if there is not some remedy, civil or
criminal. or both, to bring these male
factors to justice and to some extent
to redress the wrongs Of the State.
We feel that what we have report
ed. and the testimony taken, reveals