The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1904-02-24

the material to be furnished by the
State under the contract and there
was no doubt in the minds OF n ma
jority of the commission, after a care
full examination of the contract, plans
and specifications, that the commission
could nave been compelled by the con-
tractor to furnish q new DUNN.
To quarry and carve n 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 hat the
column could be patched by putting in
n section of new stone at n cost of
about $500, and u delay in the work OF
80 days.
According to the plans there were to
be two columns placed within what is
now the open DOR space on the front
poTtico. These columns supported 20
OF the weight of the walls of the struC-
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 to the commission
that he would deduct the cost of rails
ing these two inner columns into posi-
ton and the cost of the unfinished
carving of caps for same if they could
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 NJ
wise impaired, this solution OF the
problem was deemed the best and most
eXpedient, inasmuch as the funds in
the hands OF the commission We're
limited, the work would not be dc
layed ana no damage would be done
the structure. At a subsequent meet
ing of the Legislature the broken col
umns were appropriated and given by
the State TO Greenwood and Spartan
burg.
The question OF utility having been
settled to the satisfaction of u 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 We're
SubscrVrd by carrying to completion
the front portiCo as it now stands.
II may be added that in the final vote
ms TO leaving out these two centre col
umnS that Mcssrs. Can't INC Johnson
voted with Mr.. Marshall in the necn-
tive. the other members present con-
shutting a majority. voting in the
affirmative.
In addition to the 5000 above men,
toned as a part of the consideration
for relieving the contractor of the work
OF placing the columns the commits
sion reserved for the benefit OF the
state the remnants OF the broken coll
ulnns.
THE CEILING IN THE MAIN
LOBBY.
One of the most serious charges
brought by the investigating commit
tee related to the removal of the cell
ing in the main lobby and this is a
typical illustration of their methods
and OF the value of their conclusions.
Captain" Hunt in his testimony
(p. I'D Sworc that the state had lost
in his opinion $3.50 by the removal
of this ceiling. which was represented
MS steel" ceiling and that had cost
in the ncighborhood OF 100000" Cp. -
Now. what are the %facts?, Tho OIL
cial records OF the old state house
commission show the awarding OF the
contract for this ceiling as follows:
columbia, S. c., May 2nd, 1889. The
commission met this day. Present.:
Hon. j.. @. Marshall. secretary OF
general. The bids were presented. be-
ing six in number, for putting in iron
'~galNani%cd) ceiling, beams, SkyliS!lts.
etc, in the main corridor on the second
ioor, together with the ceiling over
the senate lobby. " . Mr.. John
AleNandor's bid upon plan No. I, for
$1:SsS was accepted"
ms record was accessible to the in
ve~Stigating committee and could have
clearly shown them that this ceiling
qua not cost I'm the ncighborhood of
SlO,oO0.' but that the ceiling of the
senate Obj which had not been ro-
moved ana the cornice of the main
ioohy' when WAS still there, conGti-
t1ited thrce-iourths of the work for
which less than IS. 900 had been paid,
and that the ceiling that had been
removed cost. 10 years ago, less than
5000. 1t is u very plain piece of work
with little o~rnamcntation II Ger
tainly no. beautiful. Architect Wilson
In mis- report stated that II could now
pc put back for about $500.
This ceiling. as the records show, was
not only bought as galvanized iron. but
an actual inspection OF 1T will show
that the ceiling taken out was nothing
put galvanized iron. The committee
round that the contractors bodily took
carried away and converted to
their own use this valuable and bcauti-
one of the five witnesses whom
they themselves put upon the stand
certi1ieG and could have told them that
~ was ghlTanizcd iron, and when re
moved worthless even as junk (SCe