The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1904-02-26

furnish column to replace the one
broken. The column was n portion OF
the material to be furnished by the
State under the contract and there
was no doubt in the minds OF ma
jority of the commission, after a care
ful examination of the contract, plans
and specifications, that the commission
could have been compelled by the con-
tractor to furnish n new column
To quarry and carve n new column
would have cost the State at least
$4,000; it would have delayed the work
or completion OF the State house about
six months.
The contractor reported that the
column could be patched by putting in
Il section of new stone . at g. cost of
about $500, and q delay in the work or
30 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 struc-
ture, and We're located by the architect
within this nrea 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 rais-
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
wise impaired. this solution OF the
problem was deemed the best and most
eNp"uleht, lnasmuch as the funds In
the hands of the commission were
,l1nited. the work would not be de-
iayed ana no damage would be done
the structure. At /, 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 a, ma
1ority OF the commission it then be-
came one purely of taste and ornament.
and upon this issue we considered that
subscrved by carrying to completion
the front portico rs it now stands.
1t may be added that in the final yot q
as TO leaving out these two centre COL
umns that Messrs. CAN'T and Johnson
voted with Mr.. Marshall in the mega
tive. the other members present CON
shutting n majority. voting in the
affirmative.
In addition to the 5000 above men
toned as part OF the considera ton
lGr n9 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
umns.
THE CEILING IN THE MAIN
LOBBY. I.
One of the most seri 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
ai.I !!r, ol ehe value of their conclusions.
captain Hunt in his testimony
| Cp. 10 swore that the State had lost
in his opinion $4,000 by the removal
OIL thls ceiling, which was represented
as steel ceiling and that "had cost
in the neighborhood of 10000" N. ~
| Now. what are the facts?. The ON
cial records OF the old State house
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. Q. Marshall. secretary Of
state: Hon. ]. S. Werner, comptroller
general. The bids were presented he
Ing six in number. for putting in iron
(galvaniZed ceiling. beams, skylights,
ETC.. in the main corridor on the second
| lioor, together with the ceiling oyer.
the senate lobby. Mr.. John
AleXander's bid upon plan No. 1, for
] $7,S9S was accepted"
This record was accessible to the in
Vestgating committee and could have
! clearly shown them that this ceiling
did not cost "in the neighborhood of
$4,000" but that the ceiling of the
senate lobby, which had not been re-
moved. and the cornice OF the main
lobby. which was still there, consti-
ru.ed hf three-fourths of the work for
which less than $4,000 had been paid.
ana that the ceiling that had been
removed cost. 10 years ago, less than
S-;ooo. 1t is Very plain piece of worl,
win little ornamentation and GER
tainly not beautiful. Architect Wilson
IN mis- report stated that ii could now
be put back for about $1,000.
I'h's ceiling, IS the records show. was
not only bought as galvanized iron, but
an actual inspection OF it will show
.nnt the ceiling taken out was nothing
put galvanized iron. The committees
found that the contractors bodily took
ana carried away and converted to
their own use this valuable and beauti-
iui part of the old building" (p. y
Wnen one of the five witnesses whom
lney themselves put upon the stand
cerufieG and could have told them that
IL was galvanized iron, and when re-
moved worthless even as junk" (See
nmidayit of ]. B. Garfunkel, Exhibit
~. Dr. Babcock. superintendent of
the Hospital for the insane. cnrt;fiaa
that the ceiling is now in his posses
SION as an officer of the State. (See
certliicate of j. w. Babcock, Exhibit
The commission put back exactly the
slime rad';. material they took out, simply
requiring the contractor to renIace
worthless and damaged material with
new Nv material of the same kind.
:. me "dnion misrepresentation which
m it was necessary for this so-called
archltect TO make to show that the
removal of dozen squares of gal
Vanized iron which was in bad shane
oent and rusted, and replacing it with
,,.,,' "tner galvanized iron of pattern
when better suited the round opening
OF the dome entailed n loss of s15. .O00
upon the State, certainly entitled him
10 the compensation of SIS day, which
he was paid and which he was evj-
dentiy industriously cndeavoring to
If the ceiling removed cou,d b..
properly designated as steel ceiling,
mat put in its place could he so desjr-
mated. as 1t is the same material. IF
one is pressed into form by q nstaro,a.,