The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1904-02-10
Report Of Committee Of Invsstiga-
tioa---Arraignmsnt Of Architect
and Contractor.
'sWork a Parody, an Insult and a
Disgrace" Says Expert.
The General Assembly Asked to Com
mence Suit at Once.


upon the science of architecture and
AN insult to the fame of John +.
Niernsee and a disgrace to the State
of South Carolina
The report Of the ommission appoint
ed last year to inquire into the manner
the work OF completing the State
House and to fix the responsibility for
the inferior work, is decidedly the
most sensational document fled with
the general assembly in years. The
commission consists of Senators Robert
Aldrich and Richard I. Manning and
Representatives ]. O. Patterson, j. M.
Rawlinson and G. T. Williams.
The commissions report covers
about 70 rages Of printed matter, hav-
ing in it stenographic report of the
examination of witnesses, and every
line in it makes interesting reading.
Reference is irst made to the necess-
ity of employing an ezpret absolutely
free from bias and how Capt. Huntt
was obtained at a salary of So per day
with travelling expenses and how Capt.
Euntt pointed out the various defects.
Specifically the commission finds:
i. That Architect Frank P. Mil,
burn, employed by the old commission,
die not furnish suitable plans and
specifications for such a work; notably
in failing to specify in detail what the
contractors we're required to do in
many instances, but leaving the same
to be decided by the architect, thereby
vesting large discretionary powers in
himself, which could and We are con-
strained to say were exercised to the
States injury.
2. The contract required that all of
the work was to have been done with
the old work as stndard It has not
SO been done, but mean, crude and
cheap quality Of work had marred the
effect of the fine work upon the main
building end disappointing every one
who hoped to see the State House COM
pleted IN accordnce with the original
design.
8. In the main lobby, prior to the
commencement of the new work, the
State, at The expense of $40, 900, put in
a splendid steel ceiling which was a
work Of art as we'll as of a durable,
lasting nature, highly ornamental and
delight to the eye of the observer.
By the terms of the contract this cell
ing should have remained and where
injured repaired, but the contractors
bodily took and converted to their
own use the valuable and beautiful
part of the old building and in it's
place put a cheap stamped metal cell
ing costing about $500, which is blot
on tie building. On this item the
State has lost about $40, COO.
4. Although the plans call for two
inner granite columns or the front por-
tico, they are not there. The absence
is explained by the fact that in elevat-
ing one Of them into position it was
broken, and rather than put the con-
tractors to the expense Of another,
ssthey very generously excused them
from putting them in at all, they pay
ing the State $500, leaving them S..
400 profit on that transaction. The
columns we're to carry large, Intel
stone from the main building to the
portico, and thus prevent it from fall
ing away. which it has tendency to
do. The estimated loss in all respects
on account of the absence of these
columns and their accompanying parts
is 4,5O0. The two massive squares
underneath perform no duty at all.
In letter to the original commission
Architect Maburn says on this sub
ect:
"We can take these out without in
any way marriug the appearance from
the exterior or in anyway interfering
with the strength of the structure. ;"
Captain Hunt says this letter was
can insult to the intelligence of your
committee - and added that the effect
was to weaken the whole structure.
Capt. Hunt also says that if the brac-
ing and anchoring of the rods used in
place was done as carelessly as the rest
of the work, be should certainly ques-
tion it's safety.
). The beautiful leaf work upon
the capitals of the old columns is not
duplicated, and the new work is unfit
to stand by the old.
6. The columns at the rear of the
portico, joining the main building,
should have, to correspond with the
font columns, Intel stones extending
from one to another. They have none,
and to fill up the space between the