The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1904-02-17

caused to be put in the main loppy
splendid steel ceiling, which was, a
work of art, as we'll as of durable,
lasting nature, highly ornamental ana
a delight to the eye of every observer;
by the terms of the contract, this cell
ing was to have. remained, and Where
injured in the progress of the work
was to have been repaired. Inc con-
tractors bodily took and carried away
and converted to their own use this
valuable and beautiful part of the OLD
building, and in it's place put a cheap
stamped metal ceiling, costing aoouI
$500, and which is blot upon the race
of this great building. On this Item
the State has lost in the. .neighborhood
of SIC, 600. ,.,
4. The plans and specifications and
the drawings call for two inner granite
columns on the front portico. They
are not there. The absence OF them IS
explained by the fact that in attempt
ING to elevate them into position the
contractors broke one Of them into two
pieces, and rather than put the con-
tractors to the expense OF replacing
the broken column, they were gener-
ously excused from putting them IN
at all, they paying the State $500, leaV-
ing them So, 400 profit on that transac-
tion. The office these columns we're
to perform was an lmportant! one,
namely, to support the front peolmenG u
of the portico md a bond ana tie 10
the main building, in other words 10
carry a large Intel stone securing the
portico to the main building, and thus
preventing it from falling away, which
| it has a tendency to do. The estl-
mated loss to the building in all re-
spects on account Of the absence OF
these columns and the accompanying
parts they were to support IS S4.?oo.
There are two massive square piers
under the portico. They were de-
signed to support these missing col
umns, and now perform no duty at all.
On page 81 of the report OF the com
mission is d letter from Archltect MIL
burn on this subject, in which ne says:
"We can take these out without IN
any way marring the appearance from
the exterior and without in any way
interfering with the strength OF the
structure.n Capt. Hunt was asked by
Senator Manning his opinion on TINS
point, and answered as follows: ~
consider that an Insult to the lnte!ll-
gence of your committee" Explain
ing. he said: 1.-THE practical effect OF
leaving out those columns IS TO weak,
en- the structure. The stone Intel
and brick work on top of these columns
was intended to bond into the brick
wall OF the pediment and make a solid
and rigid piece of work. 1t is impor
tant that this should have been done,
for the pediment cornice naturally
gives it a tendency to pull OIL or away
from the building, and the bond OF
! this work over the capitals IS what IS
always carried out to counteract the
tendency to pull away from the build
ing. He overcame this by butting the
pediment to the main building with
iron rods in the form Of what we term
buckles " TO the question, "Do you
regard that as sullicient?' he replied:
"Well. if the bracing and anchorlng OF
these rods has been done as carclesSly
as a great portion OF the construction
throughout this building, L certainly
should question its safety"
). The beautiful leafwork upon the
capitals of the old columns will stand
for all time as a monument to the Skill
and taste of the artist who carved
them; that upon the new columns
| furnished by these contractors. re-
uuired TO be and designed to be mod
elled after them, are coarse, unslghtly
and unfit TO stand beside the old ones
6. The columns at the rear OF the
portico. joining the main building
should have to correspond with the
front columns, Intel stones extend
;mr f:CN. one to another. They have
none, and to fill up the space between
the capitals and the ceiling they have
put in tin or sheet iron boxes, painlco
TO resemble granite; while all the bal
ance of the work was treating tho
State with injustice, this can only b'
constructed in the light of ridlcult
coupled with contempt. Too much re-
mains to be reported TO dwell longer
upon this porticO.. The defective glass
llooring. the cheap, sh0ddy stamped
iron ceiling, the way the flooring leak:
in rainy weather. together Wild mucl
else, shows for itself and accords tit
tingly with the balance Of the bCtch
work ralmed off on the State.
!. Entering the building from the
portico in bad weather, we find that
the roof leaks badly, flooding the lobby
after protracted rains. Ascending the
roof, as we did, we discovered the
cause of this to be a roof of little or nc
valua II ~ic- 2 far and gravel roof