Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1907-03-16
PENNSYLVANIA
CAPITOL PROBE
Engineer Green Says State Got It's
Moneys Worth.
BIB KNEW OF NO COLLISION


Harrisburg. Pa. March 12.-The IN
Quiry into the cost of the new $4,000
600 state capitol was begun by the
legislative committee with the testl-
mony of Bernard r. Green. OF Wash
ington. supervising engineer for the
capitol building commission.
The Cmcial reports OF Alr. Green to
the capitol commission showed that he
was not satisfied with the business
methods OF Architect Huston and that
the architect was Withholding infor-
nation from the engineer. Mt. Green
said. however. that he knew OF no evil
dence OF collision between the arcbi-
tect and the contractor and that the
state got the worth OF it's money in the
construction OF the building.
He was unable 20 give the probers
any information on the per foot" and
per pound" rule by which the build
ing was equipped and furnished by the
board OF grounds and buildings. He
never heard of this rule until IL was
employed by the board asd did not
regard it as a proper method for ascer
tanning the cost of such furnishings
He thought there were too many cleo
trio 6XtuVes in the building. and that
many OF the fixtures were too heavy
and clumsy and out OF proportion with
the surroundings
Mr.. Green said the architect was not
tudicious and broad-minded In his
dealings with the engineer and acted
as n he was afraid some one was try.
ing 70 deprive him OF the glory u de.
signing tho building The engineers
reports showed that several modifca.
tions were made in the original specih.
cations for the building without the
knowledge OF the commission and the
engineer.
James Cameron. OF the New York
Audit company which is auditing the
accounts and making an inventory OF
the capitol, submitted n report show.
ing that OF the 100000 appropriated
Tor the building 90 the capitol building
commission there was an unexponded
balance or Sf5.S9O.93.
Mr.. Cameron testified that he had
collected from the Harrisburg Tus,
company. In which this fund was kept
so S53.51 in interest at the rate OF Q
per cent on the daily balances. Nc
formal demand was ever made by the
building commission on the trust com.
pany. o. which Edward Bailey. treas.
urer OF the commission. is president
for interest on this fund Mr. Gamer
on said the minute records OF the com
mission were Indefinite and that re.
ports which should have been record.
cd were not included in the minutes.
He also said that the system OF sin
gle entry was used ina the bookkeeping
OF the state government and that the
general accounting was not as com
pletc as 10 might be. There was nc
asset record OF what furniture was ~
the building and no way of ascertain
ing whether any furniture had been
carried away The final reports OF tho
auditors viii be submitted i'm three OF
four weeks and will contain an item
ized cost OF each room On the building
The report presented by Mr. Gamer
on shows that Joseph NJ. Huston. 10
architect of the commission. has been
overpaid SCG5. lt was also developed
from the records az the capitol com
mission that most OF the advances that
had been made 10 George Gray Bar.
nard, she sculptor. and Edwin Abbey
the architect. had been made upon
Huston S ceuldcadon. and that the
changes that have been made from
time to time in the specifications gov
erninE the contracts were at Huston s
suggestion and were approved by him
II was also shown that upon more thar
one occasion the architect had assur
ed the commission that the capito
could be erected well within the orig
inal appropriation OF $4,000 600
The report also shows that the tota
aggregate contracts awarded By tn,
commission amount 20 $685.. lO9.O7
and that the contracts with George
Gray Barnard, the sculptor. and Edwin
A. Abbey. the artist. are unfinished
while the sum OF $S7. 900 has been ad
vanced 20 the former and $47, 1000 u
the latter