Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1907-07-25
PROGRESS MADE ON
OUR NEW CAPITOL
FOUNDATION FOR WEST WING
NOW FINISHED.
AT COST OF SOME $4,000
Weather Yet Base Is Thought to
Be as Solid as the Rock of Ages
Waiting for Material for the Super
structure.
Madison. July %


After somewhat more than six
months of continuous labor the foun-
dati0n for the west wing of the new
capitol has been completed at an ap-
proXimate cost of $4,000 The wing
is 126 feet wide by $50 long. The
width of the outside wall varies from
3 feet in the narrowest portion to
s feet inches in the broadcast, and
the height is IA feet. December l of
last year contract was let to the
Foster Construction company of Mil
waukee for the placing of 1900 cubic
yards of concrete. properly fortified
with fetal at a cost Of $4,000.
The job was executed under great
difficulties but, Notwithstanding the
adverse conditions in January and
February, the progress of construction
was not interrupted in the coolest
weather. Although the season was
unfavorable to safe concrete work,
the extraordinary precautions taken
prevented the cold weather from in
juring the work. To accomplish this
result the materials entering into the
composition of the concrete were
heated, After it was cast into forms
however, the concrete was allowed to
freeze but, Notwithstanding this fact,
it seems to have been well put to-
gether. The capitol comission, which
has had supervision of the work,
after repeated scientific tests,
believes that a better foundation was
never put under building. The wall
is extra strong and durable because
it is reinforced with iron rods in the
bottom layers, and these act as beams
bridging over any inequalities there
may be in the ground BY the use
of a tarred fabric and an asphalt
combination the entire outside wall
is rendered waterproof. The purpose
of interpreting is to prevent the
walls from collecting moisture and
drawing it up into sthe superstructure
where its presence would result in IN
slightly stains on the face stones Of the
building. Many of the most beauti-
ful edifces in Madison have been per-
manentIy defaced because no such
precaution was taken.
Early in May. after the first portion
of the work had been completed, a
supplementary contract was let, also
n the Foster company, for building
the eastern wall Of the wing and also
the intermediate piers. These piers are
separate, of different dimensions, and
six feet in depth They are made Of
layers Of steel, all beams resting on a
body of concrete and filed in with
cement. Approximately - tons OF
steel were used in this masonry. 1t
was only completed last week.
The foundation is now ready for the
superstructure which will be built
of white Bethel granite The first
Of this material is expected to be de-
livered in Madison from Vermont not
later than August 1. After the arrival
of this stone the work will be pushed
so rapidly that the entire wing will
F. be enclosed by the first of next year.
so It is said.
The west wing is one of four,
/ the corners of which will join to sup
port a dome whose interior diameter
/ is sc feet and whose height is 29O.
The new dome will be in the exact
center of the park while the old one
! is 20 feet west OF it. The capitol will
be built at the rate OF. one wing every
two years. and a conservative esti-
mate is that at leasta10 years must
elapse before the edifce is entirely
finished.