Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-11
committee created by the present legisla-

a committee created by the present legisla-
ture.
1t consists of Senators Fisher Of Indiana,
Sisson of Erie and Dewalt of Lehigh, Rep
resentatives Dearden, Philadelphia: Fair
Westmoreland; Shields. Wyoming, and
the commission are James Scarlet of Dan
vile and James A. Stranahan of Harris
| burg. They were selected by Gov. Stuart.
The attorneys have been working for a
month with the representatives OF. the
audit company of New York in the prep
aration of the case.
MI. Green's Explanation.
Bernard R. Green of Washington. D. G..
was the first witness. Mr.. Green explain
ed that he was a civil engineer in the serv-
Ice of the United States and was in charge
Of the construction of the Congressional
Library at Washington and other govern
ment buildings in that city. He outlined
his duties as consulting engineer for the
capitol commission and stated that he was
employed by the commission until the
building was completed. He said that be-
the building was awarded Architect Huston
stated to the commission that the building
gould be completed within the appropria-
ton of $40OO,O00. allowing 1878, 600 for ex-
penseS of the commission and the architect
and fine art.
Reports and letters from Green to the
capitol commission were read which showed
that he and Architect Huston were nor
working in harmony In one letter he re-.
lerred to huston as being "bumptious" and
unwilling to adopt recommendations of
changes in the work
In another letter Green criticised the
granite in the building and said il was NOT
up TO the specifications and samples subj
mtted, and that the electric wiring of the
pullolns was not in accordance with the
specifications.
Engineer Was Examined.
IN report under date of December %.
100, Green called attention to a number
Oh changes in the original specifications for
the decorativ work, flooring, heading se-v-
Ice, ETC., which had been mace without his
knowledge and which differed from the
specifications
me engineer was examined as to the mar
Die Wainscoting and other material in the
building. he explained that a portion of
TINS wainscoting in the rotunda had heen
omltted and that there We're several modi-
icatlons made in the specifications by Hus-
ton without the knowledge of the engineer
on the capitol commission. The decorations
IN many of the rooms were more elaborate
imam had been called for in the original
plans.
The witness was also examined in the
matter of purchasing furniture by the foot
instead of by piece and the furnishing of
6 Geo haS by the He said
the per pound rule before it was used in
this building. -
Il did not regard it as a proper method
Tor ascertaining the cost of such furnish
ings,' he added
Green said many of the chandeliers and
other electric fixtures We're enormously
heavy and did not typify the highest art.
Il think the decorations have been much
overdone. They too heavy. While
there are some things that should be criti-
cised, think that in the contract of Payne
& Co. the state got the worth of its money
l would say that the building in it's con-
struction is good one. AS to the design
opinions differ. as it is matter of archi-
tectural opinion"
Green said he knew of no collision or
fraud between the bidders and architect or
between bidders and members of the COM
mission.