The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1909-01-06

capitol building act, passed by the
of 1905, the first capitol
commission procured from a frm of
in Minneapolis plans and
specifications for the capitol building
and approved and accepted the same,
entering into a contract with the ar
chitects to supervise the erection of
the entire building. 1t built the foun-
dation for the east wing, but did not
proceed further. The government of
the United States, In the enabling act
under which South Dakota was ad.
mitted to the Union, granted to the
state $4,000 acres of land for the
erection of public buildings at the
capital. No restraint as to the time
these lands may be sold, the price, or
terms of sale, were imposed either In
the enabling act or in our constitu-
ton. Their disposal was left entirely
within the power of the Legislature
The first capitol commission received
from the sale of lands and other
sources the cash sum of $102,1O1.77,
and it expended the sum of $17,695.94,
leaving in the hands of the state
treasurer SS4 4.405S3 Besides this, it
had on hand $1,5205S still In the
hands of county treasurers, and there
was due the further sum of S46,402.S4
On deferred payments.
The number of acres remaining un-
sold when the present capitol building
commission was created was 69,3S0.4s.
The Legislature of 1907 amended
the act of 1905 by authorizing the
commission to enter into contract
for the erection of the entire building
at a cost of not exceeding $500, 900, and
for the purpose of raising funds, the
amended act authorized the commits
sioner of schools and public lands to
sell and dispose of sufficie of the
lands until the sum raised by sales
ano rentals, together with the amount
then in the treasury already realized
from sales and rentals, or thereafter
received from sales and rentals there
Work of Construction.
On June A, 1907, the commission ac-
cepted the bid of a contractor for the
erection of the building according to
the plans and specifications for $780,
552.00, the same to be completed on
or before July l, 1910, and accepted
the bid of a Watertown, S. D., firm
for the construction of the heating
and plumbing for the sum of S38,000.
The building contractor began work
in July, 1907, and the construction
has been going on very satisfactorily
since then. The cornerstone was laid
on June 25, 1908. The building is now
quite far advanced, the walls have
been erected and the roof, with the
exception of the dome, is nearly all
on. The contractor expects to COM
plete his contract by Jan. /, 1910.
The present commissioner of school
and public lands has sold 27,950.67
acres, and his predecessor sold H.
617.3S acres, making the total acres
sold 40,56S.05, leaving unsold 41,431.95
acres of the public building lands. Ey-
cry acre of these lands east of the
Missouri river has been sold. The
River, Pennington, Meade and Butte
counties.
The total amount received as pro-
ceeds of the sales of the public build
ings lands is $403,707.92 The total
amount already paid out is $293, ,195. TO-
Balance of proceeds of sales, $110.-
6l2.S2. The resources are, unsold
lands. 41,431.95 acres, available pro-
ceeds of sales remaining, $110,512.S2.
From these figures it will be seen
that it will take 100000 more than
what has been realized from the lands
up to this time to pay the contractors
for the completion of their contracts.
UnsoId Lands as Security.
Much of the land remaining unsold
cannot be sold at the present time
without great sacrifice because 1t is
located long distance from the rail
road. The lands near the railroad
that could be sold would hardly real
ize more than $4,000. and in order
to enable the commission to pay the
sums necessary yet to be paid to the
contractors it will be necessary for
the legislature to continue the unused
appropriation of 100000 of 1907 and
make the same available during the
years 1909 and 1910. The unsold
lands afford ample security for every
dollar required to be advanced by the
state and 1t is the plain duty of this
legislature to provide for the con
clusion of this unfinished work before
beginning new buildings at other
places.
Other expenses In completing the
capitol, aside from the contracts for
erection and heating and plumbing,
will total 1904 900. This means that
the state must still raise an additional
sum of 100000 to fully complete. fur.
nish and equip the new capitol build.
ing and fill up, grade and landscape
the grounds. For this purpose it still
owns 41,431 acres of land, most OF
which cannot be sold for a number oi
years without substantial loss. Te
meet this emergency, the capitol com.
mission recommends that the unused
appropriation of 100000 from the
general fund made by the Legislature
of 1907 for the fiscal years 1908 and
1909, be reappropriated by this legis
lature in exactly the same manner