Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-07-14
IOWA CITY MAN SURVIVOR OF
COMMISSION WHICH BUILT
STATE HOUSE.
WORKED FAITHFULLY FOURTEEN
YEARS, THEN plscREDITEp
Legislature summariIy Discharged
Board Without Vote Of 1hanks-Was
Engineer in charse-Gave Same
Faithful Service to State a. Member
Of Iowa Railroad Commission.
[By Ora Williamsl.

CBy Ora Williams].
Des Moines, July 14.-Peter A. Dey
Is gone, the last Of the builders Of the
Iowa state capitol. Not very many OF
| those who office in Iowa's beautiful
his work or became familiar with wha,
he did for Iowa
Colonel Dey was designated by law
act Of April 10. 1870, as one of the men
to whom should be entrusted the
erection Of the Iowa capitol, the others
being the governor ex- officio, r. S
Finkbine. J. G. Foote and Maturin L.
Fisher. They were to tear out the old
imperfect foundation and direct all
their action with a view to the COM
pletfon Of the building for $500, 000."
They proceeded to undo the work
which had been done by a previous
commission and started over again
Later General Ed Wright became Sec
rotary Of the commission. He had
been. as secretary Of state. a member
of the census board which in 1858
made the first move toward the new
capitol.
1t will always be somewhat to the
discredit Of Iowa, or the legislature.
that when the state capitol was near
ing completion in 1886. the legislature
by resolution summary discharged
the capitol commission and made a
small appropriation to partly finish up
the work on the state capitol. placing
the same in the hands Of the executive
council. and dismissed the faithful
capitol commission without even a
vote Of thanks or any record to show
that the commission really did the
work or that the work was done in
satisfactory manner.
Dey FeIt Hurt.
Peter A. Dey was keenly hurt by this
action Of the legisla ture He did not
talk much, but to me he at that time
expressed deep humiliation at what he
felt to be a slight not intended but
not less actual. II felt that we ought
to have been at least permitted to IN
ish the capitol" he said. It was be-
cause Of this fact that I urged long
years afterwards that Colonel Dey be
named on the commission to repair
and finish the structure.
When the commission was released
from it's duties and obligations Colonel
Dey and his associates had been con-
tinuously at work on the capitol for
fourteen years. Colonel Dey was really
the engineer member. the one who
figured out the weight or the resist
ance or the strain Of every column
and beam and wall, who investigated
the quality and condition of all ma
terial. Finkbine was the practical
builder. the one who handled men,
who saw that a days labor was given
for every days pay. F'oote was the
accountant Of the board whose books
came out to the cent correct at the
end of the building period. Wright
was the man who took care Of all the
correspondence.
A Faithful Servant.
No man ever was more faithful IN
attendance at his duties than Colonel
Dey. He was always on hand when
there was business. He looked after
every detail that came to his depart
ment. But he was an agreeable man
for the visitor to meet. He was good
man for the news gatherer who was
looking for news around the head
quarters Of the commission. He knew
what the public was interested in and
much better than either Of the other
members of the board he was ready to
impart information that the public had
a right to know.
One day a few years ago Colonel
Peter A. Dey was sitting in the main
corridor Of the capitol building in re-
Elective mood. surveying his work. He
drew me to him and talked freely of
the building Of the capitol He told Of
this or that little detail that would es-
No 80 vs,t<A ~
spoke Of where the various marbles
could never be duplicated. He spoke
because some parts were not built as
good as they should have been. due to
spasms Of economy on the part Of the
who infested the legislature.
He pointed out some things that
should have been done differently. But
he fairly loved to sit in the capitol
and contemplate the work and take
pride in his part.
Later when Colonel Dey was elected
to be a member Of the state railroad
he brought to the Office
the same fidelity and devotion. He
was simply fair man neither radical
nor warped.
The corner stone Of the capitol was
laid in November, 1871. by prior
commission which made the mistake.
or was compelled perhaps to make the
mistake. Of putting in poor stone for
a foundation. 1t had to be all taken
out. General Dodge is the only mem
Der Of that older commission still STIR
viving.
"DRv" LEADER DEAD.