The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-02-06
CAPITOL BUILDING
A RICKETY AFFAIR

| SANASSAt 49, 1S't e co. VI OilU"lItk
is the report Of the Joint capitol com
mittee appointed to inspect the condi-
ton Of the state capitol:
We have carefully examined the ex-
terior and interior walls of the build
Ing as well as the interior of every
room in the building, the heating, ven
| tilating and lighting system as well as
the power house. electric road and
equipment. We find the exterior walls
of those parts of the building erected in
1889 and 1894 in dangerous condition,
due to serious defects, probably owing
to settlement of the foundation and
weight imposed upon the different
floors, and to the deterioration of the
| material used in construction. In our
opinion these exterior walls are in a
dangerous condition, and II the ordi-
nances of the city of Bismarck pro-
vided for a building inspector with
close inspection Of public buildings, it
would probably be condemned as I'M
safe.
The roof of the entire structure is
In deplorable condition, and although
1t has had continuous repairs annually,
yet admits storm water to the inter-
Tor of the building, causing the crumb-
ling and falling Of the plaster in many
OF the rooms and discoloring of others.
There Is not a sirgle room In the two
older parts Of the building but shows
the effects of storm water coming
through the roof and walls of the build
ing.
The interior walls of the building
show bad cracks in many of the arches,
and in our opinion are unsafe. The
floor in the rotunda between the. house
and senate chambers in our opinion
is unsafe today, even though it has
been shored up by the superintendent
of the building.
The plaster on the ceilings and walls
of the entire building in order to be
safe and to look reasonably we'll for a
capitol building of this state, should be
entirely removed and renewed. The
floors of the rotundas and corridors i'm
the two older parts of the building are
unsightly and should be removed and
replaced by floors more slightly and
substantial
We find that there Is practically no
ventilation of the entire building. The
plumbing in all of the toilet rooms is
PROFESSIONALLY unsanitary and danger
Gus to the health of the occupants.
1t is questionable whether the stor-
age vaults in the older parts of the
building would stand the heat caused
by the burning of the building. The
heating system of the building is in
adequate, out of date and expensive
to maintain. The lighting system is
giving fairly good satisfaction, but the
installation is in such condition that
we believe it to be dangerous.
We desire to call your attention to
the fact that if fire should break out
in this building between the hours Of
6 O'Clock in the evening and O'Clock
in the morning, that it is improbable
that any part of the building or it's
contents could be saved. This is due
not only to the fact that we have no
fire protection, but also to the fact
that we have many small dark rooms
in the basement and attic that are
used for storage of unused material,
papers and out of date reports, which
would furnish ideal conditions for the
progress of a fire and very poor condi-
tons for fighting fire. The storage
tanks with a combined capacity of an
proXimately 5000 gallons are situated
in the attic, and owing to the fact that
they are used for the various closets
as well as for fire protection and are
filled by pump from the power house
when empty, they are not at all times
prepared for a fire, and the amount of
hose and the men to man it in case
a fire should get started would preclude
the possibility of eXtinguishing a fire.
We find the building of the power
plant to be in fair condition. The en-
gines and generators are needing some
repairs The steam connections between
the engines and the boilers are i'm poor
condition, and should be overhauIed
and renewed. AS far as we could de-
termine the boilers are in fair condi-
ton, although the settings of these |
boilers should be rebuilt.
The electric connections from the |
power house to the building and the
street railroad line are in very poor
The pumps used for the
boiler supply and for fire protection
are in fairly good condition, but in our
opinion the fire protection pumping.
with it's system of supply and distri- |
button, is entirely inadequate for the
which would be required of 1t
IN case of fire.
We desire to call your attention to
the fact that there is probably outside
Of the vaults in the capitol building
800, 900 worth of valuable material
which is constant hazard and risk
which the state is carrying without
any fire protection whatever. Much of
his material is invaluable in that II
could never be replaced should il be
destroyed.
The carpenter shop, which is in the
east wing of the old building. in our
opinion is a positive menace to the
and should be taken out at the
earliest possible moment.
II also appears upon investigation
hat there is no room In any of the
buildings suitable for holding the ses-
'ions of the supreme court The old
court chamber on the third
ioor is in such dilapidated condition
hat 1t is absolutely unsafe for this
purpose, and entirely out of keeping
With the needs of the court of this
itate. The sessions of the court are
leld sometimes in the senate chamber
Ind other times In the house chamber
which are unsuited in every way for
his purpose.
The attorney general, since the adj
ournment of the last legislature and
he converting of the present one.
Utilized the house retiring rooms and ,
committee rooms, and since the con-
-ening Of the present legislature has
lad a small room constructed In the
asst wing Of the old building, which
DOM IL entirely Inadequate for the