The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-12-29
Urged by Gov. Spry.


special message to the state legislature
urged the necessity OF the construction
OF state capitol, pointing out that
there WAS difficulty In finding Offices for
the various departments Of the state
government and the fact that they were
scattered in various parts Of the city re-
suited in great inconvenience He urged
that funds for the capitol construction
be raised by bond issue and otherwise
and that there be an immediate author
ization of the work.
State Senator C. e. Marks, during
the 1909 session, introduced four bills in
the legislature having for their object
tho provision of funds with which to
construct state capitol. One Of these
bills provided for the creation of q
state capitol commission, another for
the refund OF the $250,00O territorial
bond issue, falling due on July /, 1912;
the third for the conversion to cash Of
the securities held by the state board
of land commissioners as proceeds from
the sale Of government lands decided
to tho state for public building pur-
poses: and the fourth Tor special cleo
tion for a special levy for capitol cen
struction purposes,
All four bills wero passed by tho
state legislature. However, the people
voted against the special levy. The 9th
er funds were available but the gov
ernor deemed it wise not to begin the
construction of the building until there
was a certainty Of securing all neces-
sary funds.
At the general election of 1910 the
voters adopted an amendment to the
constitution permitting an increase of
the bonded indebtedness of the state
for the purpose of constructing public
buildings. The legislature of 1911 then
authorized the bond issue Of $l,O00,000
to provide funds for the construction
of the capitol and from that time the
people were certain Of tho construction
Of state capitol.
just before the Legislature Of 1911
adjourned Attorney General A. r.
Barnes received as An inheritance tax
for the state from the estate of the
late e. r. Hartman S79s,00o. The leg
islature Immediately appropriated
$750,000 Of this money for the con
struction Of the new capitol, which
with the bond issue previously author
iZed gave the commission ample funds
with which to construct the building.
Since the cash received from the Har.
riman estate appeared ample to carry
$1,000,00O in bonds were not issued.
Names Commission.
On May l3, 1911, Governor Spry ap-
pointed John Dern and John Henry
Ogden and Colonel C. L. Loose of
Provo members of the state capitol
commission. The law providing for tho
creation Of the state capitol commits
sion made Governor William Spry, Sec
retary of State G.. S. Tingcy and Az
toruey General A, r. Barnes e1 officio
members Of the commission.
The new capitol commission organ
lied on May II and Immediately or
dered Typographical survey made OF
the capitol grounds. The firm Of Ohm
stead Brothers, leading landscape ar
chitects of the country, was employed
to provide a landscape design for the
grounds. The commission visited many
States and gathered large amount of
data relative to the construction Of the
various capitols. On October l2, 1911,
John Henry Smith died and soon after.
wards the governor named Anthon H.
Lupd as his successor On the commits
sion.
Tho state capitol commission on
August 20, 1911, prepared programme
OF competition for architects. Several
Of the leading architects Of the United
States prepared plans and submitted
them in competition. The commission
finally awarded the prize to R. X. A,
Kletting Of Salt Lake. one Of the lead.
ing architects in the west. The award
was made on March Is. 1919, Mr..
K1etting theu prepared working plans
for tho new building and those were
completed on August Is, From these
plans the commission prepared specifi
cations and bids for the construction
Of the building were advertised for.
On December 5, 1912, the bids for
tho construction Of the capitol were
opened. The lowest bid was that of
the James Stewart Construction COM
paDy. The amount Of the bid of this
company for the complete construction
Of tho capitol, exclusive Of excavation
and furnishings, was $I,l06,0o0. Sev-
oral other contractors submitted bids
in varying amounts. The contract for
the construction Of the building has
not vet been LET. The commission is
considering several changes in mate.
rials and specifications and finds it ad.
visable TO decide so far as possible
upon these changes before letting the
contract.
Moran's Bid Accepted.
Tho contract for the excavation and
grading Of the capital grounds was
awarded TO P. j. Moran. The contract
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