The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-04-07

ital to /
.Resolved: that L. 8. Burlington b
Aelocted o. supervising architect. AND
W. I. Dow @ assistant architect and
inspector. PROVIDED: that IN agree-
n,ent b made between them 70 the
effect that their combined commits.
sions and compensations for plans ana
supervision shall not exceed % pei
cent Of the cost Of the buildings
Arscted under their supervision"
A motion vas made for ats adop-
tiou. An amendment vas offered %
substitute Knight and Castner TO-
BURLINGTON. The amendment VA
lost and the Burlington resolution
adopted.
Ths plans adopted were for . com.
plete building with it, different parta
harmonious. It was recognized that
the 100000 would not 80 far toward
completing It 20 It was determined %
build the Central portion which would
fuynish tho space then needed ana
ct the same time serve - the toun.
dalton Tor Z mammoth tower ana
| Tor winss In different directions to
| be later erected. This accounts tor
| the massive structure Of the old poe-
tion Of the capitol. Unfortunately. no
subsequent legislature made provision
for building additional units o. wings
les contemplated by the plans. Tho
result was that additions made nom
time to time were wholly out Of har-
mony with the original plans and
many Thousands Of dollars were
wasted In following inconsruous and
unsightly plans for charging the
building.
Bids were called for the constrac-
ton Of the capitol ana on Aug. II,
1858, the contract was let to Charles
W. Thompson d o., Of Bismarck.
Serious question arose Is to the
brick which should be used in the
building, and especially for It's facing.
There were one or two small brick
yards near Bismarck, but their ca
pacity was limited and they did not
manufacture pressed brick.
HAD NOVEL BRICK PLANT
A resident Of Bismarck, named
Thompson, had Just started . brick
yard ct Sims. It was only . few
yards south Of the railroad tracks
and Q remarkable condition existed,
He had within the space Of few
hundred feet, brick, clay, coal for
burning the brick, sand to mix with
the clay, and water for Ill purposes.
He had put in machinery for making
pressed and other brick and sought
to cell the commission the brick which
should be used IN the erection Of the
building. Some Of the commission
were very enthusiastic on the subject
and thought that wonderful things
would result.
Accordingly. We were furnished Z
special train and visited Sims and In
|spected the site and plant. We found
everything there that had been men,
toned and reports were made BY ex-
peYts to the effect that the clay
would make Q superior quality Of
brick. Accordingly most o6 the brick
including the facing Of the part q
the building then contributed VA
furnished by the Sims heickyard. But
alas for human aspirations and hopes!
It developed that the clay contained
minute particles Of lime and the brick
made from It had not long been ex-
posed to the weather before small
spots crumbled, leaving the surface
Of the building quite unsightly, and
seriously affecting the structure.
From tho introduction Of the bill
and until long after division Of the
territory, rumofs were current at cor.
ruption by legislators and member
Of the capital commission. Undoubt-
edly many people believed them.
A federal grand jury convened IN
Fargo during this period and con-
Quoted . searching investigation re-
lating to these rumorS. ! was. SUBJ
poenaed q . witness and questioned
BY General Campbell. the United
States attorney. regarding my knowl-
edge Of any improper acts on the part
Of legislators and members q thu
commission. but II indictments were
returned, and I am sure none Was,
the alleged offenders were never
brought to trial.
Al have said, the honors q man.
bership in tho capital commission
were considered great, but great q
they may have been they were more
than offset BY the obloquy that VA
- - .,~@.> a. ~A>~>l>1~~ -A>AH>>~
guilty q innocent. It took years fol
the members to outliye the odium
that went with the transaction. n
blight the aspirations for Office al
any member It was only necessary q
say that he WAS member q tho no
torious capital commission. Event
ually, however, those Of it, naemberl
who were tempted to participate Il
public affairs. outlived this. !.
OPPOSITION TO LOCATIONS
Many readers win remember soue.
thing about the location q the pub.
lie institutions Of this state In tn
constitution. Some will recall thu
thsre was great oppodtion 70 dotn(
this With the result that something
like 800 votos were cast against tn
adoption q the constitution. Tht
oppoGition originated and was to-
terod b. The same element which
sided With tho Yankton people b
lo13. IN 3oct, the opposition 70 Biz
mArck . thu capital Vas % stroul
ovor tn sta*e for several years thu
thego Woro ooosions Of the legiGla*arl
vhnn. II phFno had had =. fook,loon