StevenWarRan Research: 1910-1919 News Articles

1910-1919 News Articles

March 8, 1910, New York Times, GRAFT SENTENCES UPHELD.; Men Convicted of Pennsylvania Capitol Fraud Must Serve Terms.

PHILADELPHIA, March 7.---The conviction of William P. Snyder and James M. Shumaker, charged with conspiracy to defraud the State in connection with the furnishing of the State Capitol, was affirmed by the State Supreme Court here to-day. Snyder was a former Auditor General, and Shumaker a former Superintendent of Public Buildings and Grounds.

June 24, 1910, New York Times, PALTSITS ASSAILS DRAPER. State Historian Accuses Commissioner of Education of Lobbying.

ALBANY, June 23. -- Charges of "misrepresentation, pernicious lobbying, and coercion," are made against State Commissioner of Education Andrew S. Draper by State Historian Victor Hugo Paltsits, in a circular letter which he has sent to Presidents of historical societies, educators, and other persons interested in historical study and research. The accusations grow out of the efforts of the Commissioner to defeat legislation proposed by Mr. Paltsits at the last two sessions to have the historian's department made a bureau in the Department of Education.

The bill gave the State Historian access to all county records for the purpose of examining them and ascertaining whether they contained anything of historical value. It also gave him the right to copy and photograph such originals and prohibited their destruction by county officials or custodians of records without first consulting and receiving his permission.

The legislation which Mr. Paltsits was endeavoring to have passed had the indorsement of historical societies throughout the State, and of nearly every every prominent educator, as well as many writers on historical subjects. These men, as is clear from letters on file in the office of the State Historian, are also opposed, almost without exception, to subordinating the department to that of the Commissioner of Education.

Mr. Paltsits declined to-day to give out his letter for publication on the ground that it was personal correspondence, and he even refused to confirm the accuracy of a copy which reached THE TIMES correspondent through other channels.

Dr. Draper is out of town. Dr. Thomas E. Finegan, Third Assistant Commissioner of Education, said to-day:

"Mr. Paltsits is laboring under some very strange delusions with reference to the entire matter. There was no pernicious lobbying, nor any effort except what was made in the open on behalf of this department to defeat that bill. We believed---and I think with some justification---that the powers the bill would have given the State Historian over public records were too sweeping, especially as they would have covered certain manuscripts of tremendous value in the State Library, which under the existing law is in the custody of the Regents and this department.

"We did not feel that we could afford to divide the responsibility with the State Historian. As a way out it was suggested to Mr. Paltsits that he become an official in this department and have the benefits of everything in the State Library. He declined to do so."

March 29, 1911, Boston Evening Transcript, Last Edition, Page 1, CAPITOL LOSS $5,000,000, Flames Rage Through Albany Structure, Priceless Volumes and Documents Incinerated. Emancipation Proclamation Is Secure. "Quartered Oak" Papier-Mache Ceilings Destroyed, The "Million Dollar" Staircase Is Badly Damaged, Several Persons Are Reported as Missing. The Building and Its Long, Unsavory History

March 30, 1911, Hartford Courant, ALBANY CAPITOL HAS $5,000,000 LOSS BY FIRE

March 30, 1911, Middletown Times, [Associated Press] CLEANING UP THE REFUSE AT THE STATE CAPITOL WHILE BUSINESS IS HALTED. Pumps, Brooms and Vacuum Cleaners Are at Work. RUGS ARE SOAKED. [Posted to Blogger]

March 30, 1911, The [Oshkosh] Daily Northwestern, Editorial, page 6, The Annual Fire Waste.

March 30, 1911 Trenton Evening Times, Page 1, Column 2,GUARDING CAPITOL WELL FROM FIRE,[Posted to Blogger] New Jersey Carries Insurance on All of the State Institutions

The New Jersey State Capitol is kept constantly insured $450,000 and if it should be attacked by flames, as was the New York State House, the State would not have to stand a total loss. All buildings of the state institutions are similarly kept insured.

The Jersey State House is also completely equipped with an auxiliary fire alarm system, with fire boxes in all sections of the big building so that if a fire should break out, no matter in what part, it would only take a few steps to a box, and the pulling of a lever would instantly summon the city fire department.

There Is also a full equipment of fire extinguishers, and under the direction of State House Custodian J. W. Weseman, fire drills are held to instruct the laborers in the building in the use of the extinguishers and fighting fire in other ways.

Recently, upon the recommendation of Mr. Weseman, the Suite House Commission had fire doors placed in the huge basement, dividing it into three compartments. Now, if a fire broke out in the basement the doors could be quickly closed, confining the smoke and flames, at least for long time, to the one compartment.

During the past four or five years the old electric wiring has been overhauled and modernized, most of the wires having been placed in iron conduits, so that fire from defective wiring, it is believed, has been made practically impossible. Mr. Weseman has held several conferences during the past two or three years with Fire Chief Allen asking him for suggestions as to the better safeguarding of the State House.

March 31, 1911, The Lowell [Mass.] Sun, Editorial, [John H. Harrington, Proprietor] Page 12, THE GREAT FIRE PERIL [Posted to Blogger]

In the fire horror of New York city and the subsequent destruction of the capitol at Albany not only the state of New York but the entire country has an object lesson in the need of greater vigilance in the matter of providing protection against fire. Where the laws are lax and officials still worse, there is ever present the danger of such disasters as have visited New York state during the past week. How can such calamities be averted in the future? By strict laws to minimize the danger, to promote preventive measures and to maintain well disciplined fire departments. Unless heroic measures are adopted we may find some great conflagration such as that of Chelsea, Chicago or San Francisco to wipe out an entire city. The fire peril is becoming more dangerous as the years go by, and it would seem that legislative bodies are mainly to blame for the unguarded state of affairs in many cities and states.

That any state capitol should be left in such a dangerous condition as was that of New York, is beyond comprehension. That the priceless records of the city and state should have been exposed to loss by fire at any moment shows criminal negligence. There is a bad odor about the state capitol, not because of the fire, for this odor has attached to it for many years, in fact since the capitol was built. The structure has been the scene of many grafting schemes. The very construction of the building was the pretext for all kinds of swindling operations, mismanagement and incompetency. The building itself is located on a quicksand and parts of it have been sagging and sinking for years. The building was left without a tower on the assumption that this would be added later, but subsequently it was found that the foundation and supports were not strong enough to carry a tower. Is it any wonder that the building was an accumulation of botchery when the first architect after starting the work was dropped, the second abandoned it as a bad job and the third endeavored to make the best of the tangle. The New York capitol, it may he said, represents the work of many administrations, each of which sought to make money out of the job. Much that was badly done by one administration seemed to inspire other administrations to do something still worse until by the time the capitol was finished it had cost the state $25,000,000 and was not worth half the amount. But bad as it was known to be, nobody supposed it was a fire trap that would burn up in a few hours in spite of all the efforts of fire companies.

There is here a sorry spectacle in the work of public construction and fire protection. How could sane men construct and furnish a state capitol without a safety vault for the preservation of valuable records? There may have been some apology of this kind, but it did not save the records from destruction. The whole affair is a disgrace to the state and especially to the political bosses and leaders, from Lucius Robinson to John A. Dix and including Theodore Roosevelt, Tom Platt and David B. Hill. It would be difficult to say now just where the weight of the blame lay for making the state capitol a tinder box, but it is quite probable that one party is as much to blame for this result as the other. Both apparently shared in the extravagance, mismanagement and incompetence that produced the monstrosity.

It is stated that $4,000,000 will repair the damage. In all probability the expense will be more nearly $10,000,000, and then the capitol will be still a mass of defects, a building scarcely sufficient to support its own weight. Many New York citizens have cause to regret that the building was not destroyed outright so that a capitol might be built to meet all requirements in a decent way and so that the state might eventually have a state capitol that in architecture and convenience might compare with some of the best in the country.

April 1, 1911, The Oelwein [Iowa] Daily Register, Page 1, ALBANY FIRE VICTIM FOUND, Salvage Corps Is Searching Debris at Capitol for Valuable Manuscripts.

Albany, N.Y., April 1.—The body of Samuel J. Abbott, night watchman and the one victim of the state capitol fire was found on the fourth floor in the southwest corner of the building, where the flames raged most fiercely. The body was charred beyond recognition, but identified by means of a watch.

A volunteer salvage corps, including officers of the state library, and headed by Library Inspector James R. Wyer, Jr., and N. H. Stokes-Phelps of New York, continued to search the debris for valuable manuscripts.

Mr. Phelps, a man of wealth and leisure, who has specialized in the salvage of manuscripts, reclaimed many old manuscripts from the wreak of the burned Turin library in Italy.

April 4, 1911, The Canton Commercial Advertiser, Editorial, Page 4, THE CAPITOL FIRE

The people of the State of New York are so accustomed to hearing startling things about the home of the legislature at Albany, that fire incident did not arouse the deep and startling interest that might have otherwise. There is grave doubt whether there are many residents of the state who have taken pride in the pile of masonry on capitol hill that for nearly forty years has been the cause and occasion for every form of trickery and dishonesty. For forty years the taxpayers of the state have poured the golden millions in to complete the Capitol, but the spigot has been as busy as the bunghole and the result has been a dead man's dream, a nightmare in granite, a grotesque practical joke on the people of the state, A building that should have had all the beauty lines of a renaissance palace, follows no pure line of architectural beauty. It is a structure that meets no approving eye of artist or architect.

The remark has not been infrequent since the fire that it were better that the heap had gone down in ashes, for a new capitol building could be constructed on sane lines that wouldn't cost more than the repair of the old and the enormous expense of maintaining the present folly would pass with it. This may be true but it didn't and now the only thing to do is to repair it and let it stand as a monument to political graft, not of one party but of both of the old parties which have from time to time shared in the fruits of office.

In this connection it is not amiss to call attention to the constant and recurring desire from certain quarters to have every thing centralized in Albany. We have it in the matter of highway construction and we have noted the fearful waste of money in the building of highways; we see it in the manner of conduct of the armories of the state and the increased expense of running these buildings; it may be seen in the running of state charitable institutions generally. We believe the people of St. Lawrence County are not unaware of these things and the action of the St. Lawrence County Board of Supervisors last fall in the matter of a tuberculosis hospital would indicate that that body understood.

This latter may seem short of the mark in connection with the fire at the state capitol. But it is not when one considers that there has always been waste in the construction of state buildings or of state works; that state institutions have been a constant source of graft---the trough at which many have fed at the public expense. Hence the building of the state capitol may be taken like the old Erie Canal as one of the big storm centers of graft and the wise county will steer cleal of the fountain head and do so far as possible its own business.

April 1, 1911, The Free Lance, N.Y. Capital Burns, Magnificent Building a Prey to Flames. Caused $7,000,000 Damage Fused Electric Button Believed to Have Started Blaze in the $26,000,000 Structure.

April 2, 1911, Eau Claire Sunday Leader, Fear Another Lost in Fire. David Mintz of Newark Believed Buried in Capital Ruins. Gov. Dix Attends the Abbott Funeral---Old Swords Found.

April 2, 1911, The Northern Budget, Troy, N.Y., page 2, THE CAPITOL FIRE, Funeral Service of Samuel Abbott Takes Place. Commissioner Draper Making Great Efforts to Recover Indian Relics---Several Twisted Sword Blades Recovered From the Ruins. Twisted Sword Blades Found.

Twisted sword blades recovered from the ruins were delivered to Commissioner Draper to-day. They are all that remain of the weapons presented by the Governor of New York to General Worth at the close of the Mexican War. The sword presented by Frederick the Great to General Washington is missing

April, 1911, American Education, Volumes 14-15, No. 8, New York State Capital Fire, page 358,

April 20, 1911, The Warrensburg News, Page 1, VALUABLE GIFT TO STATE.
James A. Holden Donated the Indian Relics Collected by His Father, James A. Holden, of Glens Falls, treasurer of the New York State Historical society, has placed in the hands of Arthur C. Parker, state archaeologist, a collection of Indian relics acknowledged by experts to be the most valuable collection in existence. Mr. Holden donates the collection to the state of New York to replace the collection recently destroyed by fire in the state capitol. The collection comprises hundreds of rare archaeological, ethnological, geological and paleontologies! specimens acquired by the late Dr. A. W. Holden during his lifetime and bequeathed to his son, the present donor.

April 30, 1910, HUSTON GUILTY OF FRAUD.; Jury in Harrisburg Capitol Case Brings In Verdict After a 26-Hour Vigil.

HARRISBURG, Penn., April 29. -- "Guilty of conspiracy to cheat and defraud the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania" is the verdict rendered to-day upon Joseph M. Huston, architect of the State Capitol.

June 24, 1910, New York Times, PALTSITS ASSAILS DRAPER, State Historian Accuses Commissioner of Education of Lobbying. [Posted to Blogger]

August 5, 1910, Auburn Weekly Bulletin, Page 8, Column 2, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS.

For extending the inclosure on the west side of the entrance corridor of the State street side of the capitol, eight hundred dollars ($800), or so much thereof as may be necessary.

For the purchase and installation of one feed water filter and grease extractor in connection with the steam plant of the capitol, under the direction of the superintendent of public buildings, six hundred dollars ($600), or so much thereof as may be necessary.

For the payment of premiums for fire insurance on the executive mansion in the sum of one hundred thousand dollars for the term of three years, four hundred thirty dollars ($430), or so much thereof as may be necessary.

The sum of one thousand five hundred fifty-six dollars and fifty cents (re. $1,556.50), being the unexpended balance of an appropriation made by chapter four hundred, thirty-three of the laws of nineteen hundred nine for the rewiring of the executive mansion and all incidental expenses in connection therewith, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby reapproprtated for altering, improving and enlarging the capacity of a portion of the electric wiring in the capitol including the installation of cables, to be expended in the discretion of the superintendent of public buildings.

For reimbursing the general salaries fund of the superintendent of public buildings the sum of three thousand five hundred dollars ($3,500), being the amount expended therefrom for the cleaning and restoring of the senate and assembly staircases and that part of the western staircase above and including the fourth story level, in the capitol.

August 5, 1910, Auburn Weekly Bulletin, Page 8, Column 2 , TRUSTEES OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS.

The sum of one million dollars ($1,000,000), or so much as may be necessary is hereby appropriated out of any moneys in the treasury not otherwise appropriated, for continuing the construction of the state educational building at Albany, now under contract, to be expended pursuant to the provisions of chapter six hundred seventy-eight of the laws of nineteen hundred six, as amended by chapter thirty of the laws of nineteen hundred eight.

The sum of two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000) is hereby appropriated out of any moneys in the treasury not otherwise appropriated, for the acquisition of a site and for the construction and equipment of a power house, coal pockets, conduits, for furnishing heat, light and power to the state capitol and state education building at Albany, to be expended pursuant to the provisions of chapter thirteen, laws of nineteen hundred ten.

The trustees of public buildings are hereby authorized to enter into contracts for an amount not to exceed in the aggregate the sum of six hundred twenty-five thousand dollars ($625,000) for furniture, equipment and decorating for the state education building at Albany, to include book-stacks, book cases, lighting fixtures, decorating, sculpture and for such other expenses incidental thereto as may be necessary, of which amount the sum of three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000) is hereby appropriated out of any moneys in the treasury not otherwise appropriated, for the purposes herein mentioned, to be expended pursuant to the provisions of chapter six hundred seventy-eight, laws of nineteen hundred six, as amended by chapter thirty of the laws of nineteen hundred eight.

October 19, 1910, New York Times, WETTER MAKES RESTITUTION; Refunds to State $14,518 for Overcharges on Pennsylvania Capitol.

November 26, 1910, New York Times, NEW YORKERS SAVED BARNARD'S STATUES; Provided Funds When Pennsylvania Capitol Scandals Cut Off His Receipts ...

George Grey Barnard, the American sculptor, told at the Waldorf-Astoria yesterday how a company of wealthy New Yorkers came voluntarily to Art's rescue when the existence of the two great monumental groups, since called by Rodin "magnificent," which Mr. Barnard was then making for the Pennsylvania Capitol, were threatened by the Capitol graft scandal.
\

January 6, 1911, Amsterdam Evening Recorder, Page 1, WILL RECOMMEND RADICAL CHANGES
In State Law Governing Fire Insurance Companies. Final Session of the Legislative Investigating Committee — City Chamberlain Hyde of New York Not Yet — Heard from.

January 11, 1911, New York Times, PAY BACK $1,500,000 OF GRAFT ON CAPITOL; Contractors and Others Concerned in Pennsylvania Scandal Make ...

HARRISBURG, Penn., Jan. 10. -- Restitution to the amount of $1,300,000 and the surrender of warrants aggregating $200,000, upon which payment had been stopped, were made in the Dauphin County Court to-day by the men convicted or otherwise implicated by the State of Pennsylvania in the Capitol frauds.

February 06, 1911, New York Times, Page 2, FLAMES DESTROY MISSOURI CAPITOL; Lightning Strikes It in a Thunderstorm in Jefferson City -- Legislators …

February 7, 1911, New York Times, MISSOURI CAPITOL YET AFIRE.; Movement Begins to Change the State Capital to St. Louis.

March 4, 1911, New York Times, HUSTON'S CONVICTION HOLDS; Architect of Pennsylvania's State Capitol May Appeal Again.

March 29, 1911, Gouverneur Free Press [St. Lawrence County, NY] Fire In State Capitol,

(Telegraphic Reports Indicate That Loss Will Reach $10,000,000.)

Telegraphic Reports from Albany this morning state that a fire broke out in the capitol building at an early hour supposedly from defective wiring and before it was gotten under control damage to the extent of $10,000,000 had been done. So far as can be learned the fire was confined to the second and fourth floor. The senate and assembly chambers, the library together with priceless records, the educational and some other departments were destroyed as was also the famous million dollar stairs. At last report two men, both employees were missing but it was not known whether or not they had lost their lives. The Democrats were holding an all night session endeavering to name a candidate for senator when the fire broke out.

March 29, 1911, The Oswego Palladium, Page 1, FIRE DESTROYS STATE CAPITOL. Cigar or Cigarette Causes $6,000,000 Damage,

STARTED IN ASSEMBLY LIBRARY

Could Have Been Extinguished With Pail of Water When First Discovered But no Water Was at Hand-- Spread Through Northwestern Part of Building -- Many Records Destroyed -- Watchman Missing and Thought to be Dead.

March 29, 1911, The Oswego Daily Palladium, Page 5. DESTROYED WITH CAPITOL. 0838
Stairway Carried Carving of Mrs. Elmina P. Spencer, of This City.

Down in the Capitol at Albany, on the beautifully carved staircase, were many portraits, among them a portrait of Mrs. Elmina P. Spencer, of this city. When the architects were casting about for the portrait of a real Army nurse, one who had seen seen service upon the battlefields of the Civil War, the late Col. H. H. Lyman suggested that Mrs. Spencer, who had followed the fortunes of the 147th, be honored and his suggestion was followed and the carving of Mrs. Spencer's head, as the typical Army nurse, was made. It has been pointed out many times and the story of her life in camp and on the march related.

Another piece of art in the Capitol dear to the heart of Oswegonians was a bronze of the late Dr. E. A. Sheldon, with his hand on the head of a child. The bronze was purchased by a general penny subscription taken from among the public school pupils of the State and the alumni of the Oswego State Normal and Training school, which Doctor Sheldon founded. It is not known that there has been any damage to the bronze.

March 30, 1911, Oswego Daily Times, Page 6, Capitol Fire Loss $5,000,000, State May Have to Build a New Structure. Legislature Doing Business, Hold Regular Session Today in Municipal Chambers of the City Hall, a Block Below the Capitol—Burning Building Could Be Seen For 50 Miles With the Naked Eye — One Life Supposed to Have Been Lost. Several Firemen Succumbed to the Smoke.

March 30, 1911, The [Oshkosh] Daily Northwestern, Editorial, page 6, The Annual Fire Waste.

The partial burning of the New York State capitol this week again calls to attention the fact that the annual fire waste in this country is extravagantly excessive in comparison with similar losses in other lands. It is a matter of record, for instance, that the annual per capita fire loss in this country and Canada, where conditions are entirely similar, amounts to $2.47, while in Europe it is only thirty-three cents. As one critic explains it, we have acquired an expensive habit of taking chances with fire and insuring our risks at high rates. As we pay the penalty in the shape of tremendous losses, which unfortunately are not borne alone by the direct losers, but are eventually shifted to the shoulders of the people as a whole.

The New York Journal of Commerce keeps records of the fires and fire losses in the United States and Canada. In a recent issue the losses for February, 1911, were given as $16,415,000, and those for January and February together as $28,837,450. At that rate the loss for the year 1911 will be about $228,000,000. It is likely to be even more than that, for the loss in 1910 was $234,470,000. The United States and Canada are therefore suffering each year an absolute waste of $230,000,000 or more in resources, to say nothing of the incidental waste of maintaining the machinery by which these fire losses are distributed over the whole community. For it is evident that the greater is the destruction of property by fire the more necessary and more costly are the services of the fire insurance companies, which average among hundreds of thousands of policyholders the expense of making good the capital which has gone up in smoke

It is a mistake to think that the burden of meeting the fire loss rests exclusively on the shoulders of those who take out fire insurance policies. It is inevitably transferred to the public as a whole. The lessee pays to the landlord as rent, the manufacturer charges it up as part of the cost of production, and the retailer collects it as profit. Few persons can escape paying a part of the tribute, and many pay it in various forms. The fire tax is a tax on society as a whole, and the poorest citizen, like the largest property holder, is interested in reducing the excessive charge for fire protection now paid in the United States.

An annual waste, of $230,000,000 represents a capitalization at five per cent., or $4,000,000, and it would be just as cheap for the nation to devote $4,600,000 to making building unburnable and insuring safe egress from them in case of fire as it would be to go on paying out $220.000,000 annually to make good the ravages. True economy would seem to advise a larger outlay for safer buildings, to be compensated for by a corresponding reduction in the present enormous fire waste.

April 3, 1911, Oswego Daily Times, Page 7, FIRE BREAKS OUT AGAIN, Paper Debris Flames Up Again In the Albany Capitol.

Albany, April 3.—Fire again broke out at 3 o'clock yesterday afternoon as the paper debris was being removed from the state library floor in the Capitol building. The presence of a fire engine was necessary to put out the flames.

Hundreds of people within a radius of 60 miles of Albany came here yesterday to inspect the fire ruins, but the building was closed except to those having military passes.

James Dwyer, Jr., director of the state library, says it will require from 10 to 15 years and about $1,500,000 to reproduce a working library of the magnitude of the one destroyed, where duplication is possible. The contractors' time for completing the $4,000,000 new state educational building, located across the street from the Capitol building, which is to house the state library, expires next October.

April 14, 1911, Poughkeepsie Daily Eagle, Page 8, To Avoid Direct Taxation Democrats Plan Bond,
Issue of Ten Million Dollars to Repair Capitol

ALBANY, N. Y., April 11—With a view to making it unnecessary or the state to return to direct taxation. Majority Leader A. E. Smith of the Assembly, said to-day that he favored plan to use the receipt of the state for the current expenses of government and to provide for a bond issue of $10.000.000 to rehabilitate the state capitol and replace the state library

Mr. Smith will introduce the annual appropriation bill when the Legislature reconvenes Monday night. It is understood it will total about $17.000.000. the estimated amount of the state's income. This is a reduction of about $l3.000.000 from the estimate of former State Comptroller Williams.

Mr. Smith's Idea.

"It is my idea," said Mr. Smith to-day, "that the erection of state buildings and improvements should be paid for through bond issues. I am opposed to the present generation bearing the burden of state affairs which are to endure for the future, out of current taxation. I think the repairs to the capitol and the cost of repairing the state library should be paid for through a bond issue and the present generation contribute to pay the interest on the bonds and a reasonable amount to the sinking fund to meet the bonds when they are due. "New York City and other municipalities pay for their public improvements through bond, issues and this should be a state policy. Just think what the rate of taxation would be in New York and other cities if all public work were to be paid for from current receipts. I believe the Legislature should authorize a bond issue of $10,000,000 to pay for the damage caused by the capitol fire." to the People. As all bond issues of $l.000,000 and upward must be submitted to the people for their approval, the leaders are considering a bill to provide a sum leas than that amount so that the proceeds will be available at once. A further issue to be approved by the people this fall will also be considered. Governor Dix and the legislative leaders inspected both the Senate and Assembly chamber to-day and decided that they will be in condition for the Legislature to resume business Monday night, The Governor also Inspected the various offices in t

April 4, 1911, The Canton Commercial Advertiser, Editorial, Page 4, THE CAPITOL FIRE,

The people of the State of New York are so accustomed to hearing startling things about the home of the legislature at Albany, that fire incident did not arouse the deep and startling interest that might have otherwise. There is grave doubt whether there are many residents of the state who have taken pride in the pile of masonry on capitol hill that for nearly forty years has been the cause and occasion for every form of trickery and dishonesty. For forty years the taxpayers of the state have poured the golden millions in to complete the Capitol, but the spigot has been as busy as the bunghole and the result has been a dead man's dream, a nightmare in granite, a grotesque practical joke on the people of the state, A building that should have had all the beauty lines of a renaissance palace, follows no pure line of architectural beauty. It is a structure that meets no approving eye of artist or architect.

The remark has not been infrequent since the fire that it were better that the heap had gone down in astaes, for a new capitol building could be constructed on sane lines that wouldn't cost more than the repair of the old and the enormous expense of maintaining the present folly would pass with it. This may be true but it didn't and now the only thing to do is to repair it and let it stand as a monument to political graft, not of one party but of both of the old parties which have from time to time shared in the fruits of office.

In this connection it is not amiss to call attention to the constant and recurring desire from certain quarters to have every thing centralized in Albany. We have it in the matter of highway construction and we have noted the fearful waste of money in the building of highways; we see it in the manner of conduct of the armories of the state and the increased expense of running these buildings; it may be seen in the running of state charitable inititutions generally. We believe the people of St. Lawrence County are not unaware of these things and the action of the St. Lawrence Couny Board of Supervisors last fall in the matter of a tuberculosis hospital would indicate that that body understood.

This latter may seem short of the mark in connection with the fire at the state capitol. But it is not when one considers that there has always been waste in the construction of state buildings or of state works; that state institutions have been a constant source of graft--- the trough at which many have fed at the public expense. Hence the building of the state capitol may be taken like the old Erie Canal as one of the big storm centers of graft and the wise county will steer clear of the fountain head and do so far as possible its own business.

April 28, 1911, The Ogdensburg News, TECUMSEH'S MISSING BUST. The Reason It Was Taken From Its Niche in the Capitol.

"Where is the bust of Tecumseh that used to be in a niche on the Senate side of the capital," Richard Livingston, a student of American history, asked recently.

"I know that years ago there was a fine bronze bust of an Indian, and the name Tecumseh was on the pedestal, and as Tecumseh was about the most famous Indian chief of our school history books every American boy took more interest in surveying his features than in looking over the faces of eminent white men in the big building. I walked all over the building and saw Indians enough in paintings and statuary, also some live ones, but no Tecumseh. Then I hunted up my congressman, and he went through a guidebook—no use. Then we questioned the guides. They had not heard of a Tecumseh bust, and most of them asked, 'What state was the senator from?'

"I was about to give it up. Then a somber sort of chap with a silk hat and a red flower in his buttonhole relieved my anxiety. He explained what I had not thought of before, and that was the fact that Tecumseh was killed in battle wearing the uniform of a British general. He died fighting the American flag. Why should he be honored with a bust in the capitol?

And then I was told that the Tecumseh bust really had been in the capitol for many years until one day a wise senator, familiar with the history of his country, made a protest. That sent the Tecumseh bust to the cellar or to some museum here in town."
Washington Post

August 4, 1911, Auburn Citizen, CAPITOL CONTRACT LET, For Restoring Left Wing of Building Destroyed By Fire.

Albany, N. Y,, Aug. 4.—Governor Dix motored from his Lake George cottage to Albany yesterday to attend a meeting of the trustees of public buildings, the other members being Lieutenant Governor Conway and Speaker Frisbie. The cbnstruction work on the new educational building, capltol power house end the damaged western wing of the capitol were considered.

The contract for reconstructing the wrecked portions of the capitol was awarded to Callanan & Prescott, the lowest bidders, who have just completed the work of clearing up the debris, resulting from the fire. The bids for the work were upon a percentage basis, Callanan & Prescott agreeing to do the work for 7 ½ per cent. profit, two per cent. overhead charges and no charge for plant.

The work is estimated to cost about $200,000. and includes the erection of certain walls and replacing of stone in the exterior of the building, preparatory to the letting of the contract for the completion of the roof and interior finish. The trustees have notified the architects and contractors of the education building that the work of completing that building must be pushed without delay. Governor D*ix returned to Lake George.

February 9, 1912, New York Times, WARE WOULD BUILD A TEMPLE OF JUSTICE; State Architect Suggests Home for Courts at Albany and Hall of Records.

ALBANY, Feb. 8. -- State Architect Franklin B. Ware, in his annual report to the Legislature to-day, recommends the erection of a Temple of Justice at a cost not to exceed $1,500,000 and a State Hall of Records.

August 22, 1912, The Western New Yorker, Session Laws Section, Page 8, Column 6, Fire Protection.
For safeguarding the capitol against fire or loss of life, as recommended by the Albany fire department and approved by the state fire marshal, six thousand dollars, or so much thereof as may be necessary. $6,000

Brooklyn NY Daily Eagle 1912 Grayscale - 5651.pdf
(Special to The Eagle.) Albany, March 29, 1912—The Legislature of 1912 was to have adjourned ...
...two days. Today marked the anniversary of the Capitol fire a

Brooklyn NY Daily Eagle 1913 Grayscale - 4367.pdf
JULY 12, 1913 reconstruction of the fourth, fifth and sixth floors of the Capitol Building in the City of Albany, New York. The work Is Interior finishing, cosistlng of marble

February 28, 1913, Binghamton Press, PROTEGE OF LATE ISAAC PERRY IS STATE ARCHITECT
Sulzer Pays High Compliment to Late Binghamtonian Who Designed Capitol, SUSSDORFF GIVES CREDIT

(From the Albany Bureau of The Binghamton Press) .

Albany, Feb. 28.—Governor Sulzer today paid a high tribute to the late Isaac Perry of Binghamton, who was appointed State architect by Governor Cleveland and who designed much of the State Capitol.

"I knew Mr. Perry very Intimately,'' said the Governor and a more honest or efficient official was ever In the State service. He did great work on this Capitol and there are many things about the building that pay tribute to his great ability and extraordinary genius. He was an honest man and I knew it. Nowadays there are many dishonest men, but I know that also."

C. A. Suasdorff, who has just been appointed acting State architect by Governor Sulzer in place of Herman W. Hoefer, whom the Governor forced to resign, secured his early training in State work under Mr. Perry. He also pays tribute to the memory of the Binghamtonian.

"I am happy to be able to say that I entered the State service 17 years ago under Mr. Perry," said Mr. Sussdorff today. "There was never a more competent man in the position and if I have any ability to fill this position the Governor has given me I want to say that the foundation for it was secured under Mr. Perry." Governor Sulzer in speaking of Mr. Perry and the fact that the new acting architect was a protege of the Binghamtonian said that he had confidence that Mr. Sussdorff would reorganize the State architect's department into a model of efficiency.

"If he will follow in the foot steps of his old master, he will be all right," concluded the Governor

SULZER DISMISSES STATE ARCHITECT

Albany, Feb. 28.—Herman H. Hoefer, State Architect, at 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon received the alternative of resigning or being dismissed at 5 o'clock by Governor Sulzer.

At 4:55 p.m. his resignation was received and accepted by the Governor and an hour later C. A. Sussdorff, deputy to Mr. Hoefer, had been selected as acting State Architect.

Governor Sulzer's action followed an unfavorable report on Mr. Hoefer's fitness by a committee of architects from the Architects' Association and on investigation by John A. Hennessy, the new auditor of the executive department.

"Here's your commission," said the Governor, to Mr. Sussdorff just after 6 o'clock in the executive chamber. "I wish you luck. The first thing to do is to discharge James P. Powers, first deputy State architect; William S. Costa, Mr. Hoefer's secretary, and any one else you think is not doing his work."

Mr. Hennessy's report, criticized the State architect for alleged failure to properly supervise the work of improving the capitol and to safeguard the interests of the State in the payment of bills incurred.

Mr. Hennessy reports that in the opinion of leading architects consulted, part of this plumbing work "so far completed should be destroyed as it is unsafe and improper."

He also says, "there was not practical competition for supplies that are used on the Capitol work and that an enlargement of this competition undoubtedly would bring about better results."

March 10, 1913, Syracuse Journal, One Million More Needed To Finish Up State Capitol. Deficit Said to Exist Because Of Money Wasted Up To Date.

ALBANY, March 10.—One million dollars more will bo required to complete the repair work on the burned portion of the Capitol Building. Executive Auditor J, A. Hennessy says that this is due to the fact that never has a proper audit of accounts been made. The contracts were let in a haphazard way and all bids were "rubber stamped," so that all the auditor of the trustees could do was to O. K. them as they came from State Architect H. W. Hoefer, since released. Mr. Hennessy blames Mr. Hoefer for this money loss to the state and he calls it a "most extraordinary condition of affairs."

Governor Dix appointed Hoefer to succeed F. B. Ware, and Governor Sulver reappointed him; Mr. Hennessy has prepared, figures to show that in the electrical work alone the average proportion of labor and materials cost $1,094 for labor to every $100 spent for materials under Hoefer, while under Ware the percentage was $753 for labor to over $686 spent for materials.

Mr. Hennessy says that Mr. Hoefer told the Tucker Company to discharge one of its foremen and put another man in the place. This man put to New York as well as other parties on the state. So far the state has paid $71,000 for rewiring work, aside from that in the burned portion of the Capitol Building, which is under a lump contract, although it was estimated that the entire work could be done for $46,000.

The graft probe in being continued. Work on the building has practically ceased.

March 11, 1913, Utica Herald Dispatch, Page 10, Reel Makes Sharp Reply to Sulzer; Denied Opportunity to Be Heard

March 11, 1913, Utica Herald Dispatch, Page 10, Capitol Building Entirely Too Small For Needs of State.

March 15, 1913, Utica Herald-Dispatch, HOW GRAFT WAS WORKED ON STATE CAPITOL CONTRACTS

April 13, 1913, Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Graft, Graft, Graft, Says Sulzer,

April 15, 1913, Syracuse Post-Standard, GRAFT IS CHARGED IN CAPITOL REPAIR WORK

April 15, 1913, Utica Observer,Graft In Repair Work At Capitol,

April 15, 1913, Utica Herald-Dispatch, GREAT GRAFT ON THE REPAIR WORK AT THE ALBANY STATE CAPITOL, More Than $2,000,000 Thus Far Expended and at Least Another Million Is Required to Complete the Job.

April 18, 1913, Auburn Democrat Argus Page 3, GRAFT IS CHARGED, Hennessy Says Payrolls Have Been Padded. REPAIR WORK ON THE CAPITOL

Governor Sulzer's Auditor, in Report, Estimates It Will Cost the State $3,167,574.

Albany, N.Y., April 15.—That the repairs to the state Capitol made necessary by the fire of March, 1911, and the improvements that have been inaugurated since the repair work began will cost the state $3,167,574 is the opinion of John A. Hennessy, supervising auditor of the trustees of public buildings, who yesterday, made a report of his recent investigation of the Capitol repair contracts.

Mr. Hennessy reports that padded payrolls, altered specifications, and a general surrender of authority to percentage contractors on the part of the former state architect, Herman W. Hoefer, whose resignation Governor Sulzer demanded and accepted some time ago, are largely responsible for these large figures.

"A compilation of the money paid so far on the Capitol," says Mr. Hennessy's report "shows that there has been spent directly or indirectly in payments or on contracts which have been let that are still unfinished a total of $1,967,574, in addition to $100,000 appropriated immediately after the fire for emergency work. The appropriation in 1911-1912 was $1,500,000 for general rebuilding. There is a deficit now of $467,574. The state architect and Callanan & Prescott, contractors, estimate that it will cost $1,000,000 more to finish the building and $100,000 for equipment, mainly filing cases and furniture. It is agreed that the Capitol can be finished by the first of January."

Architects Made Complaint.

Mr. Hennessy's investigation was made at the request of Governor Sulzer after a committee of architects representing the American Institute of Architects had reported to the governor that the state architect, Herman W. Hoefer, and the deputy state architect, J. P. Powers, were not, "by training, experience or ability, competent to fulfill the duties which, inhere in their offices; and we regret to find ourselves under the necessity of recommending the acceptance of their resignations, or wanting the resignations, their summary and immediate removal."

Mr. Hennessy first calls attention to the fact that the "state architect had two companies on percentage contracts wiring the Capitol ."

"An examination of the bills of the two companies," the report continues, "shows that the charges for labor were entirely out of proportion to the cost of material, and an analysis of the bills discloses that many of the men drawing per diem wages had only a pay-roll connection with the work. It was clear the pay rolls had been padded, not only as to actual time worked, but also as to men actually on the job."

In this connection the report calls attention to the fact that the payrolls showed that some men "worked 20 consecutive hours a day for 27 days in November, for 36 days in December and for 27 days in January; and that one of the foremen who was placed in his position at the personal request of the state architect worked 24 hours out of 24, according to the payroll."

Wants Court's Opinion.

Mr. Hennessy reports that the total cost "of re-wiring up to date is about $125,000, and that special electrical experts engaged to inspect the work "find that the plans for re-wiring the building are incomplete, extravagant in design to the last degree and indefinite as to the number of lights." He also recommends that one of the electrical companies "be forced to go to the Court of Claims and prove the value of their work and the actual money expended."

Concerning plumbing contracts, Mr. Hennessy reports that Former State Architect Hoefer allowed contracts to be changed whereby the contractor "made about 40 to 50 per cent. more on the contract by the changes in specifications." "The acting state architect," says the report, "has informed this company that the contracts must be carried out as originally agreed upon, and asks further authority from the trustees of public buildings to submit the matter to the attorney general so that, if necessary, the bondsmen may be sued. The total amount of the plumbing contract is $54,488 for the west wing of the Capitol.

With reference to the marble, stone and stone-cutting contracts, the report states that "the late state architect, without any authority from the trustees of public buildings," awarded three contracts totalling $168,412 to Callanan & Prescott on a percentage basis. "It was a clear gift of 9 per cent. on this total," says Mr. Hennessy. "The state architect simply gave up his duties, turned his authority over to the contractors and paid them 9% per cent, on the total of the three contracts."

Highest Prices Paid.

The supervising auditor finds, that furniture and carpets amounting to $11,067 in value were "purchased at the highest retail prices." Incidentally he reports that it cost $2,000 to take up and relay tarpaulins and carpets and move furniture in one department, the work being paid for at the rate paid expert electrical workers, "when it could have been done by three or four laborers." Architects of the State Education Building requested $185,503 for improvements to that building, but Mr. Hennessey reports that the acting state architect cut this to $52,575.

One of the items eliminated was $25,000 for a bronze allegorical clock. Former Governor Dix, during his administration, authorized the installation of the clock for $15,000, but it was later reported that the amount was a "typewritten error," and should have been $25,000. "The contract for this clock," says the report, "was signed by Governor Dix, but never approved by the trustees of public buildings nor by the attorney general or the state architect."

JULY 12, 1913, Brooklyn Eagle, Page 10, NOTICE, TO CONTRACTORS.

Sealed proposals for cleaning, pointing, and waterproofing the exterior stone work and central court and two western courts of the State Capitol Building at Albany will be received by the Trustees of Public Buildings, Capitol, Albany, N.Y., until 4 o'clock p.m., on Monday, July 21, 1911, when they will be opened and read publicly. Proposals shall be accompanied by a certified check in the sum of five per cent. of the amount of bid, and the contractor to whom the award is made will be required to furnish a surety company bond in the sum of fifty per cent. of the amount of contract, within thirty days after official notice of award of contract and in accordance with the terms of specification No. 1659"). The right is reserved to reject any or all bids. The work will not necessarily be let to the lowest bidder, as consideration will be given to the references of each contractor, to successful operations performed by him and to his reliability and responsibility as a contractor. Specifications may be consulted and blank forms of proposal obtained at the office ot the State Architect, Capitol, Albany, N. Y. —Dated Albany, N Y., June 9,1913.LEWIS F. PILCHER, State Architect .

RECONSTRUCTION OF CAPITOL STATE OF NEW YORK, ALBANY, N. Y.

Sealed proposals is will be received by the Trustees of Public Buildings at the Executive Chamber, Capitol, Albany, N. Y., up to four o'clock p.m. on Monday, July 21, 1913, at which time they will be opened and read publicly, for the reconstruction of the fourth, fifth and sixth floors of the Capitol Building in the City of Albany, New York. The work is interior finishing, consisting of marble work, ornamental plastering, metal doors, ornamental Iron stairs, etc. These proposals shall be accompanied by certified check or cash deposit in an amount equal to five per cent. of the Amount of the proposal, and the contractors to whom the awards are made will be required to furnish one or more surety bonds in an amount equal to fifty per cent. of the amount of contract, within thirty days from date of award of contract. Failure to furnish both within the specified time will cancel the notice of award and cause forfeiture of certified check or cash deposited with bid. The contract will require that work be completed on or before January 1, 1914, and will also contain a bonus and forfeiture clause. The State reserves the right to reject any or all bids. By order of the Trustees of Public Buildings. Lewis F. Pilcher, State Architect

DEMOLISHING OLD POWER HOUSE, STATE OF NEW YORK, ALBANY.

Sealed proposals will be received by the Trustees of Public Buildings at the Executive Chamber, Capitol, Albany, N. Y., up to four o'clock p.m. Monday, July 21, at which time they will be opened and read publically for the demolition of the old Power House, located at Lafayette, Elk and Hawk streets, in the city of Albany, New York, These proposals shall be accompanied by certified check in the amount of the bid and the contractor to whom the award is made will be required be furnish a surety bond in the sum of $8,000 to insure the completion of the work within thirty days from the date of the award of contract. Failure to furnish bond within the specified time will cancel the notice.By order of the Trustees of Public Buildings. Lewis F. Pilcher, State Architect

July 15, 1913, New York Times, BOMB UNDER OFFICE OF STATE ARCHITECT, Janitor for Pilcher & Tachav Finds High Explosive with Fuse Extinguished.

At 7 o'clock yesterday morning, as he was opening the house for the day, Harrison Taylor, the negro janitor of the three-story converted dwelling at 109 Lexington Avenue, found a bundle lying at the foot of the stairs leading into the basement, which proved to be a bomb, consisting of two sticks of dynamite and a fuse, bound around with rags

July 16, 1913, New York Sun, Page 1, BLAKE PROBER LEFT PRISONER IN LURCH

Eugene Lamb Richards, the counsel for the committee had not proceeded far in his questioning of Mr. Hennessy before he realized that the witness was amply able to take care of himself. Mr. Hennessy was so self-possessed that the proceedings of the committee were brought to an abrupt close in the middle of the afternoon, two hours before the usual time for adjournment.

Counsel called Mr. Hennessy's attention to the fact that he had approved a number of bills involving $200,000 for Callanan & Prescott, the Capitol construction contractors, about May 17. Mr. Hennessy explained that the Comptroller insisted upon such an pproval before the bills could be paid and that in the emergency he had acted because the Trustees of Public Buildings had not yet met to name his successor.

July 18, 1913, The Randolph Register, MOST REMARKABLE STATE OF AFFAIRS, Governor Declares That State of New York Is Honeycombed With Graft. $17,000,000 DISAPPEARED. Present Conditions Could Have Been Avoided Had Hinman Highway Bill Been Passed

July 22 1913, The Auburn Citizen, Page 3, PROBE ON WAY, Work on Capitol to Be Investigated.
FRAUD IS ALLEGED, Sulzer Clashes With Head of Electric Company. BILL FOR $30,100 HELD UP
Governor and Glynn Meet for the First Time Since the Former Vetoed the Latter's Pet Hydro-Electric Measure.

Albany, July 22—Governor Sulzer intends to order a grand jury investigation of the interior contracts on the Capitol, an expose of which was made following the removal of former St ate Architect Herman W. Hoeffer by State Auditor John A. Hennesey. The governor made known his intentions yesterday at a meeting of the trustees of public buildings, during an argument with James R. Strong, president of the Tucker Electrical Construction Company of New York City, which rewired portions of the Capitol after the fire of two years ago.

Mr. Strong's Company, the governor said, was guilty of grafting, after formal application had been made to the trustees for payment of $30,100, the remainder of; a $60,000 contract held by the Tucker Company. Payment of this amount was held up on the advice of Mr. Hennessy, who is one of Governor Sulzer's chief advisers.

When Mr. Strong appeared before the trustees yesterday, Governor Sulzer made the open charge that his company was guilty of grafting on the Capitol wiring contracts.

Whole Thing Fraud, Says Sulzer.

"This whole thing is a fraud," hotly declared the governor, while Lieutenant Governor Glynn and Speaker of the Assembly Alfred K. Smith sat nearby taking in the situation, "and nobody knows that better than I."

"It is not for you to say that the Tucker Company is crooked." vehemently rejoined Mr. Strong, "you can't say fairly and you are not qualified to say whether or not this was graft. All our bills are O. K., approved by the agents of the state."

"Mr. Hennessy's report showed whether they were or not," shot back the governor.

"But, governor," interrupted Mr. Strong, to the wonder of all within hearing, as he pounded the governor's desk, "your own inspectors approved those bills."

"Yes, after one of them was removed for not approving them," the governor retorted. "Now you can go as far as you like, and try to get this money. I don't think you will get it."

"It is due us and I know we are going to get it."

Prove Bills Before Grand Jury.

"I'll give you a chance to prove that your bills are all right before a grand jury," roared Governor Sulzer, rising in his seat, and scowling at the man before him.

"Go as far as you like," coolly answered Mr. Strong, "we get a lot of hot air in the newspapers about graft in these contracts, but it wasn't a fact. I don't know whether you knew it or the persons responsible for the reports, but I do know it wasn't the truth. This bill is a fair one, and it is not right to put us to the expense of going to the courts to get the money. We have invested this money in this work, under the direction of the state architect and state inspectors, and Mr. Garfield, who was then state auditor, approved every item."

Says Garfield Was Threatened.

"Yes, he did it after he was threatened with removal unless he O.K'd the items," the governor rejoined.

"He had to do it or be discharged."

"The Tucker Company had nothing to do with that," said Mr. Strong, "and that has nothing to do with us."

"It has something to do with me," the governor answered, "you can submit anything you have in support of your claims."

"How will I submit them?" inquired Mr. Strong.

"Any way you like," brusquely answered the governor, when Speaker Smith suggested that the claims he referred to the state architect and the two State auditors.

After the tiff, the trustees adjourned until Thursday morning.

Governor Sulzer is a minority in the trustees and Lieutenant Governor, Martin H. Glynn and Speaker Alfred K. Smith may allow the claims of the company if the findings of investigator Hennessy are not substantiated by an investigation.

Concerning the proposed grand jury investigation of Capitol repair contracts. Governor Sulzer would say nothing further last night. The contracts which he wants investigated include those for rewiring, plumbing and decorative work in the legislative retiring rooms.

First in Some Time.

The meeting of the governor and lieutenant governor yesterday was the first since the governor vetoed the Capitol City District hydro electric bill, which Lieutenant Governor Glynn championed, and much interest was shown by politicians in the event. When Lieutenant Governor Glynn and Speaker Smith entered, the governor greeted them with a handshake but without his usual smile, and no one from their actions would have known that they were principals in a fight for the control of the state Democratic machine.

The principal occasion for yesterday's meeting was the opening of bids for completing the fourth, fifth and sixth floors of the Capitol which were destroyed in the fire two years ago. The lowest bidder was Connors Bros. of Lowell, Mass., together with Dwyer of the Marble Arch Company of New York City, whose joint bid was $183,000. The next lowest bidder was the P. J. Carlin Company of New York City, $187,000. Callanan & Prescott of Keeseville, Clinton County who have been doing the Capitol construction work up to the present time on a percentage basis, bid $262,779. Morris Kantrowitz of Albany was the other bidder at $294,000,

July 23, 1913, Clyde [NY] Herald, SULZER CRIES GRAFT, Refuses to Approve Payment of Contract For Rewiring Capitol.

Executive Claims Electrical Company's Demand For Payment of $30,100 Remainder of a Contract For Rewiring State Capitol, Is Fraudulent and He Will Demand a Grand Jury Investigation.

August 19, 1913, Brooklyn Daily Eagle, PILCHER SAVES MUCH ON CAPITOL REPAIRS, Brooklyn Man, State Architect, Gets Reduced Bids on Work. ARE ABOUT $25,000 LOWER,
Three Firms Submit Tenders — Albany Concern Lowest —Its Figure, $243,147—Carlin Co. Too High.

September 14, 1913, New York Times, STAGING THE IMPEACHMENT TRIAL OF WILLIAM SULZER, National Interest as Keen in the Proceedings as It Was in Andrew Johnson's Trial Because New Precedents Will Be Established.

September 19, 1913, Oswego Daily Times, Waste in Capitol Spending, Page 2.

On March 29, 1911, the west wing of the State capitol at Albany was damaged by fire. The walls of the building were left practically intact.

Under Governor Dix $1,600,000 was appropriated for repairs and under Governor Sulzer $1,500,000; total for repairs to date $3,100,000.

The contract for repairs was awarded to Callanan & Prescott without competition, the contractor to receive 9 1/2 per cent. profit on all labor done and materials furnished.

There was paid to Callanan & Prescott on contract No. 3515, $1,100,000, to January 1, 1913, divided as follows:

For labor, $800,000; for materials, $200,000; for contractor's percentage, $100,000.

Paid to same contractors, on same basis, under same contract, from January 1, 1913, to June 2, 1913, $369,809.96.

From the statement of the executive auditor it appears, to quote bis report:

"The pay-rolls were padded. On the electrical job they show that some of the employes, including Time-keeper Gaffney collected pay for 20 hours' work per day in 27 consecutive days."

The Times, during the State Capitol investigation, published some of the testimony of Mr. Callanan, and this part will bear repetition at the time, being an extract from the testimony of the contractor before the committee of inquiry:

Mr. Callanan: I have fourteen watchmen on the job.

Counsel: Why do you need so many?

Mr. Callalnan: Because men are liable to duck out. If there wasn't a man to watch they might duck out and come back in time to put in their check at night. They might be quite comfortable in some of those committee rooms asleep, for instance.

Counsel: How many men have you put on at the request of politicians, P. E. McCabe for instance?

Mr. Callinan: I couldn't tell you. Quite a good many.

Governor Sulzer made the following statement:

"The reckless indifference to outward appearances was shown in the bills put in. Under a previous State Architect the percentage of labor was $1.89 to $1 of materials. From the middle of October to the 27th of November there was absolutely no attempt to pay attention to the conventions, the bills claiming that it took $3,002 worth of labor to put $138 of materials in place.

Facts from the record show:

I.-The Democratic majority defeated a bill introduced by the Republicans requiring the capitol repairs to be completed by competitive contract.

II.-This has also been recommended by the American Institute of Architects, the Carlisle Committee of Inquiry, and the Governor's Executive auditor.

The Governor has repeatedly declared it should be done.

III.-After most of the money has been spent the State Architect has begun advertising for bids on some portions of the work. Callanan & Prescott are still "on the job."

The waste on Capitol repairds is conservatively estimated at hald a million dollars to date.

September 25, 1913, The De Ruyter Gleaner, Capitol Scandal Very Much Alive. Fresh Charges of Irregularity at Meeting of Trustees of Public Buildings. PROTESTS AGAINST AWARD Of Contract to Callanan & Prescott. Estimate of Waste Half a Million to Date—Contractor Put Men on at Request of Politicians.

Albany, Sept. 23.—Repairs to the state capitol continue to furnish material for charges of irregularity and graft in connection with the work. At a meeting of the trustees of pubIlc buildings on the 17th inst. to award contracts for interior work charges and countercharges were passed freely. Acting Governor Glynn presided for the first time, and Speaker Smith of the assembly, Commissioner of Efficiency and Economy Delaney, Deputy Attorney General Kellogg and State Architect Pilcher were present. Contractors declared that the state architect did not draw his specifications correctly, and it was claimed that at the previous meeting of the trustees on Aug. 18 Chester C. Platt, the governor's secretary, opened bids improperly, as a majority of the board was not present. Protests were madę against the award of a contract to Callanan & Prescott for $252,686, as recommended by the state architect, by Feeney & Sheehan, who bid $243,147, and the Marble Arch company, which bid $256,000

Scandal After Scandal.

Scandal has followed scandal in connection with the restoration of the burned portion of the capitol. Last February Assemblyman Adler (RepubIican) sought to take the work out of politics and, introduced a bill to complete the work by contract awarded after competitive bidding. The bill was killed by the Democratic majority in the assembly. Following is a brief review of the capltol work to datę:

March 29, 1911, west wing of state capitol at Albany gutted by fire. Walls practically intact.

Appropriated for repairs under Governor Dix $1,600,000,

Appropriated for same under Governor Sulzer 1,500,000

Total for capitol repairs to date $3,100,00

Contract for repairs awarded to Callanan & Prescott without competltion, the contractors to receive 9 1/2 per cent. profit on all labor done and materials furnished.

Exhibit From Comptroller's Books.

Paid to Callanan & Prescott on contract No. 3515 $1,100,000 to Jan. 1, 1913. divided as follows: For labor, $800,000; for materials, $200,000; for contractor's percentage, $100,000. Paid to same contractors, on same basis. under same contract from Jan. 1, 1913. to June 2, 1913, $369.809.08

Statement of Executive Auditor. "The payrolls were padded. On the electrical job they show that some of the employees, including Timekeeper Gaffney, collected pay for twenty hours' work per day in twenty-seven consecutive days."

Statement of Governor Sulzer.

"The reckless indlfference to outward appearances was shown in the bills put in. Under a prerious state architect the percentage of labor was $1.89 to $1 of materials. From the mlddle of October to the 27th of Norember there was absolutely no attempt to pay attentión to the conventions, the bills claiming that it took $3.002 wortb of labor to put $138 of materiais In place."

Estimated Waste on Capitol Repairs. Half a mllllon dollars to date.

Testimony of Contractor Before Committee of lnquiry.

Mr. Callanan—I have fourteen watchmen on the job.

Counseł—Why do you need so many?

Mr. Callanan—Because men are liable to duck out. If there wasn't a man to watch tbey might duck out and come back in time to put in their check at night. They mght be quite comfortable in some of those committee rooms asleep, for instance.

CounseI-How many men have you put on at the request of politicians, P. E. McCabe, for instance?

Mr. Callanan—I couldn't tell you. Quite a good many.

October 21, 1913, Oswego Palladium, Page 1, CORROBORATES HER HUSBAND, Mrs. Souzer Says McCall Was the "Go-Between." WAS MURPHY'S MESSENGER

James Creelman's Interview With Former Governor's Wife—A Little

History Regarding State Architect's Office as Salzer Says He Found It On January 1st Last.

October 21, 1913, Oswego Palladium, Page 1, Want to Complete Capitol.

Representatives of the firm of Callanan & Prescott, Capitol contractors,also called on Governor Glynn to-day with the avowed purpose of straightening out matters connected with the contracts to finish the repair work on the building. The work has practically been stopped by the investigations of Sulzer’s investigator, Hennessy, and the contractors are anxious to have it go on to a speedy completion. Unless this is done they say there are important parts of the big building that were damaged by the fire that cannot be made useful for a long time and the departments want to use the rooms at once.

Governor Glynn declined to say today whether or not he would send a message to the Legislature when it meets to-morrow night. It is the opinion of those in a position to know, however, that the Legislature will not be able to muster a quorum and that an adjournment until after election would be the outcome of the session, as has already been conjectured.

November 23, 1913, Albany Evening Journal, Page 14. THEIR JUST DUE, CONTRACTORS' PLEA,
Assert Capitol Reconstruction Work Was Faithfully Performed, Before Trustees. RIGHT OF AUDITORS TO CUT SUMS QUESTIONED, Local Contractor Says Integrity of His Firm Has Been Assailed for the First Time Since Its Start in 1857.

December 25, 1913, New York Herald, Page 9, GOVERNOR STOPS WORK ON CAPITOL RECONSTRUCTION, Not Being Done Cheaply as Possible, Mr. Glynn's Reason. SAYS HIS FINAL WORD ON WHITMAN MATTER. His Position Unchanged and He Expects Mr. Osborne to Resume Investigation To-Morrow.

ALBANY, N.Y. Wednesday.--Governor Glynn issued what he says is the final word in his controversy with Mr. Whitman to-day, orders work stopped on the Capitol reconstruction, which has been a rich source of patronage to the Albany democracy, and declared that so far as he knew James W. Osbourne would start to work Friday morning.

The Governor was asked if at any time since he had a talk with Mr. Whitman some months ago the District Attorney had communicated to him any evidence which would demand work on the part of Mr. Whitman or any other prosecutor in any part of the State other than New York city, and Governor Glynn said that he heard nothing from Mr. Whitman.

Should Mr. Whitman submit to you evidence of a grave nature implicating people wholly without his jurisdiction, would you then appoint him a Deputy Attorney General to try these specific cases?" the Governor was asked.

I shall answer that when it comes before me," he replied.

The suspension of work on the reconstruction of the Capitol caused a sensation in local political circles here to-day. It was said that the suspension was not decided on because any evidence of graft had been unearthed, but because it was suspected that the work was not being done as cheaply as possible. At the last meeting of the Trustees of Public Buildings, a sub-committee, composed of the Attorney General, the State Architect and the Commissioner of Efficiency and Economy was appointed to look into the matter, and it was on the recommendation of this committee that the work was stopped pending a thorough examination.

This contract was let immediately after the fire, in 1911, to Callanan & Prescott, of Plattsburg, the first named being now democratic county chairman of Clinton county. Ever since then the work has been a refuge for those who sought jobs at the hands of the administration. The work has been conducted on a percentage agreement, so that the contractors are not directly concerned with the number of men employed. John A, Hennessy investigated this work for Governor Sulzer early in his administration, and though he found the workmanship good he criticized the number of men employed.

Patronage Used in Fight.

For a time Governor Sulzer gave orders that no man was to be put to wotk without his permission, and it was asserted here that Mr. Sulzer used this patronage in his fight against Patrick E. McCabe, Tammany's Albany lieutenant at the last primaries.

Since Mr. Sulzer ceased to control the patronage it has been common talk that Mr. McCabe had it completely at his disposal. None of the members of the sub-committee would talk about the case.

It is regarded here, however, as an effort on the part of Governor Glynn to show that he is going through with the Osborne probe without fear or favor, whether it strikes his good friend McCabe or not. Itis supposed that the sub-committee had told the Governor that more men are on the job than are needed, and he has decided to cut them all off.

With regard to Mr. Osborne's reported resignation, he expects that Mr. Osborne will be here on Friday to go on with his investigation. Arthur T. Warner, Mr. Osborne's assistant, was still here to-day and busy, he said, with the preparations for the Friday session, which will not begin with the asphalt charges against Commissioner Carlisle. Mr. Warner refused to say whether or not Mr. Osborne would go on with the bagman story from Rensselaer county which he opened up at his last session, or whether he would take up the Capitol reconstruction case or some other line.

February 6, 1914, Brooklyn Daily Eagle, PILCHER IS SERENE IN FACE OF THREATS

February 12, 1914, Albany Evening Journal, Page 12, REPORT $25,000 FOR THE ASSEMBLY INVESTIGATION

The ways and means committee of the Assembly to-day reported favorably the Christman bill which appropriates $25,000 for the expenses of the Assembly committee to investigate into the highway and other State departments

February 12, 1914, Albany Evening Journal, Page 9, CONTRACT CANCELLED, Building Trustees Stop Work on Capitol Under Percentage Basis

The trustees of public buildings have adopted resolutions directing Callanan & Prescott w ho have held contracts for restoring the burned portion of the capitol, to remove the machinery and apparatus which have been located on the state's property west of the capitol and ordering the dismissal of six watchmen who have been employed in the west wing of the capitol. This action was taken upon the recommendation of A. L. Brockway of Syracuse, who has been making an investigation for the trustees. The resolutions terminate the percentage contract held by Callanan & Prescott and will be followed by a contract for the completion of the capitol repairs upon a competitive basis.

Bids have been, opened for bronze, iron and cabinet work on the state education building. There were four items of bronze work, including a commemorative tablet, a board of award tablet, bronze gates of two patterns and a directory board. Five New York firms were the bidders. George W. Cobb, Jr., was low bidder at $480 for the tablet; the William H. Jackson company at $454 for the award tablet; John Williams and the Hecla-Winslow company at $225 each for bronze pipe spring gates; the Hecla-Winslow company at $3,180 for bronze folding gates, and the Gorham company at $459 for a directory board

There were four bids on the iron work. George W. Cobb, jr., was low bidder on the nine items, which included folding gates, tree guards, rolling shutters, lockers, printers' cabinets, safety rails, elevator gratings, ladders and elevator fittings. There were two bids on the cabinet work. George W. Cobb jr., being low bidder on three proposals, and the C. M. Kinney company on one item. The work includes an information desk, a door directory board and a self-closing gate.

March 9, 1914, The Tonawanda Evening News, Page, 2. A REMINDER,

About the only reminder of the flood of department raids on the treasury last year is the bill to reorganize the office of State Architect Pitcher. Last summer before he had been in office a month a bill was introduced on his behalf which gave him a salary of $15,000, double the amount formerly paid—permitted him to appoint three deputies at $10,000, $7,500 and $5,000 in place of one deputy at $5,000; a secretary at $7,500 in place of one at $2,500 and an auditor at $5,000 to do the work done by a clerk at $1,200. The bill failed to get through. This year it has turned an in a new form, with an active lobby the state architect's office to it along.

The new hill gives the state architect a six year term at $10,000, instead of a term limited by the Governor's pleasure and a salary of $7,500. It also gives him the power to appoint three deputies, a secretary, an assistant secretary, two confidential assistants and architectural and engineering experts. draughtsmen, clerks, stenographers and other employee "as may be necessary." The salaries of this army of deputies etc., are discreetly omitted, the bill permitting their compensation to be fixed by the state architect. The bill also empowers the state architect to employ outside architects at his pleasure to prepare plans and specifications of state buildings provides for an office in New York city (where he has no work to do for the state) transfers to him powers now held by the board of managers of state institutions and adds various other powers at the same time relieving him of the responsibility of preparing a standard form of specifications.

Fortunately there is a Republican assembly on guard this year and if the bill gets by at all it will be in a greatly modified and "economized" form.

January 8, 1915, Oswego Farmer, GOV. WHITMAN STARTS CLEANUP,

Nine draftsmen in the office of the state architect, Lewis F. Pilcher, a Sulzer appointee, whose salaries ranged from $1,000 to $1,600, were discharged Monday.

Reports have been current that the state architect's office would be one of the first subjected to an investigation, under the plan of Governor Whitman to examine into the expenditures of all s t a te offices.

Thomas N. Newton, deputy state a rchitect, denied to-night, however, that the impending inquiry had anything to do with the discharge of the men.

"We had completed our work for which appropriations were made in 1914 and, therefore we had to reduce our force," he said.

Within a few days the new administration will have investigatibris under way in every state department with a view of reducing expenses and seeking information for legislation that will place the affairs of the state on a business like basis. Governor Whitman said to-day that these investigations are to be conducted by the new department heads themselves, although he made it plain that special investigations will be started if deemed necessary. The purpose of these investigations is merely to ascertain how the departments are managed and are not contemplated necessarily because it is believed that there has been wrongdoing.

February 6, 1915, The Fulton Evening Times, Page 5, ALBANY LETTER BY DAY, Cardose Tells Time' Readers the Doings of Officials and Lawmakers

By F. T. Cardoze (Albany Manager of the International News Service.)

Albany, Feb. 3.—Considerable interest it rife relative to the examination which probers from the office of State Comptroller Travis are making in the department of the State architect. There are those who predict that a clean bill of health will be granted State Architect Louis F. Pilcher, the prediction being based in some instances upon the fact that his department was thoroughly purged during the Sulzer administration.

Under, the Democratic regime the regulations governing the department of the State architect were thoroughly scrutinized and altered, salaries were raised and the manner of awarding contracts for the restoration of the burned portion of the Capitol changed. The amendments to the law, subsequently carried out by a Democratic senate and Republican assembly, were recommenced by a committee of three, representing the American Institute of Architects consisting of Messrs, Holland of Buffalo, Ward og New York and Brockaway of Syracuse,

This fact, it is claimed; takes away a large share of the sting which might otherwise go with the investigation now under way.

When William Sulzer became governor and appointed John N. Carlisle, John A. Delaney and H. Gordon Lynn as his triumverate of probers, one of the first departments to be delved into was that of the State architect. Then appeared the committee of three representing the American Institute of Architects.

As a result of the activity of the special committee a report was made to Governor Sulzer as to its findings. Certain recommendations were made as to needed chnages relative to the method [ ] contract and it was strongly hinted that a demoralized condition prevailed. Another thing touched upon in the report was the belief of the committee that a new State architect be appointed.

Chapter three began with a personal investigation of the department in question by John A. Hennessey, executive auditor. Mr Hennessey publicly exposed looseness in the carrying out of electrical and plumbing contracts in connection with Capitol reconstruction work. Then ensued four months of deliberation during which a bill was prepared to reconstruct the department.

Charles A. Sussdorf, who had served under Former State Architect Franklin Ware, was named by Governor Sulzer as temporary State architect, in spite of the fact that he was a Republican, but meanwhile the work of investigating continued and this, with the holding up of appropriations, made it almost impossible to administer the affairs of the department.

It was then that Louis F. Pilcher was summoned by Governor Sulzer. Mr. Pilcher was called as an expert to tell the best method of handling the business accumulating in the State architects department. He conferred with Mr. Hennessy and the committee from the American Institute of Architects, the result being that his name was brought into consideration and he was subsequently made State architect. One of the first steps he took was to abolish the system of awarding construction contracts on the Capitol upon the percentage basis.

By the time Mr. Pilcher had familiarized himself with his duties, the bill reorganizing the department over which he presided was introduced and passed. Far larger appropriations than had been asked for in previous years were secured to meet the needed repairs at the various state buildings over which the State architect has jurisdiction. The salary roll was increased to $475,000.

One of the things the new bill did which appeared to meet with the approval of architects in general was to give to the State architect powers which a service bureau should have and took away ministerial powers that should be enjoyed by boards of managers of State institutions. It was ordered that no contracts over $500 should be hereafter let without advertisement for bids and that the lowest bidder should be awarded the contract.

Criticism which it directed at the department of the State architect because he has an office in New York city is explained away by the statement that such office is maintained for the benefit of contractors and representatives of boards of managers of hospitals and charitable institutions. By examining plans and specifications there, expensive trips are made unnecessary, resulting in a greater number of bidders and consequently cheaper construction work because of competition.

Irrespective of the predictions of those who are in State Architect Pilcher's corner, Comptroller Travis believes that there has been a waste of the State's money in his department. The probe he is conducting salaries that are too high and needless employees.

March 15, 1915, Utica Herald-Dispatch, Page 10, HOW GRAFT WAS WORKED ON STATE CAPITOL CONTRACTS

Albany. March 5.—That specifications of contracts for State construction and improvement work were so worded by direction of Herman Hoefer, former State architect , that only certain firms could comply with their provisions, was told to Governor Sulzer's committee of inquiry by Acting State Architect Charles A. Sussdorf. His testimony a long this line was corroborated and amplified by Samuel Manning, chief engineer of the State architect's office.

Governor Sulzer recently requested and accepted Mr. Hoefer's resignation after a committee of the American Institute of Architects had declared him "inefficient and incompetent," and after Executive Auditor John A. Hennessy had reported alleged irregularities, for which he held Mr. Hoefer responsible, in connection with the reconstruction of the burned portion of the Capitol.

Acting State Architect Sussdorf declared the practice of wording specifications so that only certain firms couId fulfill their requirements had been prevalent since June 1,1912, shortly after the time Mr. Hoefer was first appointed by Governor Dix. In corroborating this testimony Chief Engineer Manning submitted a list of firms manufacturing certain articles used in the construction and repair of buildings. Mr. Hoefer directed him to specify the patented products of these concerns, Mr. Manning asserted.

Executive Auditor Hennessy outlined to the committee the result of his recent investigation of the State architect's office. He reported that neither Hoefer nor his former first deputy, J. P. Powers, who was dismissed recently, had received technical educations: that he found " too many men on almost all Jobs; that many of these superfluous men were employed at the request of State Senators, members of Assembly or county political leaders and that neither the contractors nor Hoefer felt as though they ought to remove them."

He found that a foreman of eight masons had received pay for 103% working days in 27 consecutive calendar days: that contracts had been altered without the authorisation of the trustees of public buildings and that unless there was some uniform system adopted, the repairing of the restored section of the Capitol, the estimated cost of which was between $40,000 and $50,000, "would run up to over $250,000."

Acting State Architect Sussdorf testified that H. W. White, former chief of the department of inspectors and inspection, had been permitted to chance up as traveling expenses what had in reality amounted to an increase in salary of about $1,200 a year. He had suspended White as soon as he learned this, witness declared.

StevenWarRan Research

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

1910-1919 News Articles

No comments: