USA > Ohio > Franklin County > Columbus > Columbus, Ohio: its history, resources, and progress : with numerous illustrations > Part 27
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Mr. Neereamer's neat paled fence was removed in the spring
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of 1839. The square was then inclosed by an unsightly rough board-fence, about twelve feet high, erected in order to form a kind of prison for the convicts from the penitentiary, who were employed within in dressing stone for the new State-house.
A substantial iron fence, set in heavy freestone base, was completed in 1857, along the west side of the square, and on the north and south sides, half the distance from the western to the eastern side. The fence inclosing the other half of the square is of wood. In the iron fence, on each side, except the eastern, are iron gates, between massive symmetrical stone pillars, for the entrance of carriages and pedestrians.
Frequent attempts were made to induce the legislature to ex- tend the fence so as to inclose the other half of the square, but without success. Among other objections to its extension, it was urged that the fence was not only too heavy and massive, but that it was so high as to obstruct the view and greatly injure the appearance of the capitol as seen from the street. After much discussion and persistent agitation of the subject, the legis- lature, at the last session (1871), appropriated $18,000 to pro- cure and put up around the State-house grounds a new fence, to be done under the direction of the comptroller of the treasury, with the advice and consent of the governor and treasurer of state.
A design for the new fence, made by Fred. Krumm, has been adopted, and a contract entered into with L. Schaeffer & Son, of Springfield, Ohio, to build the same, at $21,119.30, which exceeds the amount appropriated by $3,119.30.
In accordance with the new plan for the fence, gates will be placed at all the corners of the square, necessitating additional. walks.
The State-house square comprises ten acres. It has a consid- erable elevation above the Scioto, and forms a handsome plateau, with a gradual eastern slope. With earth taken chiefly from the canal and river, it has been raised in the center from four to six feet. It has been so graded as to form a gentle descent from that point in all directions.
The square has been laid off in plats, graded and rolled, form- ing beautiful lawns of grass and shrubbery. Broad walks and
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carriage-ways encircle the capital and mark off the different plats. The credit of laying off the walks and carriage-ways, and ornamenting the grounds, belongs to John Clusker, of Cin- cinnati, whose plan was selected from several others presented for competition. The general idea carried out in the planting of trees and shrubbery, contemplates a pleasing variety of ever- greens, deciduous trees, and shrubbery, so arranged in groups as to afford unobstructed views of the capitol, and at the same time gratify the taste for natural order and beauty.
THE ARTESIAN WELL.
The first boring for an Artesian well in the State-house yard was commenced July 23, 1857, under the direction of John Steel, of Meigs county, who had bored several wells at Pomeroy and in that vicinity. The first boring did not touch the rock, and the quicksand coming in, a boiler-flue, forced down, bent and broke, and a wrought-iron pipe inside of that, forced down the hole, also broke. As the quicksand could not be tubed out, the well, after it had reached a depth of 110 feet, with water rising within 22 feet of the surface, was abandoned. We quote from Professor W. W. Mathers' report :
" The second well was tubed down with cast-iron piping, 6 inch interior diameter, 54 feet. The boring then continued to the rock, 122 feet. Wrought-iron pipe of smaller size was forced down, but broke at the sec- ond joint from the lower end. The pipe was withdrawn, and a pump let down, when the well was found to be clear of obstruction to the rock. The rimmer was then sent down, and went freely till at the depth of 100 feet it began to rub. The pump was then sent down. The well had become filled with sand and gravel 66 feet, and after prolonged labor, it was as- certained that the sand run into the well as fast as it could be taken out. This was on the 21st of October, 1857. The 6-inch tubing was then drawn up, and they commenced digging a pit and cribbing down with circular cribbing, which was continued 15 feet. A boiler-flue was then forced down on the 29th and 30th of October, and a part of the broken pipe, removed. They continued sinking the boiler-flue, and removing the broken pipe till November 3, when the well again filled up 20 feet with quicksand, and on the 4th of November, as they could not keep out the quicksand, this boring was abandoned.
" A contract was made, November 4th, with Mr. Fleming Spangler, to bore a new well, with the understanding that he was to tube it into the rock within eighteen or twenty days, or receive no pay."
The third well was commenced by sinking a pit and cribbing
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STATE BUILDINGS AND INSTITUTIONS.
it down with circular cribbing. On the 12th of December, Mr. Spangler had bored to the depth of 141 feet, and sank a four- inch wrought-iron tube inside a six-inch cast-iron one, to the depth of 130 feet, with seven feet of it in the rock, so as effect- ually to exclude the quicksand. On the 14th, at the depth of 149 feet, he struck a vein of water that washed away all the borings, and continued to do so for nearly 100 feet below. On the 31st of January, 1858, he had penetrated the limestone rock 248 feet, at a depth of 271 feet from the surface. He then con- tracted to bore to the depth of 1,000 feet from the surface at $1.50 per foot. On December 11, 1858, the well was 1,858 feet deep. Much time was then spent in rimming it out to a larger size, so that it could be bored deeper.
On the 11th of April, 1859, at the depth of 1,958 feet, the work was interrupted by slate crumbling from the sides of the well, and collecting at the bottom faster than it could be removed by the pump. To remedy this the bore was enlarged for tubing 76 feet further-to the depth of 1,636 feet. The boring was not resumed until June 11. After it had continued six days, another interruption occurred from the same cause, showing that the tubing was not deep enough. The bore was enlarged to the depth of 1,696 feet, which was reached on the 5th day of July, when the bit and the sinker became fastened by the falling slate, and a pole broke in two, leaving the sinker, the bit, and two poles 1,600 below the surface. Thirteen days were spent in efforts to remove them, which were crowned with success on the 18th of July.
The boring was resumed on the 22d of July, and continued till October 16, when a depth of 2,340 feet was reached. It was then discontinued under the impression that the legislative appro- priation was exhausted. The work was resumed on the 7th of May, 1860, and the well, on the 1st of October, was 2,775 feet deep, or 125 feet over half a mile. The appropriation being nearly exhausted, the boring ceased at that point, and no more money being appropriated to dig deeper, it ceased finally.
In a brief report, dated November 1, 1860, Professor J. S. Newberry, now chief state geologist, states the result of his ex- amination of the record kept of the State-house well, and the
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STUDER'S COLUMBUS, OHIO.
series of borings taken from the different strata passed through. He gives the following geological section of the strata pene- trated by the well :
Character of rocks: No. 1-123 feet thick; clay, sand, and gravel. No. 2-15 feet; dark, bituminous shale. No. 3-626, drab and gray limestone, with bands of chert; sandy above, darker and argillaceous below. No. 4-162, red, brown, and gray shales and marls. No. 5-1058, greenish calcareous shale. No. 6-475, light-drab, sandy magnesian limestones. No. 7- 316 feet, "white sand-rock " (calcareous).
Their probable geological equivalents: No. 1-Alluvial and drift deposits. No. 2-Base of Hamilton group. No. 3-Cliff limestone of Ohio; upper and lower Helderberg, and Niagara groups of New York. No. 4-Clinton group, Medina sandstone. No. 5-Hudson river group, Trenton bird's-eye, Black river, and Chazy limestone. No. 6-Calciferous sandstone of New York, magnesian limestone group of Missouri. No. 7-Potsdam sand- stone.
No. 1 is classified with the drift deposits; No. 2, and the upper part of No. 3, with Devonian, and the lower part of No. 3, and all No. 4, with the upper Silurian, and Nos. 5, 6, and 7 with the lower Silurian.
To the question whether water would be procured by going to a greater depth, the professor says it is impossible to give a very encouraging answer. In case it should happen that a stratum were penetrated at a greater depth, from which water would flow over the surface, that water would certainly be too highly saline, perhaps possessing valuable medicinal qualities, but probably not good "drinking water."
Should water be procured from a point below where the boring ceased, it would be nearly "blood warm," as proved by the experiments of Professor T. G. Wormley, with the following result given in his own words :
"A Walderfin's thermometer, placed in a glass tube filled with water, and this inclosed in a strong iron case, also filled with water, was lowered to the depth of 2,475 feet, where it re- mained for twenty-five hours. It was then sunk to the bottom of the well, a depth of 2,575 feet, where it remained for forty
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minutes. Upon the withdrawal of the instruments, it was found to have registered 88º F. Assuming this to be the temperature of the bottom of the well, and also assuming as correct data that the temperature is uniformly 53º F. at a depth of ninety feet, we have an increase of 10º F. for every seventy-one feet."
Professor Newberry adds that the same rate of increase would give for the final depth to which the well was sunk (2,775 feet from the surface) a temperature of about 91°.
THE PRESENT STATE-HOUSE.
The capitol of Ohio stands in the center of the public square, dedicated as its site in the original plat of Columbus. It is a grand and attractive edifice, of great solidity and magnitude, and Doric in its style of architecture. It is admitted to be the most imposing State capitol in the Union. It covers about two acres of ground, and is a bold and noble structure, of durable materials and fine proportions. It is built of beautiful gray limestone, obtained from a quarry on the east side of the Scioto river, about three miles from Columbus. The foundation of the building is sunk from six to ten feet below the surface of the ground to a bed of gravel, which is covered with a concrete of broken stone, cement, and mortar. The foundation walls at the angles are fifteen feet thick; the other parts are twelve feet thick. The total cost of the State-house and grounds, up to November 15, 1861, when the structure was considered about complete, was $1,359,121. The time consumed in building it after deducting the intervals during which work upon it was suspended, was about fifteen years. The following are the dimensions of the building :
DIMENSIONS, ETC.
The capitol in its greatest length stands N. 12º W. with the streets of Columbus.
It presents four fronts, with colonades, and is 184 ft. wide by 304 ft. long. The east and west steps are. 203 = 117
The north and south steps are ... 20} 57
The broad terrace, from the cast portico, is.
.73
209}
The terrace on all other sides of the house is 18 feet wide.
From the west steps to the front gates, the distance is .. 217 feet. From the east steps to the front gates, the distance is. 140 6 From the N. and S. steps to the front gates, the distance is 158 66
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STUDER'S COLUMBUS, OHIO.
The portico on the west front is 15 ft. 4 in. deep by 122 feet long. The portico on the east front is. 15 ft. 4 in. deep by 120 The portico on the N. and S. sides are each .. 14 ft. 4 in. deep by 57}
Eight columns on the E. and W. fronts are each 6 ft. 2 in. base diam. and 36 ft. high.
Four columns on the N. and S. fronts are each 6 ft. 2 in. base diam. and 36 ft. high.
Area of the building, including terrace and steps, a little over 2 acres. Height of building from ground to top of blocking course, 61 feet. 66 ¥ 66 pinnacle of cupola, 158 feet.
66
lightning rod, 164 feet.
INTERIOR.
The chief entrance is from the West.
Height of the terrace from the ground. 5 fcct. portico 9 feet 8 inches. 16 feet 6 inches.
66 rotunda floor "
House of R. and Senate floor from ground. 30 feet.
stone arches above rotunda floor
36 feet 8 inches.
Diameter of the rotunda floor.
64 fcet 5 inches.
66 lower sky-light in the dome.
29 fect
inner circle, or coat of arms
2 feet 8 inches.
upper sky-light 32 feet.
cupola (outside). 75 feet.
Height from the rotunda floor to the eye of dome 120 feet.
rotunda floor to the upper sky-light. R ... 136 feet.
23 fect 5 inches. Width of the main corridors in the building. cross corridors in the building 9 feet 4 inches.
On the second floor are the large chambers-the Senate and State Library north, the House of Representatives and Supreme Court-room south-as follows :
The Senate floor is .. ... .49 ft. by 57 ft. Height of ceiling, 28 ft. 3 in.
" Sen. lobby, west side, is ... 22 ft. 5 in. by 50 ft.
" S. lobby, N. and S. sides.12 ft. 9 in. by 55 ft. 6 in.
" Hall of the H. of R. is .. 55 ft. 6 in. by 82 ft. 6 in. Height of ceiling, 28 ft. 3 in.
" H. of R. lobby is. 16 ft. 4 in. by 50 ft.
" H. of R. gallery is .. 6 ft. by 55 ft. 6 in.
" Supreme Court room is ... 41 ft. 8 in. by 55 ft. Height of ceiling, 26 ft. 5 in.
" State Library room is ..... 55 ft. 2 in. by 82 ft. 28 ft.
" Law Library room is ...... 27 ft. 3 in. by 28 ft. 4 in.
A room for stationery and an apartment for military trophies are on the right and left of the platform at the head of the west stairs. Committee- rooms are in the third story.
DEPARTMENTS.
The first story of the building is devoted to the State officers.
" Executive Department is in the northwest corner.
" Agricultural = opposite.
RICHE'S, COLUMBUS
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NEW STATE HOUSE.
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STATE BUILDINGS AND INSTITUTIONS.
The Secretary of State has two rooms in the northeast quarter. 66 66 and have the northeast corner.
" Sup't of Pub. Printing
Adjutant-General has a room adjoining.
" Board of Public Works have the room west adjoining.
" Treasurer of State holds three rooms in the southeast division.
" Comptroller of State has two rooms opposite.
" Board of State Charites has one room adjoining.
" southwest corner is occupied by the Auditor of State. Attorney-General-office on the left of the east entrance.
Commissioner of Railroads and Telegraphs-office on the right of the east entrance.
School Commissioner-office on the left of the west entrance.
Fund Commissioners-office on the right of the west entrance.
MISCELLANEOUS.
Number of rooms on the first floor of the building 28
66
second floor of the building. 10
66
third floor of the building 15
Total number of rooms in the capitol 53
The heating apparatus, with connections, is under east terrace.
Carpenter shop, packing and storage rooms in the basement.
Two supply tanks, holding over 1,600 barrels of water, are located over the E. and W. porticos.
The amount of coal required per annum is about. 4,000 bushels. The amount of coke required per annum is about. 20,000
The amount of wood required per annum is about. 50 cords.
On the east side there are two open courts, each 23 ft. 4 in. by 59 ft. 9 in. On the west side also are two open courts, each 24 ft. 4 in. by 59 ft. 9 in. Doors to the water-closets of the different stories open from these courts.
Wash-rooms are found near the H. of R., Senate, Library, Executive, and Auditor's rooms.
Number of steps in the spiral stairs (from basement). 114
66 66 winding stairs round the dome. 44
66 66 first flight of stairs in the dome. 29
66 second flight of stairs to the roof of dome. 29
Total number of steps to the top of dome. 207 The east terrace, allowing 18 in. sq. to each person, will hold 7,840 people. The broad " (alone) - 66 66 66 6,800 66
The Hall of the H. of R., 66 66 2,047 66
No. of pieces American and foreign marble in the rotunda floor. 4,892
66 gas burners throughout the State-house and Square. 724
yards 3-ply carpeting required to cover the hall of H. of R 600
66 66 Senate floor 320
66 hot-air chambers in the basement. 18
66 water-closets in the building. 12
wash rooms 66 5
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STUDER S COLUMBUS, OHIO.
HISTORY OF THE BUILDING.
The General Assembly of Ohio, on the 26th of January, 1838, passed an act to " provide for the erection of a new State-house at the seat of government." On the passage of this act, the citizens of Columbus made a grand illumination and gave a series of festivals. Under the provisions of the act, the legisla- ture, on the 16th of March following, appointed, by joint reso- lution, W. A. Adams, of Muskingum county, Joseph Ridgway, Jr., of Franklin county, and W. B. Van Hook, of Butler county, a board of commissioners. The commissioners met at Colum- bus in April, and entered into a contract with William S. Sulli- vant for the privilege of taking stone for the proposed building from his quarry on the Scioto river, at fifty cents per perch of twenty-five cubic feet. Under that contract, during the year 1838, 2,062 perches of stone were delivered, a part at the site of the contemplated building, and a part at the penitentiary, and convicts were employed in preparing the stone for the walls. The commissioners also advertised for plans, offering premiums. Between fifty and sixty plans were received from different parts of the Union.
From the designs thus furnished, the commissioners, in Octo- ber, 1838, selected the best three, to which they awarded pre- miums. These plans were from Henry Walter, of Cincinnati ; Martin E. Thompson, of New York city, and Thomas Cole, of Catskill, New York.
" In making these selections," the commissioners observe that they were " governed by the views which they supposed prompted the passage of the act under which they were appointed : First, to construct an edifice which should combine in its interior arrangement perfect security to the archives of the several departments of the public service, and convenience to the several bodies and officers to be accommodated; and, secondly, that in its exterior form and interior disposition of apartments there should be united that beauty and grandeur which the rules of art require, and which comport with the dignity and wealth of the State. The degree of civiliza- . tion and knowledge prevailing in a community is always clearly desig- nated by its works of art, and by none more than by its architecture; it is then at least desirable that Ohio should not be behind that degree of improvement in the arts which the American people have attained. It is believed these ends will be accomplished by the execution of either of the plans to which the commissioners have awarded the premiums."
The exterior of the several structures mentioned was designed to be built entirely of stone. Detailed estimates of cost of each plan presented
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STATE BUILDINGS AND INSTITUTIONS.
by the architects accompanied their drawings, and from these and other sources of information the commissioners were led to conclude " that such a building as is required by the State can not be erected for a less amount than the average of the estimates of the numerous plans sub- mitted, which is over four hundred and fifty thousand dollars." Some of the calculations amounted to nearly a million.
The estimates of the commissioners and architects were based in part upon convict labor at much lower rates than other labor. The commissioners, in their report to the legislature, urged the employment of one or two hundred convicts on the score of economy, and asked for an appropriation of fifty thousand dol- lars.
The legislature at its next session made the desired appropri- ation. Active preparation for work began in April, 1839. The Public Square was inclosed by a rough board-fence of great length, to prevent the escape of the convicts employed on the works. A frame building was erected for an office, and a store- room for tools and machinery. A good supply of water was ob- tained on the site of the building. Excavations were made, and the laying of the foundations commenced. The work steadily advanced under the superintendence of the architect, Henry Walter, and of the commissioners in person.
LAYING THE CORNER-STONE.
The corner-stone of the new capitol of Ohio was formally laid on the Fourth of July, 1839. There was present a vast assemblage of people, including state, county, and municipal officers, judges of of the United States and State courts, and other civil and mili- tary officials, with three fine military companies from Lancas- ter. A procession, said to number five thousand, was formed on High street, its right resting on Broad street, and its left extend- ing southward, and moved into Capitol Square. When the northeast angle of the projected State-house was reached, one of the bands struck up "Hail Columbia." There a gigantic stone was seen swinging aloft, upheld by complicated mazes of cor- dage, ready to let down upon another of like size resting firmly in its bed. The following deposits, securely packed in strong flint-glass jars, were placed in an excavation in the lower stone :
The declaration of independence, the constitution of the
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STUDER'S COLUMBUS, OHIO.
United States, and the constitution of the several twenty-six States, the ordinance of 1787 for the government of the North- western Territory, the statutes of Ohio, the Bible, the first two parts of the Transactions of the Historical and Philosophical Society of Ohio, specimens of the gold and silver coins of the United States, one hundred and fifty newspapers of recent date, comprising those published in Ohio and in the chief cities of the Union, several statistical works and periodicals, specimens of our agricultural and manufacturing productions, reports of our State institutions, and a glass tube hermetically sealed, in which was a scroll bearing the following inscription : "The corner- stone of the capitol of Ohio, in the United States of America, was laid, under the direction of the commissioners, by Jeremiah Morrow, ex-governor of the State and one of its earliest pio- neers, in the presence of the officers of State and a large con- course of citizens, on the fourth day of July, in the year of our Lord 1839, at meridian, being the sixty-third anniversary of our national independence. The State of Ohio, being the sixteenth State admitted into the Union, was organized into an independ- ent State in the year of our Lord 1802." Also, the act of the Ohio legislature of 1837-38, authorizing the building of the capi- tol; then a list of the officers of the government of the United States and the several States, including the judiciary ; then a list of the members of the last and preceding legislatures of Ohio ; then the names of the State commissioners, architect, and su- perintendent of masonry. And lastly, a list of the officers of the corporation of Columbus.
After prayer by the Rev. Dr. Hoge, ex-Governor Morrow pre- faced the ceremony he was about to perform, with the following suitable address :
ADDRESS OF GOVERNOR MORROW.
FELLOW-CITIZENS: On this day, the anniversary of American Inde -. pendence, the foundation of a great edifice is to be laid ; you are assembled. to witness and assist in the interesting ceremonies; an edifice that will be dedicated as a Temple of Law-the Capitol of the State. A generation has not passed away since the State of Ohio first took rank among the States of the Union-since the constitution, the foundation of our political struc- ture, was formed. Several of the individuals yet remain, and it is with pleasure I witness some of them in attendance on this occasion, who par- ticipated in the early councils, and whose labors were employed in giving
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STATE BUILDINGS AND INSTITUTIONS.
form and effect to our civil and political institutions. The occasion seems to invite to a review of by-gone times and past transactions-to a compar- ison between our former infant, and present more matured, state of political existence.
Then-with a population few in numbers, sparsely spread over unim- proved and unconnected sections of territory, without intercourse, com- mercial or social, between the distant parts; a people unassimilated in habits and manners, and without adequate revenue or resources for the support of their government. Now-with a population numerous and. comparatively dense, spread over every section of our territory-a system adopted for general education, to insure the cultivation of the intellectual and moral powers in the rising generation-public improvements extend- ing in every direction, and the means and resources sufficient, with proper economy and prudent conduct, to support the necessary public expendi- tures. This change, so vast in our condition, and produced in so short a period, as it is unexampled, must lead to the investigation of the causes which have produced such results. And while, with devout gratitude, we recognize the protecting care of a kind Providence, vouchsafed to our country, we may certainly attribute, in some degree, our rapid growth and continued progress in improvement, to the influences of free institutions, a well-regulated government, good legislation, and faithful administration of justice. It is true our system is not perfect. Imperfection attaches to all the works of man, and experience has pointed out many defects in our con- stitution and laws which require the efforts of an enlightened community to remedy and correct. But still we may rest satisfied in the conclusion that the system is not far wrong-the government, in its principles and practice, not radically defective-when a State so great has suddenly grown up in a wilderness, and an intelligent people continue to approve and cherish the principles of its organization and operations.
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