#capitol contruction

[violetcrownchronicles]

First Four Cars - Electric Lights - Wicked Revolver - Came Crashing Down

29 JAN 1886. Austin Daily Statesman.

LOCAL SHORT STOPS.

The first four cars of granite to be used  in the construction of the new capitol rolled in on the Austin & Northwestern railway last evening.

There are forty electric lights in the city, which is about the full capacity of the plant.

Mr. Hancock, when searched at the jail, as is the custom was found to be loaded down with a wicked looking revolver. He offered no excuse for carrying it so far as the reporter heard.

A TERRIBLE CRASH. ONE OF THE TOWERING DERRICKS AT THE DRISKILL HOTEL FALLS DOWN. NARROW ESCAPE OF WORKMEN AND PEDESTRIANS.

Yesterday morning, as the workmen engaged on the Driskill hotel building on West Pecan street, were placing in position one of the stone columns on the front of the fourth story, they had some trouble getting it exactly in its proper place, and after laboring some time it became necessary to move on of the towering derricks, which the stone column had been hoisted to the top of the wall. To do this, it seems, it was necessary to slacken one of the huge guy ropes leading out over the works and which drew in and held the top of the derrick over the walls. A workman was sent to perform this duty, and, was said, did it in a bungling manner, then all of a sudden the rope slipped and the heavy cables, extending over Pecan street, equally as sudden drew the great derrick over and it fell with a thundering crash, striking and breaking down telephone wire on the south side of the street, crushing through the awning in front of the barber shop east of, and immediately adjoining Phil Abram’s grocery establishment, then striking in its rapid descent a horse attached to Mr. Abram’s delivery wagon, breaking his neck and killing him instantly. Another horse attached to the same wagon escaped with only a slight injury to one of his legs. Had it not been for the telephone wires, which caught the height of the falling timbers, sapping of the topmost part which towered high up above the apex of the two upright piers forming the triangular shape of the derrick, the front of Mr. Abram’s store would undoubtedly have been crushed in, and possibly some of the salesmen seriously injured, if not killed outright. Many narrow escapes are reported but the only casualty was Mr. Abram’s horse. The noise of the crumbling timbers and the dust soon attracted a great crowd, which lingered around the spot for some time.

[violetcrownchronicles]

Tumble of the Mighty Temple

9 SEP 1882. Austin Daily Statesman.

FALLING STONES. THE TEMPORARY CAPITOL BUILDING IN RUINS.

Yesterday morning at about 6 o’clock a terrible crash, equal almost to a South American earthquake, was heard near the head of Congress Avenue. Owing to the early hour at which it occurred, and the consequent absence of people from the streets, it was some time before the cause of the unusual noise was learned. It was soon reported, however, that the temporary capitol building, now in the course of construction, had fallen down. The excitement soon became intense, and great crowds flocked to the scene to view the MODERN RUINS, which our special artist has so faithfully and accurately portrayed. 

This tumble of the mighty temple whereto Texas was to have been “illustrated,” next year, was the theme of conversation during the entire day, and various were the comments upon and numerous theories of WHY THE THING FELL.

The part of the building which fell was the wing on the Mesquite street frontage, about ninety feet of the wall, and also a few feet of the western wall fronting the governor's mansion. The wreck, so far as it goes, is complete, the walls literally crumbling to pieces even down to their very base, and the wood work and partition walls of laths and timber being twisted into almost every conceivable shape.

Mr. Duhamel, the expert of the capitol board and supervising architect of the building, attributes the fall of the building to the effects of the terrific rain storm Wednesday night. He says the wooden sheathing, or, untechnically speaking, the planking which was to receive the tin roofing, was finished just to the point where it let off the immense volume of water which fell on to the walls; that the walls being new and the mortar not having time to “set,” the water in such endless quantity weakened the walls, and the new timber, becoming soaked, swelled, and very naturally forced the walls out. This is the theory of the builder, Mr. James B. Smith, and also of Mr. F. E. Ruffini, the architect who furnished the plans by which the building was being constructed.