Report of Joint Committee Appointed by Concurrent Resolution of the Eighth General Assembly of the State of Iowa, to Visit the Iowa Penitentiary and R (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1860 Excerpt: ... I. 32. Do yon recollect how much your bid exceeded McHenry & Dinsmore's? A. 32. I don't recollect, but think it was several thousand dollars. I. 33. Had there been an appropriation sufficient to complete the wall, would you have taken the job for the same amount, or leas than that contained in the bid of McIIenry & Dinsmore? A. 33. We certainly would, for in our calculation of a profit of between seven and eight thousand dollars, we based our estimate on the cost of laying the stones by free labor, and we intended to build the wall mostly by convicts. I. 34. In any conversation had with Inspectors or either of them, did they give you any assurance of their confidant expectation that the Legislature would make an appropriation to pay for building of the wall, and did you entertain such an expectation yourself? A. 34. They may or may not, I don't recollect--at least, I intended the same. I. 35. How do you reconcile the specifications which proposed payment in Auditor's warrants, bearing 8 per cent interest, with the necessity of borrowing money in the east, when you confidently expected an appropriation by the Legislature in 1858. A. 35. We would not take a job of that magnitude, and rely on the uncertainty of legislation without being prepared to carry out our contract in case legislation should fail; 1 think at that time we took into consideration that there would be no session of the Legislature for the next two years. I. 36. Had you supposed that you could, in closing the contract, have the right to elect or stop work when the appropriation was exhausted until another appropriation was made, and then resume, would you have bid less? A. 36. I would, most certainly, have done so. JOHN H. WINTERBOTHAM. March 8th, 1860. Attest Wm. Gray, Sec'y. Mr. Guthrie sub...