Superintendent Mobly's Report on State Property
Texas's superintendent of public buildings delivers his annual report to the governor, detailing repairs to the state capitol and warning of dangerous conditions at the deaf and dumb institute and other state buildings.
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The Austin Weekly Statesman · December 24, 1896 · Page 6
2 min readSuperintendent Mobly has just handed the governor his annual report of the condition of the state's property at the present time. He reports the colored deaf and dumb institute building to be in a dangerous condition and in need of immediate repairs. He also recommends the removal of the embalming room at the medical university at Galveston on grounds that it is too near the main building. He also shows that the roof on two of the main buildings at the A. and M. college are in need of repairs. States that the Alamo at San Antonio is now in good condition. Touching on the state capitol building, he says:
"I have, in the last eighteen months, made many needed repairs in the capitol building; have put in fifty-five new water closets; the dome has been repainted with three coats of oil and lead and one coat of sand, which will suffice for a number of years. The roof of the main building, which has been a source of much trouble in the past, is now in very good condition. I have also put in ten new chandeliers. The boiler house and machinery have been overhauled, and is now one of the best plants in the state. The tile floor is a constant trouble and expense, and I recommend that as soon as practicable a new marble floor be substituted for the tiling on the first floor, as this is most constantly used. The tiling can be taken up and can be used for repairing the other floors for many years. The elevator, which formerly gave much trouble, and which I found in very bad condition, has been completely overhauled and is now as good as new. In repairing the building, I have had to replace plate glass to the amount of about $600, and a vast amount of unseen work has been done in the building. In this connection, I will say that this magnificent building should not be used for other purposes than the law directs, and I have endeavored to comply with the law in this direction."
He further states that a liberal appropriation is needed for a suitable fence around the mansion grounds and for grading and sidewalks.
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