Papers Of Abraham Lincoln

1
Resolved, That the State house commissioners be required to report to this House, on or before Wednesday, the 26th2 inst., how and in what manner the contracts for the construction of the State house at Springfield have been let out, and to whom; were they given to the lowest bidder, or others; is the work conducted by contract, or daily labor under the supervision of the commissioners, or their agents; if by agents, what compensation is allowed them. Explain at large the item of “ten per cent. for contingencies”—what compensation is allowed the architect—what is the number of the agents or sub-superintendents having direction of the work—what has been the cost of the construction of said building, in compensation to commissioners, architect, agents, and superintendents—whether the full amount of the $50,000 appropriation has been refunded to the State, in compliance with the law removing the seat of Government to Springfield; and, if not, what amount remains unrefunded, and the reasons (if any) for the same; and whether the State Bank at Springfield did not grant a large loan to the commissioners, or corporation of Springfield, for the construction of said building; and, if so, to which, and the amount of said loan.3

1On December 21, 1838, William J. Hankins introduced the resolution in the House of Representatives. On motion of Abraham Lincoln the House referred the resolution to the Committee of the Whole. The Committee of the Whole reported the bill back with amendments, which the House approved. The House then amended the resolution further by striking out “Wednesday, the 26th” and inserting “the second Monday of January next” in lieu thereof. The House then passed the resolution as amended. The House received a reply from Anson G. Henry and Archibald Job on December 26.
Illinois House Journal. 1838., 11th G. A., 1st sess., 127, 140-41.

2On December 21, 1838, the House of Representatives amended the resolution by striking out “Wednesday, the 26th” and inserting “the second Monday of January next” in lieu thereof.
Illinois House Journal. 1838. 11th G. A., 1st sess., 127.

3Henry and Job reported on December 26 that the state house commissioners accepted lowest bids from Leroy L. Hill for stone, from John Hay for brick, from West & Quimley for lime, and from Daniel Cartwright for sand. For demolishing the Sangamon County courthouse at the location where the new statehouse was being constructed, the commissioner’s accepted Reuben Radford’s bid. Although it was one dollar higher than the lowest bid, the lowest bidder refused to enter a bond for performance of the contract. The commissioner’s also reported that they were not signing contracts for all work but rather commissioners were overseeing much of the daily labor themselves; that the ten percent for contingencies were for unforseen expenses—like $350 for the rebuilding of a bridge over Sugar Creek, necessary for transporting building materials, after high waters swept it away—that John F. Rague, the architect, was under contract to receive a salary of $1,000 per year; and that to date, there were expenditures of $3,645 for salaries of commissioners, $1,500 for the architect, and $750 for the clerk. The commissioners closed their report by asserting their willingness to make the books available to any member who wished to inspect them.
Illinois House Journal. 1838., 11th G. A., 1st sess., 140-41.
In 1850, there was a stonecutter named William Quamby in Adams County, Illinois, where there were numerous lime and limestone deposits and kilns, so perhaps he was a member of the firm who supplied lime for the building of the new state capitol.
U.S. Census Office, Seventh Census of the United States (1850), Ward 2, Quincy, Adams Co., IL, 273; The History of Adams County, Illinois (Chicago: Murray, Williamson & Phelps, 1879), 529.