The Portland daily press., 1891-02-09
Mr.. SPOFFORDS STATE HOUSE is COLD
Nice Little oraugnts Play Hide and
Seek All over It.
The Legislature Will Endeavor to
Save Life, II 1t Can. II
But the Cool Breezes May Send the
Members to their Graves.
Especial to the Press i

AUGUSTA. February last week was a
busy one for the committees. In fact, while
the session bids fair to continue until the
first Of April. its length will not be due to
laziness on the part of the members, The
committees have done some hard work and.
during the past week. besides the daily ses-
sions of committees, the evenings have also
been taken up, the tax committee giving
three hearings and the committee on towns
devoting two evenings to the Camden town
fight. During the coming week, these eve-
ming hearings on taxation will be continued.
They are becoming quite popular with those
who have given attention to the subject, and
the sessions are coming to somewhat resem-
BILE the proceedings of a debating society.
The mo t important of any one hearing so
Tar this session was that on the Clason bill.
which viii be continued next Tuesday. The
interest felt in the question of the adoption
OF the Australian ballot was shown by tho
number of legislators who attended the
hearing. The audience at the hearings on
the Camden division question also contained
many of the members.
Another hearing which is the outcome of
demand as earnest, IL not as extensive as
that Tor ballot reform, will be given this
week. The judiciary committee on Thurs
day will hear the arguments of any persons
u
granting municipal suffrage to women. 1t Is
uncertain yet what the fate of this question
Will bein committee. One of the members
of the committee. when asked about 1t one
day during the past week, was Of the opin-
ion that favorable report might be made.
Another member of the committee. who was
askee the same question on the same day,
thought that while favorable report was
possible, 1t was not at all probable. SO DR..
Blanchard and his fellow workers In this
ms moi hQrQ TuQeaau RnnUinO hat
the committee Is at least open to conviction,
and their case has not been already decided
against them. But even with a favorable
report from the committee, the fate of their
would fnd warm supporters in the two
branches.
The Preservation Of Life.
The action Of the committee on mercantile
affairs and insurance In taking steps towards
provision of law to provide for the proper
inspection of steam boilers in public build
ings, hotels and elsewhere. is In the right di-
rection. The committee have ordered a
hearing on the question, and will probably
afterwards report a BILL Maine has teen
fortunate in the small number of accidents
caused In the state by defective boilers, but
when the papers are full of accounts of such
accidents In all parts of the couatry, it is
we'll to take warning and adopt measures for
which deserves some attention at the hands
of the lawmakers is that of requirements ia
regard to fire ESCAPES for hotels and factO-
ries. The danger arising from the lack of
these safeguards in Maine was urged in the
last report of the Labor G ,mmissioner. Mr..
Porter of Bangor. In presenting his bill pro-
viding for doing away with dangerous grade
crossings. has brought forward another
measure looking to the preservation Of life.
A Haunted State house.
The addition to the State House is haunt
ed, not by the ghosts of the lawmakers Of
past legislatures but by the wraiths of the
winter blasts which move around the build
ing and beat out their lives against its gran
its walls When Architect Spofford put on
the structure roof OF slate and iron alone,
he covered 1t with something which has
been shown to be entirely unsuited to this
climate. When he designed these great
stalrcases, extending from the basement to
the second story with big opening in the
third story above, he gave these winters
ghosts a splendid opportunity to play hide
and seek in the building. Every time an
them whisks in and flies upstairs, the peO-
pie whom be meets feeling his icy touch as
he passes. The ghosts of the winds outside
In the elevator, wander through the halls
aud lurk In all the passage ways. IF these
draughts are not stopped soOn," said one
'there will be number of funerals here be-
fore the session is over" While 1t is to be
hoped that the gentlemaa's remarks will not
prove true. there is no doubt that colds have
been caused by the draughts In the corridors
and many of the members have suffered
from this cause. At the front of the build
ing there is no storm door. The outer doors
In the basement open on passage which
connects with the room from which the main
staircase and elevator shaft both ascend. aud
thus far this winter the d"aughts have beer
more numerous tran the members of the
Third House, even during the great Camden
fight.