The Portland daily press., 1895-01-22
Plans of Architect Stevens Of Port
land Accepted.
AN ATTACK MADE ON BIDDEFORD'S
POLICE COMMISSION.
General Approval of the Plans of the New
Structure-The Opera House to be on
the Second Floor and Will Have One of
the Finest Stages in Maine.
Especial to the PRESS. }

Especial to the PRESS.)
Biddeford, Me-, January 21.-At meet
ing of the city council tonight, held to con-
slider the rebuilding of the burned City hall.
one of three plans submitted by John Calvin
Stevens, the Portland architect, was
adopted without any opposition.
The three plans have been examined by
hundreds of citizens In the last week ana
the plan adopted has met tie approval of
nearly ALL 1t provides for large opera
house upon the second, instead of the third
floor, as formerly. The old opera house was
always considered unsafe. The stage and
the larger part of the new opera house will
lie contained in an ell, to be constructed at
the hack side of the building, the opera
house running back from Main street. in
stead of being par alle1 with it as before.
The entrance will be from Main street and
there will be a tall and handsome clock
tower over the entrance. The hall will have
balcony, will seat 1900 people and will
have one of tie finest stages in the state.
The South street side of the building will
be widened, providing for the police station
on the ground floor. and for more offices
above. General satisfaction has been ex-
pressed with this plan and Mr.. Stevens has
received many compliments for his quick
ness in catching the idea of what the people
here want Mr.. stevens WAS out tonight
and explained the details of the plans to
the city government.
AS the question of which plan to accept
had been decided in caucus. everything re-
garding the city building went along
smoothly but there WAS quite lively de-
bate in the lower board over the following
resolution that was sprung by Councilman
VIM. F. II. Bardsley:
To the Legislature of the State of Maine:
Resolved, That we, as msmbers of the
Bidd eford city government, do hunbiy pray
your honorable body now In session at Au-
gusta, that you will not pass any bill at this
session in regard to the government of the
City of Biddeford.
Mr.. Bardsleyss,,made quites speech. in
which he attacked the police commission
and from his remarks it appeared that his
resolution was called out by some move
ment talked of to abolish constables, who at
various times have made themselves OBJ
noxious here by black-mailing liquor deal
els. MIR. Bardsley said that if the constables
were abolished the "syndioate' referring
probably to the liquor dealers, would have
it all their own way. He said the police
commissioners had done nothing. and that
the people wanted no more state legislation
for Biddeford. He said that Biddeford was
continually pointed to as place that could
not govern itself. charge which he
vehemently denied.
Councilman Wakefield opposed the passage
of the resolution. and said that the con-
stables were of no use and that when they
did do anything .hey made themselves OBJ
noxious. He moved to lay on the table.
This motion was lost, bnt finally the resolu-
tion was voted down.
Mr.. Bardsley then began to prepare an
other resolution, but Mr.. Wakefield moved
to adjourn.
Councilman Ryan claimed that it was in
tended to obstruct business, and held that
1t was out of order. The chair ruled that it
was not, and this brought ON a heated argn-
ment, but finally the board adjourned. The
board is entirely Republican. as is the upper
board.