Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1897-07-30
HARRISBURG LETTER
Designs Of Competing Architects
Submitted For New Capitol,
CRUSADE ON PADDED ACCOUNTS

CRUSADE ON PADDED ACCOUNTS.
Veto OF tho Rocker CONFIRMATION BIZ.
Appropriation For state Normal
Schools Reduced-Coileetio of Bo-
mus on Chartors.
lspeciai Corrcspondonce)
Harrisburg, july 27.-About the mid
die Of August the capitol building com
mission viii be ready 20 Invite pro-
posals for the erection OF the new cap
it0l On Saturday the designs Of the
competing architects We're submitted.
and they are now IN the hands Of the
board Of three experts, consisting Of
Professor Wstren p Laird, Of Phila-
deiphia John NJ Carrere, OF New York,
and Walter Cool,. Of New York These
experts win 20 over and carefully con-
slider the 20 plans submitted and recon-
mend those eight designs which in their
Judgment are best, giving TO each a
rank I'm accordance With It's merit Sat
urday Aug T. the three experts will
make their report % the commission
which win announce lts decision week
later. The first prize in this compcti-
tion win be the designating of the win
ner as the architect Of the legislative
or main building, the only structure at
present provided for. albeit the draw
ing are to include a general group Of
buildings with the legislative as the
central building The winners OF the
second and third prizes in the competi-
tion viii get handsome bronze medals.
II by reason Of youth or inexperience.
or for any other reason, the architect
chosen shall In the Judgment OF the
commissioners, be an unsuitable person
to be placed in charge of this work
he shall, at the request Of the commits
sioners. associate with himself in the
performance Of his duties an architect
who shall be acceptable to the com
missloners. Six of the architects were
especially invited to submit drawings
and were allowed 81 900 each for ex-
penses in order to make sure that first
class architectural skill would be repre-
sented In the competition. On Saturday
the drawings We're all numbered and
small Opaque envelope In each pack
age containing the name of the de-
signer was also numbered. These mum.
bers were given to Judge Simonton
Of this city. and viii be kept by him
untl the commissioners have made
their selection. They will then call
upon him for the envelope number cor
responding with the number on the
design selected and then for the first
time the name of the successful erchi-
tect VIII be known
Crusade on Committees Accounts.
The remarkable crusade OF Cover
nor Hastings against the extraordinary
accounts OF legislative lnvestigating
committees has been the talk OF the
past week From one end of the state
70 the other he has received nothing
but commendation, and 1t is believed
that never again will the governor OF
Pennsylvania be troubled with such
excessive charges. 1t is generally pre-
dicted that future legislatures viii GO
very slow in appointing committees to
investigate all sorts Of charges. Tho
recent session was an unusual one in
this respect, all kinds Of scandal and
every suggestion Of misery In the coal
regions or elsewhere being a sufficient
excuse for the creation OF an inVesu-
eating committee This became so
frequent that Governor Hastings, In a
message TO the lawmakers, toward the
latter part Of the session, took occasion
TO remind them that such committees
were an expensive luxury. intimating
that they should go slow in this direc-
tion. The hint, however did not seem
to have any appreciable effect upon tho
legislature, for when It came to making
up the expense accounts Of these COM
mittees the padding was something
that astonished even experienced legis-
latOrs For several years election CON
In Trf rfH1ss
ing more and more scandalous. II was
expected after contest two years ago
that these contests would cease unless
very strong grounds were presented for
unseating a sitting member, but not
withstanding what occurred at the ses-
sion Of 1896, there were two contents at
the late session. 1t remains to be seen
what the governor will do with the
bills lie wants to know what was
paid to lawyers in these cases, and how
much each member OF committee
spent. and in what way he spent the
money. In other words he is desirous
OF knowing whether there is any reason
for the very large bills which have
been sent 10 him,
There were several investigating
committees. and some of the members
have submitted to the governor in
writing, and others verbally, theii
items of expense. In most cases these
statements have been marked conhden-
tial, and Of course the governor will
respect their wishes 1t Is believed,
however, that he VIII veto most OF
these bills One stenographer In whose
favor u charge OF 1880 was made, has
written to the governor that he never
authorized such a bill, and that his
charges were far below the figures
quoted. Senator Vaughan, Of Lacka.
wanna. repudiated his bill entirely and
said he never intended to accept the
money. Representative Campbell, OF
Westmoreland called on the governor
aud explained that the item of t177 In
his favor represented mileage if it rep
resented anything and that he did not
want a cent unless mileage Is granted
by the governor as a proper item Of
expense.
Becker Bill Vetoed.
The latter part Of the past week a
swinging veto Of the Becker confirma-
tion bill was filed with the secretary OF
the commonwealth. This Is the politi-
cal measure designed by the Quay lead
ers OF Philadelphia 10 unhorse the anti
Quay city administration by requiring
all appointments to be confirmed by
three-flfths Of the members of select
council. In his message the governor
says: There never has been submit
ted 10 me for my consideration a bill
so utterly destitute Of merit It is so
bad that no argument can be made
IN favor OF any Of its provisions The
bill itself furnishes a better argument