The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-03-12
Executive Department.
NNi = 20 'i'i 49, .
Harrisburg, Pa. March II

WillCh was referred to the buildings
committee
Executive Department,
Harrisburg, Pa, March II.
The pressing necessity for legislative
action providing for the erection of
capitol suitable for the meetings of the
general assembly prompts me respect
fully to call your attention to the
emergency confronting us The fire of
Feb. 2, 1897, having destroyed the main
capitol buildings, your honorable bodies
are now occupying quarters which are
necessarily only temporary. A differ
ence of opinion naturally exists among
the people as well as among the mem
berS of your honorable bodies as to
what should be done and the manner
| of doing it, TO erect a single building,
of such ample proportions as would be
necessary to accommodate all the de
partlnents of the state government is
advocated by some, whilst others be
lieve that the better plan would be to
erect group of buildings for the aC-
commodatiOn of the general assembly
and the several departments of the
state government. a single building
Of sufficient size would in all probabil-
ity require many years for its compile
| tiUn ana all agree that the cost would
| be very great. TO adopt the other
! plan, viz: that of a group of build
| ings, each suitable for Il specific de
| partipent, appears to meet with more
| general approval The cost, / am ad-
| vised, would not be nearly so great
and the effect from an architectural
standpoint, scarcely less imposing.
! This would be to follow, with such
| improvements as might be suggested,
| the existing plan of separate buildings
which have been found convenient ana
| satisfactory except for the increasing
demand for additional room made
| necessary by the growth of our pouu
| lation and business interests. 1t will
| be conceded by all that whatever plan
| may be adopted, we should keep in
view the probable public needs for at
| leas. a century to come.
MOST FEASIBLE PLAN.
After a somewhat careful study of
| the question, | have reached the con-
ClusiOn that the public interests will
| be best served by erecting, first, a
| building suitable for the meetings of
| the general assembly, with enlarged
| accommodations for its officers and
! committees, ana, subsequently as
| part of the same general plan and as
| the finances of the state will permit to
replace the buildings now occuped by
! the department of internal affairs,
agricultural department., adjutant gen
| erals office, banking, insurance and
other departments. 1t is manifest that
/ the several buildings now occupied by
these departments of the state govern
!
| and replaced without most serious in
convenience and Interruption of the
/ public business, to say nothing of the
! lack of funds available or Obtainabe
for such purpose. The records in these
! epartments-partc in the de-
partmcnt of internal affairs and :he
| adjutant generals oitice-are most
valuable, and those not in immediate
daily use should, at the earliest prac-
ticable time, be stored in a fire proof
building. A main capitol building for
| the meeting of the general assembly
should in my judgment. be Immediate
/ ly put in course of erection, and COM
| pleted in time for the session of the
Legislature in 1899. 1t should be
planned, | respectfully submit, with
reference to the buildings to accom-
| mOdate the other departments subSe-
Quently to be erected, should be built
If brick, stone and iron, fire proof in
character and while preserving the
colonial style of architecture, should
be in all respects a capitol building
as will comport with the dignity of
| the commonwealth, In this building,
when completed, could be found stor-
| age room for the records in the other
| departments above referred to, which
! are now in constant danger of loss
from fire.
CONSTITUTIONAL LIMITATIONS.
law making power such limitations as
| prevent the creation of debt for or on
behalf of the commonwealth, so that we
are impeled from stern necessity so to
Curtail the expenditure necessary for
the erection of public building as to
| be within the bounds of strict economy
and our ability to pay as we go. The
| long continued depressed condition of
| business warns us to avoid increased
! taxation. The present estimated reve-
| nueS will not be sufficient to maintain
the state establishment and give such
aid to our school and charitable and
penal institutions as they have the right
| to expect aud which seem to be abSo-
| lutely necessary. i Is not wise to in
| crease taxation unnecessarily, and thus
encourage profigate expenditure of
public funds, even in times so prosper
! Gus that the citizen can afford to pay
the taxes imposed but at q time when
the wages Of labor are at the lowest
the farm ard the factory yielding little
| profit and every department of business
in a crippled condition, such taxation
necessary. rms cGntingency, in my