The Portland daily press., 1897-12-21
STATE TOPICS OF INTEREST

The new synagogue Beth Israel, of the
Bangor Jewish congregation, the first Of
the kind in hl@ine, was dedicated Sun
day. Rabbi Raphael Lasker of the Union
Park street synagogue, Boston, conse-
Grated the house, and delivered an i'm
pressive discourse to large audience, in
Guiding manly prominent citizens The
synagogue was elaborately decorated
The congregation was organized in 1889,
and has at present about 100 members,
with the hev. Lewis Goldenkopp as
permanent rabbi. The new house is well
located ana spacious nicely finished and
hghted by electricity. 1t was built by
the society, aided by a general subscrip-
ton by the citizens of Bangor, and is
practically cut of debt.
Plans Will soon be ready for brick
wing, basement and five stories, to be
erected on the south side of the Bangor
house, running along Union street to the
park. The wing will be about 4GxS0 feet,
and win contain 90 rooms for guests, 10
on each floor. These rooms will be ar
ranged en- suite, with baths and viii be
fitted with all modern conveniences. In
the basement viii be a fine large billiard
hall and other apartments. The building
will be erected as soon as the weather will
permit, in 1885, The work will be done
by contract, and the cost will be large,
as the construction is to be thorough and
the finish and furnishings Of excellent
description.
Cashier c. S. Hichborn of the First
Nation al Bank of Augusta was seen Sat-
urday in regard to the press despatch
dated at Boston stating that William E.
Packard was arrested Friday morning at
the South End in Boston, charged with
forging check for $40 upon the first
National Bank of Augusta, signing the
mans of e. S. Packard. MIR. Hichbcrn
stated that the check mentioned was re-
ceiYed by MIN about ten days ago, and he
at once notified the Boston bank from
whence it came that he lad 10 one of
that name among his depositors, so it
was forgery. Several small checks, all
under $40, upon the same bank, were re-
ceived last week, and all were payable to
the same person.
At the session Of the Governor and
Council last week over 500, 000in bills
and accounts were approved and reported,
the largest amount being S53,031.3 -, re-
endorsement to the towns Of railroad
and telegraph taxes. They set aside
$50. QUO towards the payment of interest
on the public debt, the remainder Of
which will be approved at the next meet
ing. Of the appropriation for academies,
$4,000 was set aside for IS Of the institu-
tions, there being but one that has not
yet applied for its appropriation. The ap
preparation of $1,000 for burial of soldiers
and sailors has Leen overdrawn by about
$500. Adjutant General Richards has kept
well within the appropriation. for the
militia, amounting to 1872. $50, and has
a small balance remaining. The insur-
ance commissioner has used but about
one-half of the $1,000 appropriated for the
investigation of fires. Among other bills
approved, were the bounty on seals, $Z054
bounty on animals, $1,000; free high
schools, $12, 1000; normal schools, $500.
Superintendent of Public Buildings E..
G. Stevens announced Saturday that the
contract for the decoration of the Senate
Chamber had been awarded to L.. Haber-
stroh & Son of Boston, as they presented
designs that the committee on public
buildings unanimously voted were the
most beautiful as well as the most SER
vieeable of those presented. The con.
tract for the windows was not awarded
for the reason that they will wait until
the dec grating is completed, in order that
they may select the windows in which
the colors will blend best with the coIors
in the decorations.