The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1899-01-06

penses Of the legislative assembly, and
at the same time they would perform
just as efficiently all the duties imposed
upon the Legislature.
State institution.
I shall very briefly call your atten-
ton to the condition of the different
public institutions of our state.
state Capitol Building.
The Fifth legislative assembly passed
an act repeating the act passed by the
Fourth legislative assembly for the
erection and construction of a state cap
itol building to cost 81, 900, 900. and in
lien thereof, provided for the erection
aud construction Of a building at a cost
not to exceed $500, 900, and for the TAX
ing up and payment of the outstanding
obligations OF the former commission,
amounting to $40. 900.
A complete history of what has been
done with reference to the capitol
building will be found in the report Of
the state capitol building commission,
which you will find upon your desks.
Suffice it to say, that under the act
passed by the Fifth legislative assem-
bly,, a new commission was created by
the appointment of Hon. Elizur Beach
of Lewis and Clarke county, Hon. D.
E. Folsom Of Meagher county, Hon. J.
M. Fox Of Carbon county and Hon. A.
d. Peck Of Deer Lodge county, who to-
gether with the executive Of the state,
composed the capitol building commits
sion. --..
We organized, and before proceeding
further in any way to create an ex-
pense, undertook to find a purchaser for
the $350,O00 worth of bonds authorized
by the act. Not succeeding during
1897, in January, 1898. we thought
probable that if we could raise sufi-
Gent money to pay the architect his
fees and commissions, chat we might
find some contractor who was willing
to erect the building and take bonds i'll
payment. After due advertisement
and consideration of all bids, Messrs.
Bell and Kent of Helena were selected
to prepare the plans and specifications
for the new capitol building and to
superintend the erection and construc-
tioD Of the same, at a total cost of
$3.50. Before these plans had been
fully perfected and completed the CAPT
tol building commission were gratified
to know that Il of our own citizens Of
the state Of Montana and of the city of
Helena, Mr.. Thomas Cruise, came for
ward and agreed to take the whole issue
Of the capitol building bonds at par.
and pay for them at such times and in
such payments as the commission
might require, only charging the inter
est upon the money advanced from the
time of its actual receipt by the ON
mission. Having thus secured the
funds and the plans and specifications
for the capitol building on the thir-
teenth day Of September, 1898, we let
a contract for the building of the state
capitol building, at a cost of $3.50, 821,
to Joseph Soss, a citizen Of Butte, with
whom was associated the Hon. Fl. L.
Frank of the same city. They i'm
mediately went to work in an energetic
way, and at the present time the foun-
dation for the capitol building is almost
completed. The warrants of the old
capitol commission, outstanding, were
bearing Z per cent interest. We i'm
mediately called these in and paid
them off, and have issued bonds in lieu
thereof, bearing 6 per cent interest. A
full history of the financial transactions
Of the commission will be found in the
report submitted for your inspection.
We are assured by the contractor that
the building will be finished and COM
pleted in May, 1900, SO that the next
legislative assembly, instead Of being
called together in the narrow. close and
unhealthy quarters to which you are
subjected, will be able to assemble in
spacious, elegant and we'll ventilated
rooms and buildings, and can enjoy to
some extent the pleasure Of our new
state home.
University.
The last legislative assembly provid-
ed for the issuance Of 800, 900 worth
of bonds, secured by the rents and
profits of the lands granted to the state
university, for the purpose of erecting
university buildings at the city of Mis-
soula. Under this law a commission
consisting Of Hon. Alfred Cave, Joseph
z. Wood, George l.. Higgins, Reuben
Latimer and A. E. Winstanley were an
pointed for the purpose of constructing
the university buildings. They adopted
a wise course by reserving a part Of
their funds for the purpose of equip
ping and furnishing the university.
Plans and specifications for two splen-
did buildings-known as the Main
University Building and Science Hall
were secured and contracts let for
their construction, at a total cost of
about $4,000 These>buildings are al
most completed, and I am assured will
be finished by the first Of February en-
suing. This leaves a fund Of about
$40. 900 to be used in furnishing and
equipping the university with the nec-
essarY APPARATUS, laboratory. library