Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1900-01-03


Plus wnicn can pe savotea wsif TO vno portion
q the northeast ru ming TO TrinNay he
Columbus feeder and the southern division OF
the Osio canal from Loclbourno to Ports
mouth, may he susceptible TO brighter future,
but only ulder the coalition which applies
with less force to tn > other navigable parts Of
the wdule system
At the present time there Is agitation of the
question of uuli2ing the canal system as IL OBJ
tuins throughout the whole country. New York
state has prepared to thoroughly investigate
the subject before making any extensive re-
pairs ugo her canal sys EN- and especially the
great Erie canal 1 would advise that your
honorable body authorize a commission to be
composed OF entirely unpre1udiced and cofnne-
tent cnuineers TO study the question for this
state. During any time this problem for such
! consider it to be. remains undetermined,
sible ana consistent. having always In view the
preservation OF the features OF the public
works, be instituted. 1t is my belief that in
the future It viii be found expedient to change
the method OF supervision OF the canal system
The plan adopted In New York state would
seem most nearly TO meet that which consider
to be our future need. IL Is my opinion that
there is by such reform opportunity for the
saving OF great deal OF monov to the state
NEW STATE BUILDING.
In compliance with the act OF April 49, 1898,
providing Tor the erection OF new state build
ing. aud making an appropriation of si0O,0JJ
therefor, on yne 26th day Of April, 1893 APP
pointed Charles A. Bauer, OF Clark county;
Andrew ID. Rodgers OF Franklin county and
Lewis L. SChaus, of Licking county, who, toe
gether with the governor ana attorney general,
constituted the state building commission BY
the death Of Mr. Bauer, which occurred on June
H. 1899 the commiss on lost a valuable mem
Der. The vaca lUv thus caused has been filed
by the appointment of T.. L. Lyburger of CO.
shocton county ON May 2S, 1895, the commits
sion met and organized by eleoting the gov
ernor as chairman and A. ID. Rodgers. vice
chairman. Tho matter of choosing u site for
1.-The building being the first thing for the deter
mination OF the commission, advertisement
was made in Columbus papers asking for pro-
posals for tho sale of real estate TO be sub
mitted on June 4.
Ol that date the commission held a meeting
and considered IL such Offers but after a care
full examination of the same with reference to
availability, convenience and price, and OF all
questions bearing upon the subject of site, the
commission deemed it wise TO reject all pro-
posals, and unanimously adopted resolution
selecting a portion OF the state house grounds
at such distance from the state house uni on
the east side thereof, and entirely detached
theTefrOm, as seemed most convenient and n 5
allowing the construction of u building archi-
tecturally harmonious with the present capi-
t0l. The knowledge that no adequate or pro-
per building could be constructed il such an
amount az the cost of an avlilible site should
be deducted from the appropriation, and the
explicit instructions OF the law directing loca-
tion upon the state capitol grounds as an ul-
tentative to the site question. were the deter
mining factors IN this decision. At this meet
ing the commission caused advertisement to be
nude asking architects To submit plans, specl-
ncauons and estimates OF cost for such u build
ing to be approNima; ely % feet Oy 2l3 feet in
size of the same general style OF architecture
as the present state house, such pans, etc, to
be submitted on June pa
The commission carefully considered all Of
the plans. and adOp,ed the plans and sketches
submitted by Samuel Hannaford g. Sons, as
being deemed most suitable. On August 20
the arch tactS submitted complete detail plans
etc, which were approved by the commission
the governor, secretary OF state and auditor
of state. as required by law, ana advertise
ments asking FOR bids Tor construc ion were
ordered mlde On September2 81 the commis-
sion met an publicly opened the bids received
Y and SDDtemDer - contracts were awarded tn TX
bidders amounting TO S279. .t6SDi covering the
construction Of the building entire, exclusive
of elevators furnishing. decorations. fittings
and restoration of the grounds At this time
all contracts have been made for all the work
| TO be performed and IN lterials to be furnished
| necessary TO fnisa the work and equip the
| building ready for occupancy, all within the
| appropriation made by ths legislature
| Immediately after awarding the first con-
| tracts work was commenced and progressed
| so rapidly that on February l6 1899, the corner
| stone was laid with due ceremony Work
/ upon all contracts has been performed to the
satisfaction OF the commission and tie archi-
| tects. and there has been no materid n delay
except upon the contract for cut stone, which
| was TO have been completed on Oct 1bsr Is la ST.
| There Is the best Of r.as n TO believe how
| ever that this building will he'completed and
| occupied BY the derartmonts for which it is
designed during the stssi jon of this general
assembly.
THE STATE DEPARTMENTS.
! 1t is more than pleasure 10 me to report
! the unabating zeal and etlicicn3S Of those In
! contrOl OF tne executive uepar,lne Is ana those
! who constitute the ah of the gon5rai elective
| and nppointive state orrcers. As far as my
| knowledge extends, the very best results OBJ
/ tainable have rewarded the labor. The great
! Increase OF business which comes each year has
required the best energies OF all but the ex-
! lgeDcY has been met in every ilstanee,
THE STATE LIBRARY.
! The past two years have witnessed increased
interest in the library movement throughout
| the state. New libraries have cen opened:
those already es ablished have Eeen strength
| ened and donations an b'quests have been
made for buildings and equipment. In great
er numb Der Of cities Libraries are now supported
/ by taxation Tie vonty-sect nd g. eIal as
sembly enacted law, placing the o lio state
/ library under the management OF q board OF
library commissioners. Soon after the board
| was organized the Old and absurd custom of
| keeping the library for Il privileged few was
abolished, and the circulating department was
| opened on equal terms to all citizens of the
state and provision was made for the travelling
| library system. The changes inaugurated have
| led to u greater circulation of books among
the people. The AS libraries sent out the past
year have been distributed throughout the
| state to w men clubs, schools, oranges, libra
| ries, Sunday schools and other organizations
| They have gone to all parts Of the state. Fully
| three-fourths of them have been sent to rurai
districts and communities that do not have ac-
cess to free libraries. The system has awak-
ened new Interest ia the lrlry movement.
Ohio needs permanent home for it's library
and for the collections OF history, archaeology
and art, which have been and are await n
some such rep pJStory. Given building whicr
cou ID be constructed in CommcmoratiOn OF th(
centennial period and IA place would be pro
vided In which could be kept the almost price
less mementoes OF the past as well as being
modern store house OF literature. The Ohio
Archaeological aud Historical society is prac-
iCally without q home, and by Joining thest
state departments and housing them in an ade
quate manner upon central site, there would