The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1901-01-31
Court House Extension.

here 10 1873, wae reasonably well adapt
ed to the uses Of the county at the time
1t WAS built but 1t WAS never quite large
enough, some of the rooms were some.
what cramped even then and the accu-
mutation of Yecords and documents, dur
Ing the more than a quarter of century
that has elapsed, has not helped the
matter any. The county was not re-
stricted at the time as to the expense OF
erection of the court house by the donor,
the late Ex-Governor Abner Coburn, but
the commissioners In charge did not
seem TO adequately anticipate the future
needs of the county.
In offices Of record like those of clerk
of courts, register of probate ana regis
ter of deeds, there Is necessarily increase
of books of record and documents, re.
curing more space and better facilities
for convenient filing, where they may
be available for examination and refer
ence. These records and papers have
outgrown the space allotted to them %
years ago, and more room, II not abso-
lutely imperative, is very greatly needed.
Another matter, connected with the
proposition to enlarge, is the county
law library. There has never been a
place provided for this valuable collec.
ton of legal books, so necessary to
courts that convene there, and to the
officers of the county. The books are
stacked around In different rooms on
floors altogether too small for their
proper arrangement and USE Beside
not being convenient for courts, officers,
attorneys and people generally, the con.
dition of the law library at this time as
now arranged, is not creditable to the
county.
There has for some years been more
or less desultory conversation about en-
larging the court house but Of late the
project has taken on more of business
attitude. Somerset attorueys-at-law are
now moving in the matter. An informal
meeting was held recently and it is well
understood that all the members of the
Somerset bar are in favor of something
being done without delay. Several
Skowhegan lawyers appeared before the
county commissioners, Monday last, to
urge upon that board the necessities of
the case. Among these were Messrs.
S. j. Walton, E. n. Merrill, Geo. w.
Cover, L. L. Walton and w. T. Seekins.
Sheriff Pencil and County Treasurer
Patten were also present.
The commissioners are evidently alive
to the importance of the project and will
give ir the attention it deserves. Or
course the question OF expense and the
ways and means" of meeting it are not
to be lightly considered. The county
already has debt of $4,000 In round
figures, and, without further legislation
or vote of the county, the commission
ers cannot increase this debt above
$40, 900, additional. This amount would
be available by way of loan, which
could be easily made at fair rate of
interest. No plans have been drawn or
estimates made of the probable cost of
the extension. The project has not de.
veloped sufficiently for this, but $4,000
to S25, 900 have been named as approx
mate expenditures 10 the work. Thus
would the commissioners on the start be
handicapped without relief from the
legislature or authority from the voters
of Somerset towns.
We understand that it is proposed to
apply to the lawmakers now In session
at Augusta for the passage of a resolve
allowing the county commissioners to
hire sum not exceeding $4,000 for this
purpose. II this authority Is granted
the project will be very greatly simpli-
fled and the raising of the needful IA
cilitated.
AS we look upon 1t, the extension of
the court house is simply question Of
time. 1t will have to be done before
many years. Whether it Is practicable
to do it the coming year or within two
years is the problem that presents
Itself to the county commissioners at
this time.