Daily Kennebec journal., 1902-05-05
CAPITAL CHAT,
Gov. BurIeigh Does a Good
Turn for Maine Granite.
Maine Men Pleased at States Share
in Public Building Bill.
The Total Amount in the Omnibus B;Il
Is $4,000.

| Washington, May 3.-(SpeciaD The
big New York delegation is the Uouse
of Representatives is very grateful ia
eX-Gov. Burleigh just at present. AS
a member of the House committee on
public buildings and grounds. he Sc
cured for Gotham an increase of 81
0G0.OOO in the cost of the big new Gus
tom house there. Incidentally If might
be said that Gov. Burleigh was con
cerned for granite interests down in
Maine. If the new custom house were
to cost $1,000, 600 more, Maine quarry
men would have opportunity to furnish
granite for the building. If the extra
| million We're not given, the buiIdine
would have to be of cheaper material.
Mr.. John Peirce of New York is the
contractor for constructing the b,1ild-
ing, a Maine man, and his kinsman.
Hon. Albert Peirce of Waldo county is
likewise interested III the construction.
| The BodWell Granite Co. of Rockland,
has a sub-contract for furnishing
granite.
| The New Workers in Congress worked
with their usual futility in regard to
the increase, but Gov. Burleigh took a
| hand with the committee. He insisted
| that it was good business to increase
| the cost of the building. where a great
| proportion of all the custom house
transactions of this country take place
| The building out not only to be as
! capacious as possible. but it ought to
! be of the most substantial character
| At first the House committee was in
| clined to keep the increase out alto
Gether, but Gov. Burleigh's appeal car
| ried the day and the item went in.
Therefore the New Workers. while howl
ing loudly that they did not get their
| appropriation for new post office
| realize that Gov. Burleigh did fine
| service for them in the nick of time
| Maine men here are well pleased at
| the States show in the omnibus pub
| lie building bill. The committee prob
| ably would have allowed $4,000 for the
| Bar HarbOr post office site, but Repre-
sentative Morrell of Philadelphia, a
wealthy man who married one of the
| Dexels and who has cottage at Bar
! Harbor. told the committee that he
| thought $4,000 would purchase a good
site there. In the face of such evidence
| no larger amount could reasonably be
asked for. The amount then agreed
| upon for the Calais site was $4,000 but
at Governor Burleighs earnest request
it was afterwards raised to $4,000.
| Chairman Mercer's report on the ON
nibus bill showed that the population
of Augusta is 1853; of Bangor, 81 $50:
| or Bar Harbor, 1879; and Calais 1865.
| The treasury estimates for the build
ings at Augusta and Bangor were the
same as the sums allowed: $4,000 and
$4,000 respectively The estimate of the
treasury for the public building at Bar
Harbor is $4,000. No estimates were
furnished for the cost of building al
| Calais.
| Names total of $197 900 for public
buildings compared well with other
New England states. New Hampshire
got $4,000; Vermont got $195,OO0: Mas
sachusetts, $26S.000: Rhode Island $1,000:
and Connecticut. $325, 900.
Mrs. Hayden. matron of the Augusta
City hospital, and Miss Vannah, a
trained nurse. graduated from that hos
| pital have been visiting in town, this
week. They came on an excursion with
| a party of New England people who are
registered at the Ebbitt House and the
National Hotel. The federal city is now
| looking its most beautiful and the yis-
| ltorS have had a most enjoyable time
here.
Ex-Gov. Powers has been 1ourshing.
this week. as presiding officer in com.
| mittee of the whole. Speaker Hender-
son asked him to WELD the gavel dur
ing the consideration of the agricul-
tural appropriation bill, which occupied
the best part of four days. The Gov
ernor had 4 number of intricate parIia-
4 mentary decisions to render during the
| course of the discussion, which was
spirited at times. But he held a firm
hand and. with Mr. Asher Kinds of
Portland. clerk to the Speakers desk
and the best-posted man on parlia-
mentary law in the country, at his ell
bow. the Governor had plenty of ma
terial on which to base his decisions.
He was highly complimented for the
grace and ease with which he held the
House to it's business.
There will be large quota of gov
ernment fish. mainly trout and salmon,
put into Maine waters, this year.
United States Fish Commissioner
Bowers stated, today, that the fish
commission would plant 1900, ,00O. 900
little fishes, this year. as against a bill
lion and three quarters, last year.
Maine will get a good big lot of
| those" added the commissioner. 1--WE
are sure to get the site for the lobster
| hatchery at Boothbay. The difficulty
we encountered is only minor one
and a sound title will be vested in the
government after little" Mr.. Bowers
wants an additional $4,000 for a cod
fish hatchery, but he does not at pres
cnt see his way clear.
The dinner given to Secretary Long
Wednesday evening, by the chiefs and
heads of various bureaus of the navy
department, icluded two Maine men,
Gen. Haywood, commandant of ma
times. and Admiral Bradford, chief of
the bureau of equipment and repair
The banquet was held in the spacious
and elegantly equipped dining hall of
the new Willard hotel, where, this
week, the Sons of the American Revo-
luton are holding a national congress.
Senator Hale was invited, but could
rot accept, although he would much
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