The Somerset reporter., 1903-04-02
Court House Extension.

as erected under direction of the board
of county commissioners. Even when
erected the building was not Just what
it should have been and hardly up to the
requirements of the public business Of
the people and courts of the county AT
that date.
The natural and inevitable tendency of
public records is to accumulate. The
safety vaults that were adt quate thirty
years ago are entirely inadequate now
Thus the vaults connected with the clerk
of courts office, the probate Office and
with the registry of deeds must be
enlarged. The law library which has
now reached respectable proportions,
and which is growing year by year, has
never been ade quately or even respectfully
housed This library is one of the i'm
portant adjuncts of the county seat not
only to the legal fraternity but to the
county officials and to the people of the
county. 1t should be given sufficient
space and be properly arranged where it
can be readily accessible to attorneys,
officals and citizens.
The extension of the court house of
Somerset county Is not a new project.
For ten years past it has been canvassed
to certain extent, and, but for the
large expense incurred in building a new
Jail, it would have been reached some
years ago. Two years ago the project
was presented to the legislature and re-
ferred to the Somerset delegation. The
delegation, however, by small majority
was unfavorably disposed and blockedit.
The past winter the conditions were
more favorable, the county relieved from
indebtedness, and the Somerset county
delegation In the legislature very prop.
erly favored placing the county build
ings in condition that will not be dis
creditable to the county.
We trust our board of county COM
missioners, while making no unnecessary
outlay, will spare 20 pains or expense to
put the court house into condition that
will not only suffice for present accom-
mediation but will also be adequate for
period of time at least as long as that
which has expired since its erection.
Following is the act providing for the
extension:
STATE OF MAINE.
In the year of our Lord one thousand nine
hundred and three.
An Act to authorize the County Commits
sioners of Somerset County to borrow a sum
of money with which to build an extension
to the Court House in Skowhegan, in said
county.
Be 1t enacted By the Senate and House
Of Representatives in Legislature dssembl-
ed, as follows:
Section /. The treasurer Of the county Of
Somerset is hereby authorized to procure
loan, on the faith and responsibility of said
county, Of such sum or sums of money as the
county commissioners of said county shall by
order direct, not exceeding in all twenty FIVE
thousand dollars, exclusive Of and in addition
to loans provided for by section seventeen Of
chapter seventy. eight of the Revised Statutes,
as amended by chapter two hundred
and seventy.six Ct the Public Laws
Of the State of Maine for the year
1850, to be expended by and under the
direction of the county commissioners OF said
county for the purpose of charging, improv-
ing and repairing the county court house and
appurtenances thereof in said county, the in
terest on said sum sums to be paid annual
ly, and the principal to be reimbursed by said
county at such time or times as said commits
sioners may agree upon, but the whole
amount to be paid within twenty years; and
the said treasurer is hereby authorized to
issue his scrip as county treasurer therefor,
with coupons for interest attached, or to
issue interest bearing, negotiable promissory
notes of said county therefor, payable in
manner as aforesaid, such scrip, and coupons
and notes to be signed by the treasurer and
countersigned by the county commissioners
Of said county.
Section 2. But said county commissioners
shall not authorize the loan hereinbefore
provided until after notice and public hearing
thereon by said county commissioners, which
hearing shall be given at the court house in
Skowhegan the second Tuesday of June, 1903,
and notice thereof, setting forth the time,
place and purposes of said hearing shall be
given by publication in each and every news
paper published in said county, the first pub
LEGATION in each newspaper to be at least
thirty days before said hearing.
Section 8. For the purpose of carrying out
the provisions of this act, the county com
missioners of Somerset county are authorized
to take by eminent domain, any land that
may be necessary, contiguous to the court
house lot, in said Skowhegan. They shall
file in the registry Of deeds office in the
county Of Somerset, plans of the location of
any land taken under the provisions of this
act, anu no entry shall be made on any land
except to make surveys, until the expiration
OF ten days from said filing; and with such
plans the said commissioners may file in the
office of the registry OF deeds aforesaid, a
statement Of the damages they are ready to
pay any person for any property, SO taken,
and if the amount finally awarded does not
exceed such sum, the county shall recover
costs against such person, otherwise such
person shall recover costs against the
county. If any person is aggreved by
the award Of damages made by the
said county commissioners, they may ap
peal to the next term OF the supreme judicial
court for the county Of Somerset, to be held
at said Skowhegan, after thirty days from the
date Of the fling OF said plans and statement
in the office of the registry of deeds, and all
subsequent proceedings shall be had in the
same manner and under the same conditions,
restrictions and limitations as are by law
provided in the case Of damages by the laying
out of highways.
Treasurer +. G. Eveleth of the Maine
State Agricultural Society, sent checks,
"Wednesday. IN the exhibitors for one