Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-01-22
Each House May Occupy Its
Own Chamber When General
Assem- oIy Reconvenes
! TENTED LEGISLATIVE HALL
Ceiling Is Covered With Great, White
Canvas, Simply But Effectively Dsc-
Grated With Blue Buntins-G.lIeries
Shut o#-FaIse Rumor of Opposition
to Murphy and Tcdford.
Special to Tlmes-Repuhlican.

Il
Des Mcines, Jan 22-when the gen
eral assembly of Iowa reconvenes next
Tuesday after ten days recess made
necessary on account of the fire in the
state capitol, each house will he able to
occupy its own chamber. and despite
the fire whici, had unrestrained play in
the great hall of the house in the
north wing. the house Will be able to
meet in perfect comfort and with sur
roundings not discouragng to good
work. The hall was a blackened mass
OF ruins ten days ago. When the house
meets there II will be a veritable white
hall. tented legislative chamber. The
lines of temporary repair, which were
| pointed out by State Architect Liebbe
| Immediately after the fire have been
followed closely by the capitol COM
mission. The firebrick which formed
the attic roof We're all knocked out
and only the steel girders left sus-
pended. The entire ceiling was already
gone, for 1t had hung from the attic
floor with steel rods. A great canvas
of unbleached duck was suspended
where the ceiling had been, and this
comes down over the galleries at each
end of the hall. 1t is looped in various
places and fastened with great but-
tons, and Is simply decorated with
great folds and loops OF blue bunt-
Ing gracefully draped over the white
cloth. Some OF the Imitation marble
columns at the sides were burned out
entirely. Temporary columns have
been erected and these are covered
with white and blue cloth. All Of the
windows have been restored in full
The effect OF this treatment OF the
hall is excellent. On entering one feels
| like he is under great circus tent
| The only part OF the hall that Is gone
Is the galleries and there VIII be no
place for the eager multitude to sit
and listen to the statesmen as they de-
liver grand orations. But the hall is
large and the visitors may be accom-
modated on the legislative floor ex-
cept in rare cases. 1t is believed the
acoustics of the house chamber will.
be really improved by the changes
made. 1t Is notoriously a much harder
hall in which to talk than the senate
chamber The carpet has been relaid
It is badly faded and discolored from
water and ashes that fell upon II, but !,
was not otherwise injured. The re-
porters desks have been repaired and
the members desks have been reno
waited and vanished. and will be as
good as ever for all practical purposes
Temporary electric lights have been
placed IN the room and the heating
system has been put in order. The
speakers room and the clerks office
and all the committee rooms, save the
ones just over the speakers room. will
| be ready for use. Members Will not
| experience any particular inconven-
ience by reason of the fire. The cap
itol commission will hardly expend all
OF the $4,000 made available for the
repair OF the hall and will be able to
do much more than was originally con-
| templated. And the novelty OF a leg
islative session under great white
tent will be something for which. at
least the Thirtieth general assembly
will be remembered.
An effort has been made in sensa-
tional Des MONIES newspaper to have 1t
appear that the members Of the legis-
lature are preparing to make fight
against B. Murphy. state printer, and
Howard Tedford, state binder, and
that the caucus to renominate these
men has been deliberately put of by
! the republicans OF the general assem-
bly, for the purpose Of causing trou-
BILE. Nothing could be further from
the truth and it fairly illustrates the
kind OF rnoonshine that is being doled
out in some newspapers for the delec-
tation Of Iowa readers. There Is no
opposition to Murphy and Tedford.
! The only reason the caucus was not
called was because the members did
not find it convenient the first week OF
the session. In this connection the re-
port OF G. c. Hesr. the expert account
ant employed by the state executive
council TO examine the accounts of the
state, has Just been made public, and
this covers the operations OF the state
printer and state binder for the year
1902. The report said in regard to the
state printing business:
The period OF my examination OF the
work done by the state printer In
ciuded the work necessary for the
Twenty-eighth general assembly From
my knowledge of the printing business
/ was enabled to make thorough In
vestiEation and computation of the
price and allowance made for each
piece OF work find that the depart
ment of the secretary of state has
given careful attention to all bills pre-
sented by the state printer for approv-
all, and that the bills allowed and paid
were within the meaning and intent OF
the law. In several instances where
stock has been furnished. by the print
err. 1t is my opinion that the price
charged the state is more than should
have been charged
In reference to the work of the state
binder the report to the executive
council states:
I'm my investigation of the work
done by the state binder during the
period o; examination. l had samples
submitted to me and | made careful
comparison and compilation. covering