Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1904-03-14

north wing and the rotunda and of the
south wing for Offices upon the second,
third and fourth floors.-heretofore
used for legislative committee rooms,
library commission and auditorium
will. together with the n-rth wing. by
actual measurement, afford more office
room for the departments of the state
than were available before the fire.
This limited expenditure will furnish
suitable and serviceable quarters for
all the state officials which can be used
until such time as the legislature shall
provide for the building of new cap
itol. or the restoration or enlargement
of the present structure.
Will not Bind Legislature.
This course will in no way interfere
with the utmost freedom of action on
the part of the'legislature in dealing
with the whole subject when the plans
are placed before them. The question
whether the present structure should
be enlarged or rebuilt upon its present
foundation, or whether an entire new
capitol should be erected, is a question
which should be committed to the leg
islature to determine But the author
ity to repair is not only vested in the
custodian of the capitol and of every
state building by the act of the legis-
lature which prohibited insuEjng state
property, but il is his duty to make
such repairs.
am therefore constrained to be
lieve that it. would be unwise to impose
upon the people of the state the unnec-
essary expense of malry thousands of
dollars. which il would cost to convene
the legislature at this time.
Furniture and Records.
Besides the damage TO the capitol
building, further loss was sustained
upon other property owned by the
state. The other property destroyed or
damaged consisted of office furniture,
fixtures, books, aud also the war rel
les. mementoes, pictures and portraits
in the headquarters of the Grand Army
of the Republic. IL is impossible at
the present time to definitely deter
mine the extent of the loss upon this
and no amount of money can
measure the value of the cherished me-
MORALS which had been collected in
the Grand Army headquarters. Ten
thousand dollars would amply cover
the loss upon furniture, fixtures and
books.
No Insurance.
At the time of the fie there was no
purchased insurance in force on the
capitol building or its contents. AS
shown by the records there never was
any insurance carried on the capitol
prior to 1897. No act of the legislature
had ever been passed pertaining to the
insurance of the capitol or other state
until the session of 1908. At
that session, the legislature with a
single dissenting vote in each house,
enacted chapter 60.
The governor here presents the law,
which abolishes the purchasing of in
surance. establishes the state insur-
ance fund, prescribes the duty and
gives the authority TO repair CT restore
a state building damaged by fire.
I have endeavored in the foregoing
statement, to perform the official duty
of placing before the people of the
state. the misfortune which has befal-
len US, as completely and exactly as
possible at the present time. Wiscon-
sin has grown to be a great and
wealthy state, and the material loss
can he repaired The capitol building
can be restored to its old form, or a
new and larger state house erected
upon modern lines. But the old CAPT
tol, the. erection of which began July
4. 1887, and was completed during tie
civil war period, was very dear to the
people of this commonwealth, for the
historical associations and precious
memories which gathered about its of
fees and legislative halls. These in
their old-time form are taken from us,
and we feel the loss most keenly. But
| am confident that public opinion and
every sentiment of pride in the past
will unite to preserve everything
which can with practical wisdom be
made available in giving TO the state
capitol commensurate with its rank
and power. Respectfully submitted,
Robert NJ. La Toilette,
Governor.