The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1905-03-10

edge or the SUBJECT. line ldLIer ndu
sketched out a plan which contem-
plated utilizing substantially all Of the
old capitol, and this sketch was sub
| mitted to the governor and the COM
| mittee. The judges consented to act
at first solely because the movement
| was started in response to their adj
dress. and the work Immediately to
be done related to their department.
Then Came the Fire.
After the fire the judges consented
to continue to act and broaden out the
| details of the contemplated work to
meet the new situation. because it
seemed ihat it was their duty to do
So instead Of taking 4 position that
would probably require Il special ses-
sion of The Legislature, or delay Of
two years in the work of providing a
capitol for the state. The commission
proceeded in the ordinary and orderly
way to Il final conclusion, taking the
advice of an architect distinguished in
his profession, who was named by the
| competitors. Contrary to the ideas
eIltcItdIIicu ny SOlllc lueIuDcIS VI thC
commission, the unanimous sentiment
of the state as voiced in the press after
the fire was for Il plan that would
sometime provide substantially, at
least. a new capitol. All the architects
in producing their plans worked along
| that it was the only practical thing
to do.
What Is the Present Situation?
1t is Il mistake to conceive that the
commission has committed the state to
an expensive capitol. The commits
sion has only awarded prizes for plans
| and recommended the selection Of an
| architect in respect to such work as
| the legislature may see fit to have
done. 1t is true that the Gilbert plan
contemplates the development of a
| capitol, section by section, so that q
complete capitol structure can be
created without using but a part Of
his entire plan, the rest to be devel-
| Oped from time to time as the future
may demand.
And this may be the wisest thing
i to do. One wing of the Gilbert build
| ing may be built for 100000 without
disturbing the present capital. A sec
Ond wing may be later added for a
! like amount, without interfering with
! the old building. In short, it may
seem wiser to spend any money, even
a small amount. on permanent con-
S,t,. atin h0 fo1
the present edifice. 1t looks strong.
but planks and tarred paper cover
parts of it and the north wing is said
to be positively dangerous. It is true
that the Gilbert plan calls for build
ing estimated to cost $5,OOO,OOO, and
would probably cost more. but this is
for the perfected structure-it could be
built in parts and perhaps the final
parts might not be needed for thirty
years / have gone into this in some
detail. for the commission has really
done good work and thought the thing
out carefully. 1t has planned for the
future The national capitol is from
time to time expanded. but on lines
cast over Il century ago. Of course
the commission has labored without
compensation.
Threshing Out Railroad Question. -
There has been d series of after
noon hearings on railway regulation,
though the crowds of listeners have
not beer so large as one might expect.
Mr.. Tom Gill, the Wisconsin Central
expert. is sprightly talker, but, as a
rule, the speeches have not been as
keen and lively as sometimes. Burton
Hanson of the Milwaukee road boldly
mission is not needed, but, as rule,
the railway champions are working
for moderation. One of their sayings
is that very few of the companies in
Wisconsin are making money. and this
is true, but the members are telling
each other that Milwaukee road stock
is quoted at 119 and Northwestern at
much more and as these two systems
have half the mileage of the state, the
lawmakers are confused. One of Mr.
HanSOn's points was this: to compare
tariffs as they are on paper is without
significance because the actual amount
of goods moved is the only true test.
Over 80 per cent of the traffic in Iowa
is made up of grain. soft coal and live
stock: the same amount in Wisconsin
/ is composed of lumber. grain, logs and
soft coal. Twenty per cent of
the Iowa tonnage is in grain and 20
per cent. of the Wisconsin tonnage is
lumber. AS the volume increases the
rate decreases
The four big companies in Wiscon-
sin handled 100000 passengers in
recent year and it is claimed injured
but 11S and killed but four There
are 10000 employees of these roads in
Wisconsin.
Seeking Justice After so Years.
| One of the familiar figures about
the legislature is s. d. Carpenter, bet
ter known as Pump Carpenter. an
editor of the long ago in Madison, who
has Il claim for printing against the
state for $4,000. The old gentleman