The news & observer., 1905-01-25
Enlarge State Capitol Or
Erect New Building.
FOR MORE PENSIONS
State Treasurer Refunded $374.S4,
Evento of Day in House, While Sem
ate Witnesses Graceful Present
alton of Gavel to Lieut..
Governor Winston.

Interesting sessions were held yes
erday in both House and Senate. In
both bodies the message from the Gov
srnor received great attention, and
there seemed to be universal favor for
some action in regard to the suges-
ion contained in the message. Cover
aor Glenn recommended that either
a wing be added to the State Capitol,
Or new building be erected on the
States property at the corner of Sails
bury and Morgan streets for providing
proper departments for the Insurance
Commissioner, Secretary of state and
Superintendent of Public Instruction.
In the House among the many inn
portant matters discussed, the bill TO
refund to Mr.. y. r. Lacy, State Treas
lrer, s374S4, took precedence, and
provoked a heated and prolonged de-
bate, but was finally passed, and Mr..
Lacy will get back that sum, being the
amount of Major Martins defalcation.
The Senate considered earnestly the
1ill of Mr.. Odell increasing by $91,-
300 the pensions to ex-Confederates.
and finally decided to put the mat
ter off until @ week from next Fri
day.
But the most graceful and beautiful
feature of this session of the Legisla-
ture was the presentation yesterday OF
gavel silver lined, and made OF
historic wood, to Lieutenant-Governo
Winston, as presiding officer Of the
Senate by Senator Charles French
Toms, of Henderson, in behalf of
Rutherfodr county The event was
one richly enjoyed by all who witness
ed it.
SENATE-EIGKTEE DAY.
The Senate met at II o'clock, Lieut..
Gov. Turner presiding. and prayer was
offered by Rev. DR.. w. G. Tyree, OF
the First Baptist church.
The first business before that body
was a message from Governor Glenn
in regard to the erection of Hall
of Records. The full text of the mes
sage is as follows:
ITO the Honorable the General AS
sembly of North Carolina
Gentlemen From q careful read
ing of the the report of the Secretary
of state, and also the recommends
tons made by the retiring Governor
in his annual message, you will per-
ceiVc the absolute necessity of some
steps being taken to provide adequate
room for certain of the state Depart
ments, as well as places suitable for
the keeping of valuable records, now
the city of Raleigh. The records and
papers belonging to the office OF the
Secretary of state. as well Is those
in the Executive and superintendent
of Public Instructions offices are most
valuable, and their loss by fire or
entail not only great incon-
venience, but great financial loss to
the State. and yet these papers are
piled up in different buildings, made
quately protected from fire or other
destructive means, and are liable at
any time to be lost or destroyed. Also
an inspection of the office of the
Commissioner of Insurance will show
that his department is over-croWded
and entirely insufficient for its de-
and as the work in this office
is increasing annually adding very
largely to the finances at the states
command, something ought and must
be done to give him more room and
better facilities or else tho State Will
suffer matcria! loss. In addition TO this
the building in which the stale Lib
rary is now kept is unfit for the
weight, of the books placed upon its
floors and serious and fatal results are
likely any day to follow from THIS
department being so insecure. AS Is
well known to you, only few days
ago a breakage of some kind occurred
in the floor Of the State Library and
it is nov pronounced unsafe, and arch
itects and contractors are now at
work trying to remedy the damage
From their report it seems that in the
future ii will be unWiSc TO continue TO
pile books and papers upon floors
that might at any moment give way
destroying not only this department.
with its books and records and files
Of newspapers over one hundred years
old, full of valuable information, but
likewise doing great injury 70 the
whole Supreme Court Building.
THE Secretary of State is today pay
ing $S00.25 per annum for the rent OF
rooms in different parts of the city
in which TO store his records, histori-
cal papers, books and manuscripts.
and in addition to this will be COM
pcled to rent for this year new
building. entirely unsuitcd for fine pur-
pose, situated about half-a-mile from
the Capitol, for which he will have to
pay $500 per month. i'll order to
have q place to store the laws passed
by this General Assembly, and the
Code which is now III course OF enact
nent There must also be added TO
this cost. the cost OF insurance on
supplies, etc. paid through
the Adjutant Generals Department.
You can sec therefore the need Of
some place TO store these records etc.
as well as to furnish apartments for
the Commissioner of Insurance. the
State Library, and the superintendent
ii Public Instruction. 1t seems to mo
therefore that one Of two courses
should be adopted by your Honorable
Body One, to add to our present
Continued on Page Six.)