The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-02-18
Committee Will Decide
Next Monday Night.
100000 BOND ISSUE
TO Be Made If the Bill to Add The Two
Wings to the Capitol, and Garry
Out Recommendations Of Leg.
isiative Committee is
Passed.

The joint committees on Public
Buildings and Grounds next Monday
will adopt some bill authorizing either
the enlargement of the Capitol or the
erection of the proposed new build
ing. The sentiment of the committee
was in favor of favorable action on
one of the bills, or q substitute. ana
the consensus of opinion was that
bill providing for the one or the 9TH
or will be adopted at the next meet
ing.
There was a full attendance of men,
bers Of the committee of both Senate
and House, and they listened patient
~ and attentively to the speeches
made.
The first bills discussed at the
meeting were those authorizing the
Board of Public Buildings and
Grounds to pave the walks of the
Capitol Square, and the bill to author
ize the board to repair the Capitol
walks and grounds. The latter bill
was introduced at the request or the
Governor
Mr.. Cunningham moved that the lat
ter bill be reported favorably, ana
the motion carried.
The memorial of T.. j. Hale, w. a.
Montgomery. A. C. Avery and $. A.
Ashe from the North Carolina Library
and Historical Society, in connection
with establishing the Record of North
Carolina during the War Between the
states and placing memorials or tab
lets on the battlefield of Chickamauga.
showing the position of the troops
OF this state, and asking that conn
mission be appointed to cooperate
with those in charge of the battle
ground be appointed, was considered.
The bill was reported favorably. and
the following gentlemen recommended
TO serve on the commission: Senator
Long. of Person, and Representatives
Cunningham and McGill.
The bill providing for the improve
ment and enlargement of the state
Capitol. and involving a bond issue
of S300.0 900, was considered.
Mr.. Powers offered q substitute bill,
providing that the report of the COM
mittee appointed by the last General
Assembly be adopted. and that a COM
mission be appointed composed of the
four members of the Board of Pub
lie Buildings and Grounds, the Chief
Justice, one Senator and two members
of the House. to be known as the State
- Capitol Commission, and they shall
carry into effect the report of the
committee appointed by the last Leg
issue of 100000.
Mr. Powers said the time has come
when it is necessary to enlarge the
Capitol, to provide for more and better
accommodations for the States Off
GERS, and for the safe keeping of in
valuable records. The builders of the
present Capitol We're wise men. and
constructed q magnificent edifice. They
were not afraid Of the old scare crow
of jeopardizing the State and throwing
it into ruinous debt by Il bond issue,
and now the General Assembly should
address itself to the duty of providing
for the States present needs in re-
gard to the Capitol. and be "a pride
of the generations to come. The bonds
run for so years. and if the state con-
tinues in the future to progress and
prosper as it has in the past it can
pay these bonds with its pocket
change.
Mr. Frank P. Milburn. of Column
bia, s. c., who drew the plans for
the enlargement of the Capitol ac-
copied by the legislative committee.
was present, and invited to speak.
He related his associations with the
legislative committee, and denied the
statement that the two proposed wings
could not be built of granite
from the quarry near Raleigh, where
the original granite came from. He
said il had also been asserted that the
wings could not be erected for $780,
900 each. He would guarantee that
the wings could be built for $4,000
metry of the building would
be perfectly preserved. 1t was
proposed when the Capitol was
built that wings should be added. 1t
is false economy for State to build
separate buildings, when in the course
of time it must enlarge its capitol.
and an enlarged capitol will supply all
the needs of the State.
Mr.. j. c. Drewry. member of the
Legislative Committee, said that after
failing to find the original plans pro-
posed for the enlargement of the Cap
itol. the committee decided to request
of Mr. Milburn. who has remodelled
two State Capitols. to draw plans for
the Improvement Ind enlargement of
the Capitol of the State. One building
can be operated more economically
and satisfactorily than several, and
the committee decided that the wisest
thing to do was to have all the State
offices in the Capitol building. The
committee then aScertained that there
was sufficient granite in the old quar-
~ belonging to the State near Raj
eigh, as il extend out for miles. and
contains many millions of tons of
granite. Then the committee decided
to recommend TO this General Assem-
bly, Mr.. Milburn's plans.
Mr.. Long. of Person. said he doubt
ed the wisdom of enlarging the Capt.
tol at this time, and several Legisla-
lures would have to be elected before
il was completed. 1t may be true
that the work may be done for $780,
900, but often further we go the more
money it takes. Something must be
done. Il am opposed to the enlarge
Inent of the Capitol but am in favor
of separate building even if it costs
something like 100000
Mr.. Vestal suggested that a sub
committee be appointed to take into
consideration all the bills, and recon-
mend which one should be acted ia
vorably upon or draw a new one.
Mr. MITCHELL of BERTHE. said he could