The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-11-09
LATTER IS NOW CROWDED
FROM CELLAR TO GARRETT
Wing Not Feasible-Would Detract
From Beauty of Capitol-New
Building Would Provide Quarters
For Judicial Departments Thereby
Relieving Contested Condition.
Especial to Lake County Timeso

officials and others having business
regularly at the capitol building there
is movement on foot to enlarge state
quarters by building an annex 10 the
state house. If the plan develops, the
next general assembly Will be asked
to appropriate a good sum with which
to make what are regarded as neces-
sary additions.
For months there has been general
complaint among state officials because
of cramped condition. Many Of the
Offices are over-crowded. Every one
OF the IFS rooms in the building Is &C
cupied and even the basement has been
converted into a laboratory for the
food and drug commissioner.
The present scheme contemplates
the erection of an annex on ground
near the state house, probably on one
Of the adjoining corners. The state
house itself. could not be enlarged, It
is said. without having its symmetry
destroyed.
Fer Judicial Departments.
The annex could be made to con-
tain the judicial departments Of state,
including the appellate and supreme
courts law library, judges rooms, of
ficers of reporter and clerk of the SUI
preme court. etc. This is contemplated
by those who have interested them
selves in the proposition. It is also con-
templated 10 establish in the rear of
the near building an extensive light
ing and heating plant to furnish heat
and light for its own building and for
the present state house and perhaps for
some of the state institutions in or
around about Indianapolis.
BY removal of the judicial depart
ments from the state house. something
like thirty five additional rooms would
be made available for Office purposes
These could be used nicely. The SUI
preme court room, which is large could
be reserved for large gatherings. There
IS not a week in the year that the
custodian of the state house is not Inn
portuned by conventions, etc. A gen
eral meeting place for the use of state
organizations entitled to recognition by
the state would be a great convenience
Could save Money on Light.
| AS to the lighting proposition state
| officials say 1t is foolish for the state
to buy light and heat from private
corporations The light alone costs
thousands of dollars year. For the
fiscal year ended Sept 80. the light bill
was upwards Of $4,000. AS the APP
preparation was only $4,000. a deficit
larger than the appropriation existed
The present state house has beer
in service for twenty years. Its cree
ton was begun thirty years ago, or or
Oct. IS, 1873, to be exact. 1t was turned
over to the state ready for occupancy
on Oct 2, 1883. The cost was 1880.
969 It is interesting to recall that i
was one of the few public buildings il
america to erected within the ap
preparation made for it. The appro
priation made by the general assembl!
was 100000 and the difference be
tween it and the actual cost of tn
building was returned to the stat
| treasury.
SIT ON ARMS OF CHAIRS.
Need of larger quarters is Away
apparent during sessions of the legis
latures. Committees never have place
in which to meet. Legislators ex
anime bills in committee on top or rol
top desks and sit on the arms of eac1
others chairs because of the lack o
accommodations.
The growth of the business of tn
state in quarter Of a century is respon
sible for the cramped quarters. New
departments require space in which t
spread New offices have had TO b
made by taking rooms from old ones
According to Otway Baker. custodia
of the state house, a meeting of stat
officials and leaders in the Legislature
viii be held shortly for the purpose o
discussing the feasibility of erectin
an annex. 1t is thought that If plan
develop. the next legislature will b
asked for 100000 or $4,000 for tn
improvement.