Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-03-13

commission. Provided further"-fand
think this is an important matter
provided further, that any balance
Of the above appropriation remaining
uneXrcnded at the end of the year Tor
which it was appropriated shall not
lapse, but may be expended during the
succeeding year"
That is simply to carry on the work,
if it begins in 1909, over into the next
year. Now, the proposition before the
Senate, Mr.. President and Gentlemen,
is simply this: l think it is unques-
toned by anybody that important i'm
prOvements and engagements ought to
be made along some lines. Whether it
should be an enlargement of this
house, out here to the west-whethcr
it should be an enlargement, north or
south---whcther it should be an office
building, / do not believe, nOtwith-
standing the statement of the Hon
Gentleman from Cumberland, that
there is Il gentleman upon this floor
who would say, for one moment that
he was competent, of-hand, to decide
whether the one thing, or the other
thing was the best thing for the State
| of Maine tte,
| / had the honor, 20 years ago, to DE
a member of the commission which
| built the pre- sent addition to this State
| House; and / recollcct very well that
| it took us weeks and months to decide
| the question of what was wanted
| what was neccssary-whatt the library
reqlired-how many fcct-how much
| extension from year to year the library
| I (
went by before we could decide those
| questions after taking it up first with
! the architects, and later on with the
builders.
Now. for us to say here that an Of
| fee building of Il certain size would
be adequate, it seems 20 me is entirely
| imrracticable; and / am surprised that
| any man who has been doing the bust
ness which my friend. the senator from
| Cumberland, Mr.. Warren, has done,
| should suggest such a thing.
| Is it not a reasonable proposition
| which is embodied in this resolve-that
we put into the hands of the Governor
a certain sum; he selects a commission
which shall be non partisan, and com
| posed of men who are, in his judg
| ment competent to decide this Ques-
| ton.
Now, in regard to the amount. 1t was
| fixed at $350,000 for this reason: Be
| fore this Legislature commenced, in
January. a firm of architects in this
| state were employed to go over the
| situation, and see what could be done !;
and they went over this State House,
back aud forth; and they reported that
| for $3.50 900 one of two things could be
done; either an addition, sufficient t.
| accommodate :: larger library, and az
| the departments, or All office building
could be built; and they fixed what,
in their judgment was a minimum
price-a minimum figure for the making
Of those necessary changes, and they
| fixed that at $350,000.
| Is the judgment of those architects
worth anything? If we are to go ahead
| here on the opinion of A, Il, and G,
! VIC should have just as many opinions
| as there are members of this Sena!c.
| Is not the opinion and judgment.
after figuring, of these architects Of
! some value? T heard, later on in The
| session, that there was question as
| to the amount. | wanted to be fully
satisfied, because | have no deSire-and
| ] do not think anybody has-to appro-
pirate any more money than is needed
] mad a desire to find out for myself
what would be fair-what would be
right. / went to Boston, and I spent
a good deal of time with the architect
who built this addition out here. He
is entirely disintcrested, and does not
expect to have anything to do with
the proposed changes. He was, also,
Ia M hn
to the Boston capitol some years ago,
| or made the plans; and I went over.
with him, the question Of the cost of
the proposed additions. He understood,
and knew all about the accommoda-
tons here. | went over the question
of the necessary additions to the State
House, and also the office building |
asked him the question whether he
thought we could get along with $500
0c0-whcthcr it was safe to start out
with a less sum than $4,000 He as
SUI, ID me that it would not be safe
I asked him about an Office building
| said. Nobody cares whether it is
an office building or an addition--thc
thing to do is to get the necessary
and requisite accommodations for this
Capitol He stated that an office build
ing. If built of granite and Of sufficient
size, would cost more than an addi-
ton: and it was his opinion and it
seemed to him and it seems to mo
that it is entirely immatcrial. The
question is: What can we do and
how can we do it for the least money
out Of the treasury of the State Of
Maine? That is the proposition that
is Eefore us.
/ submit, there is not a gentleman
on this floor who eau stand I'D here
and say that an office building can be
built for 5000 900 that will be adequate
We can build an office building for
less money, or an addition for less
money; but the question is: What is
going to suit the requirements of the
state of Maine for the next 50 years.
We attempted 90 years ago to do that
on the installment plan, and $50, 900
was appropriated. What was the re-
suit? We have outgrown it, and have
tho whole thing to thrash over and
over again.
This resolve puts the matter into