Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-12-11

The building operations in the city
of Augusta during the past year IN
GLIDING work completed and under
Way will total nearly $4,000, which
is almost double the 100000 with
which 1908 can be credited. Exten-
sive as were the operations Of 1907
and 1908 the present year must go
down into history as the banner year,
the year of Augustus greatest build
ing boom. Never have carpenters
been so busy as during the past year
and never has it been SO hard to Sc
cure a carpenter or mason when a bit
of repair work was wanted. one build
ing concern has kept IS carpenters
employed during the entire year and
others have had large number on
their payrolls.
The two most important pieces OF
work of public nature, which We're
begun the present year. but whose
completion will fall well into next
year are the enlargement of the State
House and the addition to the post
Office. COny High school addition, al
though begun last year was not COM
pleted and ready for occupancy until
the opening of the fall term of school
of the present year.
A new workshop has been built at
the county Jail. costing in the neigh
borhood of $4,000 and will be ready
for occupancy by Christmas time. The
combining of the three stores owned
by the Russell & Weston Co. into a
single store with modern front and
everything about it thoroughly up-to-
date has given to Augusta one of the
best and most modern department
stores in the State. Work upon the
buildings at the Insane Hospital has
been done this year to the amount of
over 100000, including an enlargement
of the kitchen building to nearly
double it's present capacity. st.
Marks parish house begun last year
was completed and dedicated the
present year.
The number of dwelling houses
built in the city the present year has
been far in excess of any previous
year. So many have been built that
a number will undoubtedly have in
advertently been overlooked, but it is
safe to say that between 80 and 40
have been erected. This building
part of the boom does not seem to have
been confined to any one section of
the city as houses have gone up on
both sides of the river and in nearly
every section Of the city from North
ern Avenue to the Hallowell line. and
from the Bangor Road to Western
Avenue A large number of these
have been fine residences costing sew
nral thousand dollars. although many
tenement houses have been built to
supply the ever increasing demand.
Then there has been a considerable
amount of remodelng of houses go
ing on and number Of houses have
been removed from their former loca-
tions and rebuilt. Stables and work
shops in many instances have also
been built over into dwelling houses.
The work of construction undertake
on this year, which represents the
largest expenditure of money, is that
of the enlargement of the State
House, the contract for which has
been let to the George A. Fuller Co. of
Boston for S309,990 The close of the
present year will see the foundations
for the extension laid and the offices
or the secretary of State. auditor of
State printing land agent. Superin-
tendent of buildings, land office. fish
and game department, educational de-
partment. State assessors and eX-
ecutive department torn out. to give
opportunity for carrying on the work
of the addition and the remodeling
of the building. Mr.. F'ulIer's contract
calls for the completion of the work
not later than Dec. l. 1910. ana judg-
ing from the manner in which the
work is pushed forward and the crews
kept at work the job will be COM
pleted by that time and possibly be-
fore. The granite used will be quar-
RED in Hallowell from the same stone
as that used in the original building
insuring uniformity of color and tex
ture. the granite contract having been
subIet to the comparatively new firm
of the Herbert l.. Brown co.
full description of the new and
enlarged State House has appeared so