The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1910-07-21
new BUILDING
FOR OFFICIALS
Affairs of the Commonwealth
Have Grown Rapidly and There
Is Lack Of Space TO Keep Val
liable Records That Are
Ever Increasing.

n - n NJ " n ~, A. - Special. -
The next General Assembly will be
called on to make provision for a
new building for the State officials.
The demand for space Is more than
the present buildings can AFFORD. and
there are at this time two depart
ments which are in rented ouarters-
Not only is this true, but the quar-
ters or the officers at this time are
crowded and packed almost to suf-
location. The existing condition of
anairs Will surprise many persons
VINO nave no idea of the extent of the
growth OF the business and affairs
or the State, for within the last few
years many quarters have been added.
some fifteen years ago the State Ii
brary building was opened for ths
OFFICIALS OF the State, and the Su-
preme Court OF Appeals was moved
10 that structure, the old building in
Eleventh Street being abandoned.
me court at this time occupied
nearly the entire second floor of the
orary, which is expanding with great
rapidity.
The State Health Commissioner
department is located in a rented
oulloing, and also the chemist of the
AgrlcuItural Department is in rented
rooms The cost of maintaining these
departments has TO be borne bv the
state, and II is no secret that they
are crowded. have wholly inadeouate
quarters and are actually hampered
for room.
Want Big Office building.
Governor Mann was asked about
the matter today, when discussing the
growth OF the business of the State
the rapid advances in all lines and
the necessity for having more room for
the ofhcials. The State Corporation
commission is badly crowded and IL
about the worst congested place in
any of the State departments There
is vast amount of records and doc
uments Of all sorts from year to year,
and these have to be kept for many
years. Copies of all the charters are
Kept, there are annual reports from
each, and often IL happens that
great deal of correspondence follows
each charter.
Records of all the hearings before
the commission. evidence reported
stenographically. the thousands of or
ders and regulations and classifica-
uons are filed away, and in this way
great deal OF room is needed for fl-
ing away these documents. Every
letter and complaint of any kind re-
ceived by the commission is filed and
indeXed, so that at any time the clerk
can put his hand on any document in
any case that comes to the body.
1t is imperative that more than dou-
bic the space occupied at this time
bc At the UlSpOSdi OF tle
commission within the next year or
so-certainly within the next three
years.
The Educational Department is an
other that is badly hampered for room
and has it's papers and records and
blanks scattered and inaccessible, so
that the best results are not easily OF
Immediate accomplishment.
Want Ford's Hotel.
Governor Mann said today that he
wished IL were so that he could buy
the old Ford's Hotel property for the
State. He believes that that site
would make an ideal office building
and AFFORD room for all the depart
ments for the next half century, even
IL the progress OF the State for the
last twenty years is maintained for
that length OF time. The Governor
says that that site Is in every way
adapted to the needs of the State.
There is ample light on all four sides,
il is centrally located, it is in close
proximity to the Capitol Square and
convenient to the business center or
the town. The several courts are In
the immediate vicinage and the car
lines are within easy reach.
OF course, the Governor will not
advocate that site to the exclusion OF
others, and there are other places near
at hand which would suit the purposes
VI the state, ana some OF them are
nearly as we'll located for business
purposes as the Ford's Hotel site.
There is little question that the next
General Assembly will begin casting
about to get a site for an administra-
tion building, and the impression Is
that when the matter IS broached In
the Legislature the demand will be so
apparent to the lawmakers that the
appropriation can and will be made
for the site and for the building.
While the Fords site IS by far the
best for all purposes. the cost will not,
1t IS believed, be any too high. The
property was offered at auction some
six weeks ago. and the highest bid was
some $S5,0O0, the property being taken
in at that figure. 1t is still for sale,
but the State is not in a position to
pay the 100000 that the property can,
II is understood, be acquired. This con-
dition OF affafrs Will not exist at this
time next year, for then the assess
ments for real estate for the ensuing
hVe years will be available, and there
Is every reason to believe that the in
crease will be such that the State will
not be cramped for ready cash to pro-
vide more for roads, for new buildings
ana Tor other purposes, and Ii may be
possible, II the assessments are any
where near the actual value OF the
property, that a reduction in the rate
nf To- h..