Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-07-12
THE FEDERAL BUILDING.
How It Happened That Augusta H.
One of the Finest of Its Kind.

when will work on the fedora
building he completed?" was the ques
ton.
Supt. Griffin favored the reporte'
with smile which implied that tn
question was by no means new one.
well. l cannot give you any definit
information at this time. I expect tina
sometime in November it will be pos
sible to move into the new part of til
building and begin the repair of tn
old part
1.-The question l asked is put to m
many times a day" remarked the re
porter ~
NATURALLY the public is3@intereste
and wish I might repent create
progress. Congressman Burleigh aske
me similar question the other da
when he visited the building. He wer
over the whole work from roadway 7
attic, also the plans of several othei
public building improvements in differ
ent PARTS of the State. By the way.
wonder if the people In Maine realiz
what they are receiving. There is
other state in this great country whlc
has been equally favored. That mean
that the Maine member of the Cor
yressional committee on Public build
| ings is very valuable man for hi
| State"
Getting the appropriations isn't a,
of it either" remarked the custodian @
the building, who was present. ~
view of all the conditions. it's fair
saw that Augusta wouldn't have Sc
the appropriation in the first place bl
for Mr. Burieigh. and in the secon
place but for the constant interest an
attention he has displayed we Shout
have had q f1at-roofed. two-stor
structure. an annex on the southeas
corner of the old building instead o
the magnificent, we'll proportions
building it is
GLOW was that?" asked the reporter
ON December, following the Congress
that appropriated the money. an aser
If the supervising architect came
Augusta to make provisional plans H.
bo new addition. He brought with hip
draught of tho proposed addltioh
hev had planned it at Washington an
which was made from the old pia'
the lot and original building. ines
,lans pictured an annex somewhat IL
;embling garage. Inc agent hhe'
of no proposition to build out INTO th'
roadway. Mr.. Stinson, the custodia'
in 1901, had contemplated such an ar
raneement and had taken prelimlnar!
items toward securing it. Whether tn
,epartment> at Washington knew OF
~ had disapproved of the idea is no
xnown At any rate the agent had M
,strrctions to make plans on the eXt
s+;pc Government lot. Nor would NJ
consider any change from such instruc
ions until assured that Congressman
Rurleigh would spare no effort 10 So
oure such result On the strength
hat assurance he made the provisional
,lans for the present structure
1T was a tedious process securlnf
tile to the portion of the-,FoadWa!
needed" remarked the reporter
"It was indeed" was the reply, "ant
hit for Congressman Burleighs persls
enco I am of the opinion it would no
hav,. been accomplished. All partie:
interested in reversionary titles to tn
roadway were willing to cede tnel
lights and were very obliSing. but the
task of securing the necessary papers
nroved hopeless and Mr.. Burlclgf
,reed that the government take thf
land as was finally done. Not only
that hut at his own expense he hired
IN attorney to look up the titles and
take the preliminary steps. He never
ct up No sir. but for the way ne
Kept right after the matter Augusta
would have today federal building
'arger than the old it's true. but one
which would have been anything pu.
IN Improvement on the appearance OF
he original structure
"And row it's to nave the flneSt leo-
val building of any city. anywhere
near it's size in the United states
added the superintendent.