The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-12-10
Members of Special Commit
lee of Commercial Club
Differ Widely in Views.
| NO DECISION REACHED
Capitol Hill, Point Near Fort
Douglas and Close-in
Sites Suggested.

When The question Of II site for the
state capitol building was put mp to
the board of governors of the CONNER
cinl club some time ago il was thought
that the matter could be disposed Of
easily by referring it to 4 special COM
mittce of three. consisting OF W. j,
Halloran, O. G. Beebc and w. w. Arm
strong. When this committee announced
at the meeting Of the board yesterday
that it was ready to report it developed
that no two OF them were of the same
mind Each one bad a different opin"
ion as TO where the capitol should be
located and each made a minority re-
port.
In the earnest presentation OF MS
particular choice of u site each made a
profound impression on the board au,l
incidentally took n fall out OF eaeh
OF his colleagues on the special com
mIttee
At the emil Of the arguments each
one had claimed a victory and demand
el a vote. None Of the board cared to
propose the acceptance OF any OF the
three reports and as n compromise uhe
reports were received and placed on
file.
Halloran is Emphatic,
W. j. Halluran chairman Of the spe'
cial committee after announcing thal
his committee was ready 10 report pro
Gee led in an impressive aud eloquent
address 10 dlsparagc the selection OF
Capitol hill it was an outrage, nc sald
to spend three million dollars IN put.
tine a building in place which could
not be seen from the city. He admitted
that With cost of about one-halt mll'
bon dollars the present site might be
male presentable but that even then
il would not compare with the location
he had chosen. Picturing the beauties
Of q site TO be cut out OF the Fort
Douglas reservation at the head OF
brigham street he declared that IL the
capitol commission would decide upon
this location our congressional ielega
tiou could doubtless secure 1t from the
government as a gift.
Mr.. Halloran insisted that every yis
itor who came to Salt Lake found MIN
self on Brigham street at some time
during bis stay in the city aud tha'
with n magnificent capitol located on
the site he proposed no one could TAI
to see AMI admire II,
lie further urged that the distance
from town was not prohibltlyc anc
claimed that the building itself could
De cECcltU LOT DuC'ldli iiiili'cu upitt'
less on this site than on Capitol bill.
In presenting bis report Mr.. Beebt
said that he was perfectly SATISFIED Will
the present location on Capitol hui. Ht
felt dissatisfied though with MIR. Hal
loran S preparation of so elaborate al
Grafton in advocacy of another site.
Not Ready to Argue.
Thinking that there could be no res
sonable objections 10 the Capitol hil
site, Mr.. Becbe had not thought il
necessary 10 prepare himself Tor al
oratorical IouSt with his fellow com
mitteemen. He was not equipped tc
contend, having been taken by surprise
Under all the circumstances he was
obliged 10 leave the matter TO the com
mon sense of the members of the
board,
Both Mr.. Becbe anil Mr.. Hallorar
vigorously attacked the site which they
said was 10 be proposed by Mr.. Arm
strong, but when Mr.. Armstrong S timt
came TO enter the lists he surprised
them both by suggesting Il site that hat
never heretofore been discussed by
them,
The primary object of a capito
building, said Mr.. Armstrong, is not
show but business and for that reason
he thought the location should be with
Pausin2 dramatically he kept tbs
board in suspense a few moments be
fore springlpg his surprise.
Fer Close-in Location.
This surprise consisted in the suggcs
tion that the city block bounled bl
First and Second South streets and Sec
opd and Third East streets be pur
chased, that all of The buildings nov
on it be raZed aud that the capitol bC
built in the ceujer.
A member objected that tbc blocl
contained only ten acres Of ground.
Buy two Of them and close to-
street between, rcjoincd Mr.. Arm
strong.
Mr.. Armstrong conceded that such :
site would cost a million dollars, bu'
insisted that this was a sum that shoulC
not be WINGED at III so important I
matter.
He further suggested that the in
crease in taxes on the property between
Main street and his capitol site wonlt
soon reimburse the state for the aiIl
tloual expense.