Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1913-02-27
II Started Now Would Prob
ably Take Six Years to
4 Complete Building

| which has total resources Of over a
| million and a third dollars. and that
| the matter might be brought to the at
tention Of the members of the leglsIa'
ture, Representative E. A. Williams
! Of Bismarck had a resolution intro
| duced in the house recently request
ing that the governor give a state.
ment as to the capitol building fund
and the governor has presented at the
! request of the house a statement as
follows: @.
bismarck. y. D.. February, "a. 1918.
TO the House Of Representatives:
Gentlemen: Answering
| your request for a statement
as to the capitol building
lands. would say that at the
time North Dakota was ad-
mitted as a state we were
granted SO. 900 acres for cap-
itol buildings. OF this
amount of land there was
sold prior to July /, 1912, ST.
5O4 acres for a total price OFFS 646,'?1.'?
\ part of this money has
been expended and some of
it has been expended for
purposes not contemplated
under the act giving the
land to the state. The items
referred to are for the troll
lev line. about. 10000. 900
| For well and ower.......... 1900. 90
r urniture 10000
! Sewer and water, ahOut....... 14.47!.00
Making a total Of.........$ 43,61a.OO
From the lands sold there
is outstanding in the way of
deferred payments ...."..,..S 4"o,3o1.41
There is in the state treas
| ury from the interest and in
! come from the capitol lands
| and investments ............ 144,aas.29
There is in the permanent
fund. derived from the sale
of capitol lands. which has
not been invested .......... hS,007 90
This will make in the way
of investments and in cash
in the capitol building fund
a total of S632, ss7. 60
TO this should be added
the sum of ................. 4".Gla.00
Which has been expended
for other purposes than those
contemplated when the lands
were given to the state for
building a capitol. and this
money SHOULD be returned. If
this is returned. it would
make a total of. ...l.........$ G1G.342. so
There remains unsold 30
1874 acres. These lands
seem to be pretty well locat-
ed and should bring between
twelve and twenty dollars
per acre. At that price
these lands would bring. ..N..$ 457. 42a.O0
Upon this basis, the in
vestmentS from lands pre-
viouSly sold. cash on hand,
the lands remaining unsold
and the return to the fund
of the money illegally ex-
pended. would give total
Of 81 .l33. 96I. 90
As a fund with which to build a new
state capitol.
With reference to the building which
we now occupy. after having conferred
with those who have been here for some |
time. would say that 1t is the general |
belief that the older part of the building !
is a fire trap and that the library Of the |
Supreme Court. which is on one of the !
upper floors and which has cost the state
somewhere from seventy-five to one |
hundred thousand dollars. is a menace, |
by reason of its great weight, to the |
safety of the building: and further. that |
in case of 4 fire, it would he absolutely |
impossible to save the library or any part !
of it. |
If a new building is contemplated by |
the legislature it would take approx |
mately the next two years to dispose Of !
the lands remaining unsold. to secure !
plans and mate for the construction |
of a new building. and to assemble the !
material necessary to build 1t.
If there is any further information |
which the legislature may wish to have
furnished at any time.
have the honor to be
Very respectfully.
l.. F. HANNA.
-. Governor.
1t would be six years at the very
least before the building could be
completed and would probably be
nearer eight. BY this time some of
the lands would have increased in val.
ue to a considerable extent and make
still more money available. It is hop.
ed that for the good Of the state that
some steps will be taken. looking to.
wards the taking Of preliminary steps
for the building Of a suitable capitol
building.
tNsSY%V tst /
CAN LOAD
OF wooden shipping cases for sale |
(Adv) 8. +. BERGESON 4 son.