Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-01-14


south. The grounds lying south Of
Walnut street should be parked and
beautified." He also recommended the
placement Of the Allison monument
and an executive residence and recon-
mended the construction of judicial
building and its placement and the re-
moval of the heating plant to the rail-
road tracks.
In his message to the legislature In
1909 Governor Garst said: Il feel that
ought to be deeply interested in the
matter Of providing a suitable setting
for our magnificent state capitol. :.
It seems to me there is an obligation
upon this generation that we make the
great structure comport with its dig
nifty and architectural beauty"
State House Overlooking.
For years governors have been
pointing out the need for new build
ings. But the state has gone on with
out erecting any of them until some OF
its departments have been crowded out
Of the state house and many Of those
left are housed together in crowded
and inconvenient quarters. For in
stance, the Industrial commissioner and
labor commissioner are temporarily to-
gether in one room in the basement
where there is but one small window
and where artificial lights must be
kept burning all the time. No one go
ing into the office can consult either
privately unless the other leaves. The
board Of control is similarly situated
in the basement. The board of pa
role, the board of health, the pharmacy
commission, the adjutant general, a
part OF the business and employees of
the office of secretary Of state and of
the state auditor and the office of the
secretary of the executive council are
all in the basement, the secretary of
the council with his assistants being
just as far away from the place of the
meetings of the council as he can be
and be in the building. The basement
was never intended for offices but
simply for storage purposes. Yet so
great has the business of the state be-
come that the congestion has forced its
occupancy. Not only is this true but
many have been forced into legislative
committee rooms. When a new judge
was added to the supreme court there
was not a room for him adjoining or
in the vicinity Of the other judges and
he had to be assigned small COM
ntttee room off the representative
chamber and away from the library.
The chief Oil inspector occupies little
room OF the corridors Of the second
floor where he can hardly be found
without a guide. The commerce coun-
sci occupies the lieutenant governors
nj th4 roo q H..
pied by the secretary Of the bo4rd Of
education. When the legislature meets
all Of these people will have to move
out. Where they will go will depend
upon where places can be found for
grounds. The food and dairy depart
building formerly occupied by fam
lily and last fall the plastering began
to fall about the heads Of the occu-
pants. the heating apparatus failed ut
terly, the roof leaked. so that the ex-
pense necessary to make it habitable
had to be incurred. The veterinary
department is similarly situated exact
ly. An insurance department was Gre
| ated by the last legislature. Where a
place will be found for it nobody
knows. Neither can anybody tell where
, the industrial commissioner with his
! clerical help can finally be located.
recite these facts to indicate the ne
cessity for new office building. Other
buildings will be needed in the fu-
ture. The question arises, where are
they to be located? Where is to be the
placement Of the Allison monument
soon to be ready. The law says il
must be on the capitol grounds or some
extension thereof No one has yet
been discovered who did not protest
against putting it upon the grounds
! where the great capitol stands. Moth
ing could be more reprehensible than
| to think of such a thing. It would
spoil Capitol square It would dwarf
! the splendid monument and rob it of
| it's beauty. Many think 1t ought to
| have spacious setting and be suffi
GENTLY distant from the capitol to give
| it perspective and Its full artistic
| value. All buildings hereafter should
| likewise be so located with reference
| to each other. But where can they
be located. The state now has no
ground for any such scheme or any
scheme. These locations can only be
made by charging the grounds.
Governors Residence Needed.
For years there has beer discussion
of the necessity for governors resi-
dence. Again I ask where can such a
building be located and how can the
plant be relocated at the tracks unless
the state buys ground there and lying
| between? The heating plant, I am
| advised. will have to be practically re-
newed within five or six years. When
| that time comes would it not be sound
| business judgment to locate it where
everybody says it ought to be, give it
modern equipment and manage it on
an economic basis? If in the future a
governors residence is built ought it
not to have reasonably spacious
grounds? What I have said indicates
needs revealed by the present as to
| buildings and grounds.
Bone Of Contention.
have heard little, if any, objection
to capitol extension in itself. 1t is only
objected that too much ground is in
| cluded. should not insist that the
objection is not well taken. It is con-
3sa|e RaA