Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1914-03-03
HEARING ON MEASURE
FOR OFFICE BUILDING
Citizens Of Town Urged to Appear
Before Ways And Means
Committee.
OUVALL, AUTHOR OF BILLS.
Provides Appropriation Of $500, 600
for Structure and Would Bring All
State Offices Here.

A public hearing will be held before
the Ways and Means Committee Of
the House of Delegates Thursday
afternoon at 3 o'clock on the two
bills introduced by Delegate Duvall,
If this county, to have all state
Offices grouped under one roof in this
city, and all persons interested in
the matter are invited to appear be.
fore the committee and enter into
the discussions
The real object of these measures
is to abolish the practice on the part
of State officials, for years, in renting
offices in Baltimore at an expense Of
thousands of dollars a year, and TO
compel all the State boards and off
cials to have their Offices here for tie
transaction Of all business. II is
pointed out that this city being the
State Capital, and the seat Of Gov
eminent, is the logical and proper
place for the location OF all Offices.
One of the bills of which Delegate
Duvall is the father, provides for an
appropriation of $500, 600 for the pur-
4
tion of the office building thereon,
while the other would require the
State Roads Commission, the Public
Service Commission, the Commission.
er of Motor Vehicles, the State Game
Warden, the Board OF Shell Fish
Commissioners and the State Board
OF Education and all other State
agencies, appointee or authorities hav-
ing an office, to be located and main
tanned and all business transacted at
Annapolis.
The bill carrying the appropria-
ton provides for the raising Of the
fund by an issue of funds on the
credit of the State, SAID loan TO be
known as the State Office Building
Loan of 1914" to bear date of July
/, 1914. and to be payable in fifteen
years. A building commission is to
be created under the provisions OF
the bill, to be known as the State
Office Building Commission, and
TO consist OF the Govern Comp
troller Treasurer and the Attorney
General.
The duties of this commission will
be to procure a suitable site for
the ere ction of the bniding, and is
authorized to make all necessary
contracts for construction and equip
ment Of the structure. The second
bill among other things, strips the
Board of Public Works Of authority
to rent or lease any building or
part of building, elsewhere than in
Annapolis, for the purpose Of pro-
viding offices for any of the State
officials after the expiration Of sny
lease already entered into.
For a number of years there has
been a widespread sentiment here to
locate all State offices in this city,
and to enforce the transaction of oil
business in this city. Succeeding
Governors over a decade Of years
have maintained the view that it is
absolutely neces sary to have an office
in Baltimore, at least for the trans
action of executive matters, il being
urged that Baltimore is more conve-
niently situated for people Of the
State generally. A good deal OF ex-'
ecutive business is transacted here,
but the various State boards have
their headquarters in the Monumen-
tai City, being grouped in the Gar
rett Building.
The bills OF Delegate Duvall have
met with good deal of favor, es.
pecially in this city, and the local
delegation in the Legislature will
make determined effort to secure
favorable report on the measure, and
their ultimate enscti0n into law.
Business men and residents Of An
napolis should show their spirit in
the premises by attending the hear
ing before the committee Thursday
afternoon at o'clock.