The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-01-27
LAWMAKERS TAKEN
 THROUGH HOME BY WIFE OF GOVERNOR
Building Inwardly and Out wardly in Bad Shape, Says McCain-Mr. and
 Mrs. Henderson Are
 at Hotel Now
Ny Hv aS. ROBERTS

| " HODEItAS "ontso"9 n"ary 2e.-tspecislo
 As result e.. Inspection this morn
 ing by me ooof the senate and house
 commitp public buildings and
 grouny os. certain that the lesisla-
 ture Q called upon to appropriate I enoy ,ney to make the governors
 governor of Alabama.
 AS IS generally known. Governor and Mrs. Henderson have not occupied the
 mansion, the cause being the alleged bad ! condition of that structure. This morning Senator Mccain. Representative Stewart, ! chairmen respectively of the senate and
 house committees on buildings and
 grounds belonging to the state. together
 with members of those committees; w. | A. Gunter, president of the city commits | sion and chairman of the committee on ] inauguration, and other representative
 citizens of Montgomery, were conducted
 through the mansion by Mrs. Henderson
 Those who made the inspection agreed 1 With Mrs. Henderson that the condition | of the mansion was unfavorable, and they had no criticism to make of what | is said to be her determination not to oc-
 cupy that building until it is thoroughly
 renovated and repaired. The chairmen of the two committees requested Mrs. | Henderson to indicate to them in writing just what improvement should be made
 mad it is safe to say that they will rec
 ommend that the ideas CT Mrs. Tender
 son be Dut into effect
 Senate Chairman Talks Senator Mccain, when asked for a 1 statement said
 The committee has not acted, and | l would prefer not to express my opin-
 lon of the condition of the mansion at the present time. However, the build 1 ing, inwardly and outwardly, is in | bad shape, and agree with Mrs. 1 Henderson that improvement should be made before it be occupied by the | governor and family.
 There Is no question in my mind 1 but that the purchase of tho mansion l by the state was unwse. The site is all right, but the. building is not" l Mayor Gunter stated to the corre- | spondent of The Age-Herald that the con- | dition of the mansion was bad. that the appearance outwardly is not prepossess- | ing, that the walls inwardiy are cracked. | the tapestry soiled, and sanitary condition | imperfect.
 The building," he said, should be made worthy of the family of the gov ernor of Alabama, whoever the governor might be-
 Floor Is Burned l In addition to what the inspectors had | to say, it is known that they found the | floor of one of the rooms upstairs l burned to a considerable extent. One of 1 them stated, though not for publication, 1 that the hole was large enough for an | elephant to leap through. more com | servative inspector. however, described | the hole burned in the floor as large enough for slim individual to crawl | through. This damage was done, accord | ing to indications. by the falling of coals | from the grate.
 It is considered probable that Mrs. Henderson will at once make known | her ideas as to what should be done for | the mansion in order that it might measure up to her standard of comfort. Her accommodations will go at once to the two committees. and the committees will, according to indications, put the
 matter before the two houses. Up to the present time no estimate as to pfoba- l ble cost Is obtainable.
 The mansion was purchased four years ago as the place of residence of the governor of Alabama. The sum of 5000 was appropriated to be expended annually. if necessary, for its main- l tenance. The majority of those who in. spected it agreed with Senator Mccain that the purchase of the mansion was | unwise. that new structure could have been bougth at a profit when 1t Is taken into consideration that the present structure, from time to time. will have to be repaired at considerable out lay of money.
 1 In the meantime Governor and Mrs.
 Henderson are living at the Exchange hotel