Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1915-07-16
MORE SPACE NEEDED
AT STATE CAPITOL
Increase Of Work In Several Depart.
ments Neeessitates Greater Amount
of Room.


The matter OF providing ample room
for the departments in the state capt.
toll presents problem which is not by
any means easy OF solution. says the
Hartford Times. The difficulty would
not be so great IL each department
would agree with John F. Wilson. the
superintendent of the capitol. as to the
floor space which 1t required Super
intendent Wilson takes the business
mans view of the problem and from
this he sees the necessity OF econo-
MIXING space. 1t is not always easy
for the head Of a department TO see
the wisdom of a policy that does not
give an overshadowing importance to
its position in the affairs of the state
government. 1t il is at this point that
the superintendent and the depart
ments differ.
The laws passed at the last session
have added to the duties of some of
the departments and this edition pre-
supposes an increase in the Office force
ana consequent necessity for more
floor space The tax commissioners
department will have considerably
more work to do in the future than it
has had in the past on account OF the
recent enactments. II asks for more
room. and the suggestion has been
thrown out that the old supreme court
room should be turned over to Ii. The
suggestion does not strike Superin-
Is of great service for meetings which
are largely attended, and at sessions
OF the general assembly 1t Is the favor
lite room for the committee on the
judiciary for the holding OF hearings.
In this connection il may be remarked
that in the arrangement of space the
superintendent must take into account
the necessities of the general assem-
bly,. and must provide committee rooms
under the roof of the capitol. The To-
- H. -
capitol is not essential for the success
Of its work Comptroller Webster en-
tertained the hope at one time that he
would be able TO put into effect a plan
for the remodeling of the supreme
court room so as to provide space for
plated the construction of a floor about
midway between the present floor and
ceiling. The present floor space would
be retained and in addition an equal
space would be gained for two upper
rooms. The plan would have been
carried out this year IL the general
assembly had provided the necessary
funds. II is held In allegiance until
such time as the state can AFFORD to
spend the money.
1t is quite possible that the treas
ury department will be given the room
now occupied by the cattle commits
sioner and that the latter will be
transferred to the room on the fourth
floor in the west wing. formerly occu-
pied by the building and loan commits
sioner. The suggestion has been made
that the old plan OF having the cattle
commissioner and the dairy commits
sioner occupy the same office should be
revived. Its revival would place an
other room at the disposal of the SUI
perintendent. If the labor bureau and
the factory inspection, which are now
in one department, were in the same
suite of rooms, ii is quite possible that
one room at least could be saved. The
fish and game commission. whose work
has become important. has cramped
quarters and would like to have a more
commodious place, but it is doubtful
If it will be possible to accede to its
wish.
There has been some talk to the
effect that rooms in a building outside
the capitol may be provided for the
highway department During the ses-
sion of the general assembly, when the
old senate chamber was required for
committee hearings. one of the sections
of the highway department was moved
to a building in Main street 1t has
since been given its old quarters in the
capitol 1t is question If such an i'm
portant department as that of the
highway should be located anywhere
except in the capitol. 1t is visited by
town officials and residents from all
over the state, who often find IL con-
venient to arrange their visits so as
to make calls at other departments al
the same time.
The automobile department is, per-
haps, the most crowded department in
the capitol. Everything has been done
in the way Of arranging desks and
changing the location Of partitions to
| increase the floor space of this depart
ment. but still there is a pressure on it
The figures given recently in the Times
showing the increase in the business
of the departments give a reason for
the crowding and shoN the necessity
of relieving it.