Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-11-27
SOLQNS NEED NOT
FEAR FOR LIVES
State Engineer Will Timber
Representative Hall in an
Effort to Make It Safe.
OPPOSE DIVIDING HOUSES

Lincoln, Nov. 26.-(Special. Rep
resentativc hall will be made safe
for the coming legislature and it will
not be necessary to move to the city
Auditorium.
There has been some discussion
whether the legislature could legally
meet outside the state capitol build
ing, but neither the constitution or
any law passed indicates where the
sessions shall be held and outside OF
STIMULATING Lincoln as the seat OF gov
eminent, no provision whatever is
made as to where the legislature shall
meet Section soll OF the statutes
prohibits moving any fixtures in the
legislative halls outside of the build
ing and if followed may require the
state to purchase desks, chairs, etc,
for the use OF the lower house If the
session should be held downtown.
The legislative reference bureau
act reads that the legislative refer
ence bureau during a session of the
legislature shall be in close proximity
OF the legislature. This could not be
done IT, the lower branch was down
town several blocks away and the up
per branch in its usual place.
Little Fear Felt.
However, there is no fear that the
members may be buried in the ruins
OF the state house after the state en-
gineer has completed his repairs. The
danger was that il the walls con-
tinued to spread the floors would
drop down, as only four inches OF the
floor timbers rest on the walls at
the east end. Further spreading is
almost impossible, because OF the
heavy rods running through the
building under the floors, placed there
a few years ago, when the old she'll
was first discovered to be out Of
plumb.
Timbers Being Used.
In order to make the hall safe heavy
timbers are being placed across un-
der the floor stills on every floor of
the building, and also under the roof.
These will be held up by heavy tim
bers running from the basement up,
while in representative hall big tele-
phone poles will be used to hold up
the floor above. Poles will be used
because OF the height of the ceiling
no timbers could be found long
enough to reach. When completed
this will make ii impossible for the
floors to fall even should the walls
fall outward. which is not probable
with the weight OF the floors trans
ierrcd to the timbers.
OF course, representative hall will
not be beautiful place to look at
with the telephones polls standing
around the south side and part way
along the east wall with heavy cross
bars spiked to them to hold them in
place, but these crossbars may be
handy in case lobbyists get too per-
sistent.
Exciting Downtown.
Separating the two houses so that
they are half dozen blocks apart
does not appeal to those who are
anxious to make good record this
session. Much time will be wasted
travelling back and fourth, while with |
one session down in the business por-
ton Of town there will be a tendency
for members to get away. while a
busy street car line running on two
sides Of the Auditorium will inter-
fere great deal with the transaction
OF business, because of the noise OF !
passing cars, both lines being double
track.
The cost OF fixing up the old wing
so il will be safe will be less than
$1,000, while the delay because Of
the distance between the two houses
will cost several times that in time
wasted,