Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-01-11

tons and Developments of the several
departments of the state government ana
making recommendations for the future.
GOV GATES RETIRING MESSAGE
Gentlemen of the Senate and House of
Representatives:
COMPLYING with PROV sion of orr con-
stitutiou and following he custom csta-
bljshed BY my predecessors in the cNccu-
tive office. | present to you an account
Of conditions and developments IN the
several departments of the state govern
ment, and submit for your consideration
such recommends tons as my experience
prompts me 20 make
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT.
The departments of the state govern
ment have so increased in number ana
the business in those departments mas SO
increased in volume during the past ten
years or more that the responsibilities
and detail work of the executive depart
ment have outgrown the provision Tor
merlv made for handling work. Consider
ing the work at hand, and the desira-
bility and economy of an oiitc" ccntraNF
located, it seemed to me upon taxing
office that :he interests of the state
would be best served by making the
executive office at the state House III
NIontpelier the permanent office for the
with me- as has been the usual practice.
The last Legislature made this possible
1y providing Stenogra0hcr for the
secretary of civil and military atalrs'
and the office at the state house mas
been kept open continuously for the
transaction of official business, meeting
OF committees, heads of the various de-
par.ments and Cor the benefit and accom-
mediation Of all those who had business
- Il, ,t
convenient for the executive. but has,
believe, been very much more convenient
and satisfactory to all who have had &C.
casion to visit the Office
STATE BUILDING.
Bv an Act % the General Assembly OF
1915, the construction of a building for the
State library, supreme court, historical
society. and other state purposes was
authorized. An appropriation of SJo,W)
was made to carry out the provisions of
the Act
appointed committee consisting of
Horace L. Graham of Craftsbury, c. Il.
Smith of Burlington. w. ". Stckney of
Ludlow. and Harvey w. Narnum of Cam
bridge. These gentlemen and myself
We're able to let the contract for sum
eighty within the appropriation. The
building has now reached such a stage of
construction that YOU can Judge Of its
essential features If the building is COM
peted according to the contract and to
keep within the appropriation, the inside
finish will, of necessity. be very plain,
and the front will be left practically as it
now appears. In adopting the present
plans your committee has made it pos
Sblc to substitute, if the LcSislatu z
cares to do better quality of finish for
the interior, and to add to the front a
suitable porch or balustrade, which Will
give the building a much more finished
appearance, and a character more nearly
in accord with this class of modern
structures in other states, and in keeping
with the dignity of the State We are
building for all time. and should not NO
glect to perfect and 5eautfy what We
build,
Ample space has also been provided in
the new building for installing a central
heating plant that would serve both
buildings more economically than would
the two plants now in operation.
recommend that you carefully consider
this subject in connection with certain
necessary changes in the present library
wing of the state House and that you
provide for such expenditures as seen
advisable to you
STATE INSURANCE..
At the present time the State is sup.
posed to be insuring its various proper
ties at ninety per cent Of their value
The total amount Of insurance carried is
as follows:
buildings ........ .sl,t71,o"
Personal property ...... 7H,1oo
Total ......,. ............ 81. $500
Annual premium s7,i21:s; number o
risks 14S; number OF policies 100; number
of companies 46.
il commended by " n