Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-11-26
New Building
For Adjutant
Cons Don9rtnnen

Gems. Department
Most people thought when the pres
en-. Capitol was built that space
enough had been provided to last for
years. That was correct, although
the number of years was far less than
they thought-for the building is al
ready SC over-crowded, with the
natural and war growth Of State
business, that it Is real puzzle to
find some Of the departments or
branches of them, SO scattered are
they and located in sucf. out of the
way places. What the conditions will
be when the Legislature meets, with
its grea. demand for rooms for COM
mittee work and other purposes, no
one can tell.
The adjutant generals department
is one of the most crowded in the
State House and more than that il is
custodian of papers and documents of
the utmost value to the State and her
citizens. records that cannot De re-
placed-in fact the entire military and
naval history OF the State Of Maine.
Worse than that they are absolutely
| without protection from fire, beyond
the fact that the building is Of granite
and with as little wood work as was
found advisable to use.
A plan is now on foot, with the
! cordial backing and support Of Gov
ernor Milliken, to ask the Legislature
for the erection of a fireproof build
| ing, adjoining the State store house,
southwest of the Capitol on State
grounds. TEis would give protection
to the records. papers and documents
OF priceless value and afford adequate
room for the largely increased work.
ing force. AS it now is, the main
| Office Of the adjutant generals de-
partment is over-crowded with it's
clerical force, several have desks in
! the adjutant generals private office,
and a large room in the basement is
being utilized for the provost mar
shars work.
,, 1t has been decided to move the en-
| tire adjutant generals and provost
marshal's departments to the Blaine
mansion during the coming session.
This will relieve to some extent, but
only temporarily, the crowded condi-
ton of the building and release the
offices Ut the Speaker of the House
and President of the Senate and the
cloak rooms, etc. now all occupied
by various departments.
Adjutant General PresSon, asked as
to the nature of the papers now in
, his custody and whose value is such
that everyone connected with the of
fcn 10 IL, ncto v,f
their safety. referred the Guestioner
TO Miss Isadore +. Getchell. long a
clerk in the department and thor
, oughly familiar with every record
and paper there. Miss Getchell said:
1--WE have here practically every
thing in the shape of records of the
soldiers and sailors Of Maine. The
old Revolutionary records Of course
are of inestimable value and are con-
stantly referred to by people from all
over the country, as are, indeed, all
the other records. We also have the
! records of the War of 1872, the
Aroostook War. the Mexican War,
the Civil War, with its original
papers and documents concerning
over 10000 men. the Spanish War.
the recent Mexican border disturb
ance and finally the present War
with Germany. The last records
now being assembled will relate to at
least $4,000 men and probably a lot
more. -
Beside those mentioned, we have
all the Grand Army records and
documents. for whose safety and ex-
hlbition the law provides a suitable
room in the State House, but which
is not provided. The matter Of a
new building. in which the Grand
Army could and would have a nice
room will doubtless appeal strongly
to the members of that organization.
who are supposed to be worthy of
pretty good treatment by the State.
we also have the original records
OF the old commissions issued to the
militia from the time Maine was
made State in 1920 to the time the
National Guard was established: as
well as all the records Of the Ma
tional Guard. .~. .'
All the Selective Service or Draft
records and papers for the entire
state will be deposited here. All the
'N>oi sAo VI Vie StNl w ar ana
all the States correspondence con-
corning the Civil War are here. You
can see for yourself how they are ex-
posed to fire, should one gain head
way in or near this room. / sincerely
hope the proposed new building. alb
solutely fireproof. will be secured"
AdJutant General Presson said:
Il consider that no department in
the state House contains papers and
records OF more value to the State
than this one. 1t seems imperative
that they now be given proper pro-
lection. The building is an absolute
necessity.
Il have been authorized by Cover
nor Milliken to take steps in ascer-
tanning what kind Of a building is
needed and have secured a set of
plans which have met the approval of
all the military men and others in
terested. They call for a two-s story
building of gray brick, absolutely
1reproof. or as nearly so as modern
IDEAS can make building. The To-
cation is the land just north of the
states storehouse on the State
House grounds. just southwest and
would be connected. 1t would be Sc
verely plain in design. being intend
ed for practical use and not for orna-