Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-08-13

Brewster was declared nominated.
Certainly he should not object to
this appropriation.
"Board Of State Assessors
Ascertaining Value Of Wild
Lands, 1924 .S3,OO4.S2
Ascertaining Value of wild
Lands .............$ 100000
$1,000 80"
There Is a duplication of figures
here. $5.727.63, not $9,OO4.s2, was
the amount spent from the Contin-
gent Fund, and every dollar of It.
and $272.37 in addition, have been
paid back to 1t. This is another in
stance of figures that mis-state the
facts.
The $5,727. 63 was merely an ad.
vance made from the State Contin-
gent Fund and later was returned to
1t when the next legislative appro-
priation became available in July.
The exploration carried on under the
Legislative appropriation and this
advance will produce for the State
Treasury In the next two years, the
sum of $12. 764.44, and it has added
to the States valuation SOL, 746.
Was this advisable?
Executive Department.
Badgers Island to Kittery
Bridge $500. $24, 81. "a"
When the new Portsmouth Kittery
bridge was provided for (Chapter Al.
Resolves of 1919 under Ex-Gov-
iernor Milliken's administration. the
States of Maine and New Hampshire
and the Federal Government each
contributed 100000 for its con-
struction. No provision, however
was made to connect this three
party bridge to the shores of either
Maine or New Hampshire. This
great bridge would have been left in
mid-stream with open water on
either end. it would have been use
less. had not something been done.
It thus became necessary for the
State of Maine to build two connect
ing bridge links. one between the
big bridge and Badgers Island, and
another from Badgers Island to the
main land of Kittery. New Hamp-
shire took care of her side. Was not
this an emergency?
Executive Department
Memorial at Kittery
Park ............. $4,5OO.0O
Construction work at
Kittery Park, 1924, $517 So
Under the Kittery Portsmouth
Bridge Law already referred to, that
structure was declared to Sbe a ME
MORTAL BRIDGE" and it was pro-
vided that a committee be appointed
by the Governor and Council to erect
"A Special Memorial to the Sailors
and Soldiers of our entire state"
To comply with the law and to pro-
vide suitable location for the Me-
mortal to the men of Maine who
had served their country in her wars,
an entire square of land about 500
feet by $50 feet was purchased in
kittery at the Maine end of the
bridge. A committee of veterans
was appointed and contracts were
entered into for the erection of a
striking memorial OF bronze and
granite.
Erection of Storehouse, 500, 72S. OO
The dome of the State Capitol
at Augusta had become filled with
wooden shelving, boxes. books, pa
pers and other infiammable ma
terial, the reason being that the
storerooms in the building were
packed to overlooking. The condi.
ton constituted so serious a fire
hazard to the State House and its
contents that the Councillors and
myself were disturbed and we re-
quested the architect, Mr.. ]. Henri
Desmond of Boston, who rebuilt the
State House in 1910. to inspect the
premises. His report in part was
as follows:
II beg to submit for your imme-
date consideration the following re.
port OF the alarming conditions that
exist at the present time in the State
Capitol at Augusta, Maine.
Il ind that the entire attic and
even the space between the inner
and outer walls of the dome Is now
being utilized for the storage OF
books. papers and old records. to.
gether with wood shelving, wood
floors and wood supports. an ideal
place for fire to start from sponta-
neous combustion, defective wiring,
carelessly thrown cigarette or match
The dome in this case would act as
a direct flue and there would be
little chance of its discovery before
it was beyond control. Also, the
present water pressure Is not great
enough to reach the DOME"
If a fire had occurred in the dome
after we had been warned of the
risk, the people of Maine properly
could have blamed the Governor and
Council. The State Prison fire was
serious enough, but the State House
ana its contents never could be re-
placed nor could money compensate
the State for such a loss.
In the interest of economy and
eficiency It was thought wise to
build a wing or addition on this
storehouse to accommodate the
offices of the State Highway Com
mission that was insufficiently housed
in the Capitol, and the Public Health
Department that was in the same
condition in a small building across
the Kennebec River. inconvenient of
access. This addition will provide
for the needs of the State for the
next so years so that now 1t will be
unnecessary to enlarge the State
House at an expense Of not less than
81 600, 900 and maybe more. We con-
sidered this investment wise. we pro-
vided for the maintenance of Gov
eminent" and met an emergency.
Insurance of State House and Con.
tents, 1924 $1,74o.1S''
It is common business prudence
to insure buildings against fire.
When I took ONCE in 1921. I found
that the State House was insured for
100000 and its contents for $l2o,-
600. These amounts were merely
nominal, and the Councillors and
myself handled this as we would our
own private affairs. The insurance
was Increased to $2.500,OOO on the
building and 100000 on the con-
tents, and neither could be replaced
for less.
Gree Public Libraries. 81, O5O.oo'
The Legislative appropriation to
pay the stipends allowed by law to
the Free Public Libraries In the