The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-02-01
THE PUBLIC BUILDINGS

THE PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
The bill introduced some days ago in the
State, House of Representatives by Mr..
Miller, to forbid the erection of the public
buildings at the intersection Of Broad and
Market streets, was " eriay reporto back
to the House by the COMMITTEES on Municipal
Corporations with a negative recommends
ton. The report of the committee is brief
but comprehensive review of the whole ques-
ton, and is an able argument against any
suoh interference with the Building Commits
sion as is contemplated in Mr. Miller's bill.
In regard to the allegation that the citizens
of Philadelphia were induced to vote for the
Penn Square site by Misrepresentation, the
report makes this statement of the facts of
the case, a statement that those who have
advocated the erection of the public build
iugs upon Washington and Independence
Squares know to be true in every particular.
The report says
Jtappears that on the Wednesday preceding the
election the opponents of Penn Square had sent by
mail to each OF the voters Of the city OF Philadelphia
printed circular containing q w00d-cut OF the
public buildings located in the centre OF Penn
Square, which presented very unfair representa-
ton OF the obstruction of Broad and Market Streets
and which circular asserts that the plan thereon
printed was faithful drawing OF what was contem-
plated by the commissioners.
''This circular and diagrams were also published
in the daily newspapers, aud In large paGards
posted in public places. The commissioners deem
ing IL their duty to the public to disavow the adop-
ton Of this plan and the authorship OF the language
quoted against them in the circulars met two days
after the issuing OF this document and passed the
following resolution
''Resosred, That the officers OF this commission be
directed to publish, through the publij press, the
fact that no action has been taken by the board
touching the location of the public buildings at
the intersection OF Broad and Market streets, and
that the commission is empowered by act OF As
sembly either to locate separate buildings upon
me lour squares, or one building at the fnteroec-
ton, as the majority OF the commission may de-
termiDe.
ZenS OF Philadelphia were Informed by circulars, Oy
posters, by advertisements, and by the official decla
ration OF the commissioners themselves, that the
buildings would be erected at the intersection If a
majority OF the commissioners 80 determine, aud in
the face Of this information they cast over three
diths OF their votes for Penn Square.
SIT would seem a libel upon the intelligence OF
the people of the metropolis OF the State to assert
that Chey voted in the dark for want OF proper !ntor
nation
Considering the wishes of ma jority of the
voters of the city of Philadelphia as having
been clearly and Enthusiastically expressed, the
report then goes on to show the enormous
advantages that one building would have over
four. 1t states that according to the affida-
Wits of the architect, and the drawings sub
mitted to the commission, a single building
will cover an area of twenty-four thousand
five hundred and thirty five square feet more
than four buildings, and yet the four build
ings will require frontage of two thousand
nine hundred and twenty eight feet more than
a single building, thus increasing the expense
fifteen or twenty per cent, and at the same
time considerably contracting the accommo-
dat h,,il5 +l,,
court-rooms will be obliged to obtain light and
air from the sides fronting noisy thorough
fares, whereas in single building light and
ventilation will be obtained from the interior
courtyard. Four buildings will require four
distinct sets of heating apparatus, and every
annual expense incident to a public building
will be quadrupled.
The statement of the case made in this
report from the Committee on Municipal
Corporations ought to be sufficient to put a
stop to any further agitation of the subject
in tho Legislature and to any further attempts
to interfere with the commissioners. The
camor against placing the public buildings
at the intersection of Broad and Market
streets comes entirely from parties who are
interested in other sites, and who neither
want one building nor four upon Penn
Square. To yield to this clamor and to erect
four buildings instead of one would be to
produce botched job that every citizen of
Philadelphia would be ashamed of before it
would be half finished, and that would never
give satisfaction to any one. 1t is the plain
duty, therefore, of the Legislature to refuse
to listen to any further discussion of the
public buildings controversy, and to sustain
the verdict of the people of Philadelphia as
expressed by the very decided vote of last
October.