Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-07-17
The Bureau of Engraving and Print
ing Building.
CLEARING THE SITE.


Workmen commenced today to tear down
the frame structures heretofore occupied by
the commisSary department of the army on
the site selected for the erection of the new
building for the Treasury bureau of Engray-
Ing and Printing. Congress, it will be remem-
bered, appropriated 100000 for the new build
ing. Of this, some $4,000 was expended for
the ground and paid to w. W. Corcoran, from
whom it vas purchased. There has been some
delay IN the work, owing to the fact that some
OF the buildings occupied as depos for com
mlSsary stores could not be vacated until new
Secretary of War, no one connected with the
War department cared to assume the reSpon-
s1blllty OF making a new contract TO rent build
ngs to accommodate the subsistence depart
ment. Secretary Sherman kept urging the
war othcerS to vacate the lots, and was always
met with the excuse that the Secretary of War
still being absent, there could be no provision
made for the accommodation of the subsist-
ence stores. Finally, Mr. Sherman notified
them that he was going ahead with the work
and II the lots were not vacated, he would
nately, however, for all concerned, red tape
was overcome yesterday, and new quarters
rented for the commisSary department, and to-
day work has been commenced to prepare the
site Tor the foundation of the new building.
THE NEW BUILDING
Will be quite handsome improvement for
South Washington: The plans, which are
being prepared in the office of the supervising
architect of the Treasury, are as yet incom,
plete. The building is to have front of 80
ieet, with depth of lI0 feet. The structure,
four stories high, will be built entirely of
nodded brick, and considerable ornamenta
tion will be given to it by using bricks of va
riegated c0lOrS. On the extreme north wing
mere VIII be built fine tower over fifty feet
n1gh, Which will be Ornamented with iron rail
lngS and handsome clock dial on the four
sides. The south wing will also have a tower
but much smaller and less elaborate in design.
From an architectural point of view, the
lh M lnpat tGA Do, N
than any other style, but can hardly be called
that. 1t is hoped to have the building erected
and rooted in before next winter, and to com
pete 1t entire for occupancy in about a year
hence.
THE SITE.
Mr. Mcpherson is not as well pleased with
the location as he is with the plans for the
building When the matter was under con-
sideration before the Senate committee on
public buildings and grounds, he recommend
ed that it be located on the White Lot, whereat
the grave Senators shrugged their shoulders,
talked of the great national drive of which at
some day in the future the White Lot was to
form part, and vetoed the proposition. Next
rawlings square was suggested, but it was
abandoned because of the low ground and the
general apprehension that the locality was not
a healthy one.
TIE WORK OF THE BUREAU.
The Bureau OF Engraving and Printing now
almost peStered to death with applicants for
office, and some of those soliciting work are
worthy and absolutely needy but owing to
the limited appropriations made by Congress
no additional force can be employed.
LITTLE STORY ABOUT ECONOMY.
There is a good Story tod on Judge IIol-
man, of Indiana. At the time he was a men,
ber of the committee on appropriations, esti-
mates for the bureau had been sent into the
committee, and for certain branch of the
work 100000 was asked for. By miSprnt
When Judge Holman ran his economic eye
over the amount he said: ''Well, we will cut
this down to s600OO0; it ought to be enough"
Subsequently when informed that S20000O was
all that was asked for, the Judge, not at all
abashed said "Well, l guess that is too
much we will cut it down to $l500OO.n