Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-12-02


Inc estimates for the expenses of the District
government, sent to the Treasury department
Wy the District Commissioners, included an
item OF S125.OO to be expended in the con-
s'ruc'lon OF a suitable building for the District
government Offices in place of the old buildings
on street now occupied. This matter will
aiso oe presented to the attention of Congress in
tne district Commissioners annual report,
"hich Will reiterate substantially the state
menus made in annual report made by Capt. F.
V. Greene before he severed his connection
VIII the District engineers Office last July.
COMMISSIONER EDMoND's VIEWS.
District Commissioner Edmonds when asked
py STAR reporter respecting the views of the
commissioners regarding the necessity of new
puldlns, said. "Why, if fire should break out
neTe ~ might in short time destroy all the
laDle damage. The building is not at all suit
a .O In some of the rooms we have to burn gas
SoOy.UoO; exclusive of the cost of the site, on q
new new, building" continued Mr.. Edmonds. "That
a Mo9iu eve us building plain but commodious
anu sultable-a building large enough to an
Swer the needs of the District Cover nment for a
long time to come. If Congress would let us do
Tor IL IN two years Last year We did not urge
sucn an expenditure because there were the
sewers ana other needed Improvements which
uenlanuea immediate attention, and we de-
sired that the money should go where it was
most needed at the time
Wlii you make any suggestion in your
annual report as to site:" asked the reporter
NO, we will not said Mr. Edmonds. ''That
VIII De matter for Congress to decide. We
such building. We do not think it proper for
the commissioners to go into the question of
s Saee IL Congress calls for details then we might
he building inspector has proposed Judi
cia a square," suggested THE STAR reporter.
the %Sn ID BE-
~ might be located at the corner OF 5th and D
streets and =. still leave space of 100 feet
ample for air and light. Or it might be placed
fronting 9th street, between f and F. In either
case the ground taken up would be inconsid-
cradle compared with the whole area of the
park, and would do no damage to the park
Inc location would be central and healthful.''
!" Have the Commissioners considered the
plan OF erecting building for post office and
District government building?'
The District Commissioners present only
their own case" said Mr. Edmonds. "They
have nothing to do with the post Office Con-
gress may, of course, consider both the matters
together. but we bring to their attention only
our own needs"
CAPT. GREENE's SUGGESTION.
The portion of Capt. Greene's last annual re-
port relating to the District building is as fol-
lows:
"Ihe lack of a suitable building for the Offices
OF the District government is a matter which
requires serious attention. The present hired
quarters are in every way unsuitable. They
are very combustible, and are liable to be de-
stroyed by fire, with all the records contained
IN them at any moment. They are wholly in
sufficient in size for the clerical force now en-
poyed; the arrangement of rooms is extremely
lnconvenient, both for the public and for the
officers; they are infested by rats and vermin,
which not only add to the discomfort of the in
mates, but seriously injure a portion of the rec
ords: they are badly ventilated, and SO badly
llghted that gas is necessary in some of the
rooms at all hours. and several of the clerks
have had their eyesight permanently injured
Washington, or half its size, has such bad ac-
commodations for its municipal offices.
For several years plans have been discussed and
presented to the committees OF Congress for q
new city building in connection with q new
post office or other building for some branch Of
resulted from them, and it seems best that the
District should endeavOr to build its own build
ing, independent of other branches of the gov
eminent. What is needed is plain brick
building, with beams, stairs and roof of iron,
and floors OF concrete. The floor space required
is about 10000 square feet, independent of
Railways, or say three stories with ground
plan OF II, 500 square feet From soUe approx
innate calculations Of cost, and from data kindly
furnished by Gen. Meigs, am of opinion that
building of the character of the new Pension
building, but much smaller in size, Lean be built
for S125, 900 at the mOSt-S10 per square foot
AS to sites, the District already owns the ground
street, which is we'll adapted for the purpose, or
Congress might give its consent to placing the
building on judiciary square. 1t would require
nearly two years for its completion, and the
drain on the District revenues would not be eX-
cessive. There is certainly no other object for
vantage for the general interests of the Dis
trict.''