Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1885-02-24
PUBLIC BUILDING AT WICHITA

The Congressional Record of the
18th contains tho. motion of Judge Pc
tiers callir. IN bill :, l23 making appro-
priatiors for public building in
Wichita. The bill WAS read as follows:
Be it enacted, &c, That the Secretary of
the Treasury be, and is hereby, authorized
and directed to purchase "A site for, and
cause 10 be erected thereon. a suitable build
ing, with iire-proof vaults therein. for the ac-
commodation Of the postoffice, United States
courts. and other government offices at the
city of Wichita, state of Kansas The plans
specifications and full estimates for said
building shall be previously made and APP
proved according 30 law, and shall not ex-
coed for the site and building complete the
sum Of 100000; Provided, that the site
shall leave the building uncNposed 10 dan
ger from fire in adjacent buildings by sn
open space Of not lsss than forty feet, in
Guiding streets and ALLEYS; and no money APP
propriated for this purpose shall be avail
able until a valid title TO the site for said
building shall be invested in the United
States, nor until the state Of Kansas shall
have csded to the United States exclusive
jurisdiction over the same, during the time
the United States shall be or remain the
owner thereof, for ali purposes except the
administration of the criminal laws of said
state and the service Of civil process therein
In answer 10 questions Judge Peters
Said: Wichita, at which the building
is sought to be erected, has a pOpula-
ton of about $1,000. The United
States court i held at Wichita. and III
addition 10 the usual jurisdiction con-
ferred that court also mas criminal jur-
szlf,s,,,, Of 81 10 o. hn Ia.
dian Territory north of the Canadian
river and west Of the Five Tribes:
which gives il very large and exten-
sivc criminal jurisdiction. There i
also a land office located at Wichita. |
The gross receipts of the land oiiic |
there for the Wichita land district |
were during the last year over a half |
million dollars. The gross receipts of
of the Wichita postofiice during the |
past wear were about $4,000. Unless |
their are objections 20 the bill or I'M
less some gentleman desires 10 make
some further inquiry in relation TO il
| will reserve the remainder of my
time | viii, however. add that there
are four railroads. and at two points
on the territorial line the roads run
ming TO that point can be reached. |
will reserve the remainder ofmy time.
The bin was opposed in a speech by
Miller. After some considerable dis
cussion Miller offered the following
amendment: ''In line II, strike out
100000 and insert $4,000"
After further discussion Mr.. Morse
offered the following amendment:
And il shall be the duty Of the secretary
after the site for the said building shall have
been purchased, to cause Il plan and speciii-
cation of said building 70 bcprepared. which
said plans and specifications shall not involve
m expenditure in the erection and compile
ton of SAID building and approaches thereto
SXcceding the portion Of said $4,000 re-
maing after the site Of laid building shall
have been naid for; and no plan for said
building shall be approved BY the secretary
Of the treasury involving an expenditure eX-
ceeding the sum 30 remaining after paving
for the site Of said building.
The bill a amended then passed The
house. !,
Ii i probably unnecessary to say
that while hslf OF loaf Is better
than no bread AT all. still the building
j. not such building a.
win meet the demands of the govern
mcnt offices at this point. One hun
lrcd thousand in addition to the pay
for the grounds j, the least possible !
sum that would provide the necessary
room and facilities. \ little town in
Texas only a few DAYS since was given
a federal building of grant proper
lions. but Texas i not a Kansas in n
democratic house. We hope our sen
ltors may be able To amend the bin 80
Is TO place the figures back 10 the or
ginal amount. For this reason we were
opposed TO the action taken in this city
asst week. a we then privately stated.