The Washington critic., 1886-06-17
WHERE TO PUT THE NEW POsToF-
FICE AND DISTRICT BUILDINGS.

FICE AND DISTRICT BUILDINGS.
II is much to be feared that owing to
various contentious and rivalries among
certain property owners who have lots
10 sell, the present session of Congress
will adjourn and leave the question of
site for the new City Postofllco rs
far from settlement as ever, and, as n
matter of course, the inauguration of
an urgently needed improvement again
Indefinitely postponed.
We see but one way out Of the diff
culty-but one course whereby to reach
an early conclusion in the premises.
That is, for Congress to peremptorily
desist from wasting any further time in
undertaking to decide between the
claims and controversies Of private lot
owners. and proceed at once to the
selection Of government reservation
for the purpose in view.
If we are to wait for the purchase OF
eligible property, by amicable negotia-
tion and on satisfactory terms, or de-
pend on its acquisition by condemna
tion, 1t may be ten or twenty years
nobody knows how long-before the
corner stone of the new building is
laid 1t is more than likely that in the
meantime the old rookery now occupied
rs postoflice will come tumbling down
about the heads of its unlucky inmates
and the Government be compelled to
rent other and equally unsuitable quar-.
tiers.
What then should be done? Let
Congress solve the problem by autho-
rizipg the construction of the city post
Judiciary Square, and Of the District
buildings on the southeast corner of
the same square.
Thus will location be secured that
is not only Immediately available, but
as slightly as any In the city, as con-
venient to the Capitol and the several
Departments of the Government as any
that can be named, and in every re-
spect most admirably adapted to the
uses proposed; still leaving unimpaired
large and handsome park between
the contemplated improvement on the
South and the Pension Office on the
north.
There Is ample room on the corner
Of Fifth street and Louisiana avenue,
west of the City Hall, for the erection
Of postotllce as commodious In area
as its business will require for the next
hundred years and of commanding
architectural appearance. Everybody
will agree that wherever the new office
is located it should be model of its
class surpassed by none in the United
States in elegance, capacity, durability
and appointments.
Upon the corner of Indiana avenue
and Fourth street. east of the City Hall,
there is similarly ample room for the
new District Buildings, and these two
should be model structures, worthy of
the great Capital, which they are in
tended TO accommodate and adorn.
Thanked by edifices of this character,
the present Court House, of which there
is little to be architecturally said in Its
favor, would exhibit somewhat strik-
ing ard incongruous contrast to its
handsome neighbors, but the day for q
new Court House will sooner or later
come in any event, and in due course OF
time, Temple of Justice of correspond
ing beauty would form the imposing
centre of magnificent pile, comprised
between two streets, having common
frontage and concentrating in one con-
venient locality the three important
public buildings of the District.
If Congress will look at this propo.
sition carefully and candidly we feel
morally certain that both Senate and
House will perceive the wisdom OF
promptly ending what promises to be a
long and improbable strife in the
most economical way and, we are conf
dent, to the satisfaction of the people
of this District. 1t is not too late fol-
action TO be taken and the preliminary
appropriation made at this session
thus enabling the work to be begun
before the snow falls.
Unless some such decisive action is
had, the outlook for improvement
that are absolutely necessary to b'
made, and which It is positively shame
full for the National Capital to go with
out, will continue more and more un
certain. if not painfully, humiliatingy
discouraging,