The Washington critic., 1886-02-15
WASHINGTON. FEB. Is, 1886.
THE NEW CITY posTorrIcE.

Postofllce is admitted by all, as the
building now occupied for that purpose
is unsafe, too small for the amount of
business TO be done, inadequate and
unfit in all its appointments, and liable
at any moment to total destruction
should fire once get started on the
premises.
But where shall the new structure
be located? The pending controversy
over this question naturally, if not
necessarily, stands in the way of logis.
lative action, and If the selection of
site is first to be agreed upon by Con.
gress before making any appropriation
for the much needed improvement,
there is no telling when the work will
be begun. Hope will continue to be
deferred and the new postoilicc remain
q thing of the indefinite future.
In fact it is doubtful If any bill can
be pushed through both Houses of
Congress which provides for the Sc
lection of particular locality, the con-
fiict of opposing property interests be-
ing morally certain to defeat such a
measure, as has happened time and
again with similar undertakings in the
past.
The only practical way to solve the
difficulty is for Congress to appropriate
an amount sufficient for the purchase
of suitable location, the selection to
be made by commission consisting of
Senator, q Member of the House, and
the Supervising Architect, or of three
members of the Cabinet, or of any
three competent and disinterested per.
sons, to be appointed by the President;
and their choice of a site being ap.
proved by him, to be final. Then the
money can be paid over for the ground
and the contracts for the building given
out. Then, and not till then, will
there be any prospect of Washington
having the new postoflice of which it
stands in such great need, and which
ought to be the model establishment of
its kind in the United States, If not in
the world.
THE CRITIC has no prejudice in ia
vor of one locality over another. 1t
should be understood, however, that
nothing is to be gained to the facilita-
tion of business by bringing the new
Postoffice and the General Postoilice
any nearer together The Washington
Office is as independent of the General
Postoffice as the Baltimore or Brooklyn
or Milwaukee office. So the matter of
contiguity is of no relevancc.
We also most vigorously protest that
the idea of combining the Postoifice
and District buildings in one structure
ought not to be tolerated for moment.
Having entirely distinct objects, requir-
ing distinct architectural treatment,
they should be kept entirely apart.
HEROES WITHOUT a COUNTRY.
Lieutenant Greely's account of the
Lady Franklin Bay Expedition is one
of the books of the year. 1t is as i'm
portant contribution to Arctic litera.
ture as any that has ever been printed.
1t is better written than Melville's "In
the Lena Delta and much more valu-
alJfe than any recent work dealing with
matter of similar character. So COM
plete are the scientific data and so well
told is the whole story that it would
not be going too far to say that Lieu
tenant Greedy stands at the head oi
Arctic historians, and he is modest
historian, too. He takes no credit mol
honor to himself, but is most generous
in his record of the heroism, patience
and endurance of those who
served with him. In view of al
that the Lady Franklin Bay expedition
underwent it Is truly pitiable to read
his closing remarks. None of the men
of that expedition have been rewarded
by promotion, except such temporary
advancement as Lieutenant Greely',
personal urging could secure. Lieu
tenant Lockwood" says the author
"and the Eskimo, Christensen, have
unhappily passed away, but Sergean
Brainard, who strove with them sue
cessfully TO gain for the country tht
honors of the farthest north, yet re
mains, after eight years of stainless ant
extraordinary service in the ranks, {
sergeant"
II is very pertinent question to ask
how this happens since there hav,
been many appointments to second
lieutenantcies in the army since til,
return of the remnant of the Greell
expedition. Perhaps Sergeant Brain
ard has not sufficient social influence
Says Lieutenant Greely:
Two men, with broken health, have adver
tured their private fortunes; and one, mos
selfsacritcing, soldiery, temperate and loyl
man, lies, as these lines are penned, helples
m CITY hospital, aided by private charity, hi
allowances originally promised for Ar1ti
service have not been fully paid, and tn
widows OF the dead are generally az yet iln
recognized
II is true that Hospital Stewar,
Beiderbick, one of the men OF the ex
pedition, of whose courage and fidellt
Lieutenant Greely speaks most highly
has recently been appointed to $50
position in the Department of Agricul
ture by Commissioner Colman, but
was through no recommendation of an
one connected with this great Cover
ment. Lieutenant Greely speak
plainly, but we think with justification
when he says that in no other seryic
in the world would men who have per
formed such services as were performed
by those in the Lady Franklin Bay ex
pedition have been treated 50 shabbily
THE Citizens Protective Association
of this city, which Is an organization
of business men, associated, as thu