The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1886-01-28
The Post Office Extension.

Our Congressman Mr. Milliilen has, we see,
introduced a bill appropriatin@ s13.o0o for the
extension of the public building i'll this city
We suppose H,e public building means our
Custom House and Post Oice building. The
$4,000 is more than the present building cost,
and from the description of the extension we
should say that plenty Of men can be found
to build it for not exceeding $4,000. II S11.0o0
is the estimate there must be job in it for
somebody. Prog Age.
The above is a fair specimen of the blunder
i'm and naccuracy of the Prog. Age, of its OPP
position to every public Improvement in Bel
fast, and of it, frequent attacks upon the in
tegrity of the present Administration. On
page - Of the Report of the Supervising Ar
chitect it will be that the site for the Bel
fast Post Office and Custom House WAS bought
Oct. 4. 1876 for $4,000; that the actual cost of
constructing the building. which was done UNI
der Buchanan's Administration, Wa so .)S;.-
26, and that the cost OF the building at the
present time. including repairs but exclusive
of the cost of site. j. 377,s4>.ll. And yet the
Age says that SO 900 is more than the present
building cost.
That more room is needed for the pos, office
must be evident to every one The present
business room is but n feet. , inches. by Is
feet. inches, and is entirely too small for
handling the mails and conducting the affairs
of the office More letter boxes are also need
ed. and one hundred could be readily rented if
obtainable. Some month, ago the Treasury
Department sent a skilled man here to exam
Inc the building and report what enlargement
and alterations We're necessary. His plans and
estimates Were submitted to the Treasury De
partnent and upon these Secretary Manning
recommended an appropriation of $4,000 TO
enlarge the building and this sum was included
in the estimates sent to the Appropriations
Mr.. Milliken then. to make sure of the success
of the measure. introduced a bill covering the
same appropriation and had it referred to the
Committee on Public Building, and Grounds
OF Which he is member. Now his efforts TO
secure post office convcniencc> for our city are
met by the opposition of the PROG. Age, As
Were the Improvements of Belfast harbor
While as i'll the ease of the appropriation for
public building at Augusta the editor Of the
Age reflects upon the integrity OF President
Fleveland'> Administration. by saying there
must be Job for somebody's in this small ap-
preparation. lnasmucl as the present Admin
istration will have entire control of the cNpen-
diture OF this money, the letting of contracts.
the appointment of superintendent, of the
work, etc.. the statements of the Prog AGE
above quoted must be taken as an unulmlitied
declaration that the present Democratic Adj
minstration cannot be trusted to make an hon
est expenditure of So 900. At the same time
the editor OF the Age expects this Atlministra-
ton, which he cannot trust with 80 insignificant
a sum. to appoint him Collector Of the Belfast
Customs District. If he has any confidence in
the success Of his application for the Collector
ship he must expect to be custodian of the
building IN question, when Of course he would
not allow one cent Of the $4,000 to be improp-
erly expended, even though the present Demo
cratic Administration should desire ever SO
much to have "a job in it for somebody"
The erection of this building will afford en-
ployment to many of our people and put 50
much more money in circulation here and for
this reason every well wi>her of Belfast should
hope for favorable action by Congress. The
fact that the building is really needed is. how
ever, the only argument that has weight with
the Government, and it is upon this ground
that the Secretary of the Treasury recommend
ed the appropriation. The Prog. Ace is the
first paper in the country TO accuse the Secre-
tary of jobbery.