National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-01-23

A number Of bills Of great public interest
to the people of tidewater Virginia have
been presented to the forty-ninth Congress
by the Hon. Harry Libbey, representative
from the fourth district Of Virginia. Per-
haps the most important OF these is House
bill 25i3, which provides for the construc-
ton of an iron pier at Fortress Monroe
Va, and appropriating Sl5O,00O for that
purpose.
The quartermaster general of the United
States army, In a letter to the Secretary Of
War on this subject says: Wrhis depart
ment has your authority to repair the old
one, and to invite proposals for the con-
structioD of wharf, without stone piers,
to the extent of about $4,000 or $1S, 900.
This plan now appears to he only a tempo
rary eXpedient, leading TO the expenditure
of large amount Of money without reach
ing the end in view, namely, a good, SER
viceable, permanent wharf. such wharf as
is understood to be required as an original
condition imposed upon the government
when the land was given for military pur-
poses, The object Of this letter is mainly
10 suggest the advantage Of having wharf
properly planned by the engineer IN charge
of the defenses at Fort Monroe, under the
chief of engineers, and second, to recommend
that an appropriation be asked from Con-
gress for enough money to build perma-
nent structure on plans to be submitted by
the engineer, and under his direction
House bill 25C0 provides for the erection
OF public building at Fortress Monroe, and
appropriates the sum of $4,000 for the
building. Gen. j. c. Tldball, bngadler gen
eral commanding at Fortress Monroe, says:
"a new postoilice building Is re-
qulred at this place for the following
reasons; The building now used for
this purpose was n temporary affair
constructed during the war; 1t Is now so
much decayed and dilapidated as to be be-
You'd repair. IL is at best but a shanty,
leaky and insecure from fire and burglars,
and is, Furthermore, too small and incom-
modious for the amount of business now TO
be transacted In II. There is no other build
ing ut the post suitable or available for this
purpose, and no money obtainable from
army appropriations TO construct one. The
importance of the Office demands that II
should be In a secure and convenient build
ing. II is an important Office, not only for
the transaction of large amount of gov
eminent business, but to shipping, a great
deal of which arriving at and departing from
Hampton Roads, transacts business by mail
from this point. Not the least important rs
demanding good pOstofllce facilities is the
multitude of people who resort to this place
summer and winter, from all parts OF the
country, and whose circumstances, business
and social, require better mail accommoda-
hbhn Nhhh Neil w lpuhu III luG DlGhtHl
building"
Another most important bill Is House bill
e56l, providing for the erection OF u public
building for the use Of the custom house
and postoillce at Newport News, In the dis
trict of Yorktown, Va, and making an APP
preparation of 100000 therefor.
This is now very important district, and
the amount Of business done at Newport
News is at times even larger than that trans
acted at Norfolk.
There is no public building Of any kind
at this point suitable for the business OF the
custom house or postonlee. In fact, except
the custom house at Norfolk, there is no
public building at all In the entire tidewater
section of Virginia, The great and con-
stantly increasing business at Newport
News imperatiyely demands that this i'm
provement should be made at once.
Mr.. Libbey is constantly engaged with
the committees looking after his bills, and
is untiring in his eXertions to forward the
interests OF all the people OF his section
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