New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-02-23
A LARGE PROJECT.

Mr.. William j. Fryer. jr., will be known to
posterity for Two things; first, that he was
during certain period unfortunately not yet
ended, superintendent of repairs on the Federal
buildings in this city. and. second, that while
acting in this capacity he caused the United
States flag to fly at half-mast in recognition of
the death of Hubert o. Thompson. who never
held Federal office. 1t is obvious that Mr..
Flyers opinion on any subject must be of inn
portance, and we need only say that he has
made a special report to MIR. Freret, Supervising
Architect of the Treasury Department. vpon
the need of new Federal buildings in this city,
to command the instant attention of the public.
This report Mr.. Fryer with rare public spirit.
has had printed and is circulating at his own
expense. o..
There is no doubt of the need of new build
ings, especially for the Custom House. Apprais-
ers stores and Assay Office. The need for
new Sub-Treasury Building is not so clear.
though better provision must soon be made
for storage vaults. But complaints have been
fife for many years of the inadequacy of tho
Custom House and it is evident that the ercc-
ton of new building cannot be put of forever.
Mr.. Flyers plan has at least the merit of mag
nificence. He proposes that the Government
shall acquire the three small blocks immedi-
atcy south of Bowling Green, lying between
Whitehall and State sts., and fronting on the
battery. Assuming that the tax valuation is
o. per cent of the real valuation. and gencr-
ously increasing the real valuation by 20 per
cent which he says is the surplus over the
market price usually given by commissioners
in cases Of condemnation. he estimates that the
land can be bought for S3,OOO,OOO The Gus
tom House alone, he declares, would sell for
as much and the Sub-TrcaSury and Assay
Office sites for moro, so that the Government
would gain by the transfer. Here he would
erect splendid series of buildings the Sub
Treasury facing up Broadway, then next below
the Assay and Refining buildings; then the
Custom House, and south Of this the Appraisers
stores. which could be connected with the
Barge Office by underground tunnel,
This is a scheme to make the taxpayers eyes
stand out from his head If the construction
of such n series Of buildings was carried on as
work is usually carried on upon public build
ings. whether Federal, State or municipal. they
would probably cost even more than the Albany
Capitol, AMI take as long to build. and would
probably be as wrctched a job by the time they
were Ostcnsibly finished. as that structure is.
Mr. Fryers report is discrcctly silent as TO the
probable cost Of carrying out his scheme but
laws great stress as an clement Of justification,
rpon the fact that the Treasury Offices III this
city are so cramped for room that the rent of
additional quarters amounts to $4,000 year
But this is The interest. even Mt vc'Y 10" r''c'
mon only two millions. and the Government
I nI thQgN hnIlHInOS.
under the present system and under Demo-
cratic auspices. for twenty millions.
There are some healthy signs. such as the
frank debate in the Senate the other day. Of an
outbreak Of honest sentiment on this question:.
There is no good reason why orr public buid-
ings should be such gravcyards for public
money. and be so diSgraccful from every point
of view after We have paid these enormous
prices for them. No one hopes to see The Gov
eminent get exactly as much for its money rs
the private individual can. That is probably
Utopian but it can approximate to 1t. There
is no good reason why the Government cannot
have its buildings erected for it under contract
at probably onc-half their present average cost,
with little or none Of the jobbcry, corruption,
oytravagance and waste now attending such
work Certainly no reasonable man should
want to see tic enormous project just outlined
set on foot until there has been reform in our
building methods, by which "politicS' ar"
excluded from the work. With a Democratic
Administration in control, straning every nerve
to keep the party in power. and great horde
Of workers in this. the chief Of Democratic
cities, TO be provided for, we should probably
have the worst public building scandal the
country has ever seen.