Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1888-06-01

The president has vetoed an0ther ap-
propriation for public building. This
time It is Columbus, Georgia, that is hit,
an old and hourishing city Of some 10000
population. Cities Of this size in the
South are not % numerous as In the
North, and they are therefore Of consid.
srably more importance in that section.
Columbus is quite sufficiently important
city to have public building, IL it comes
within the rule seemingly laid down In
The Lancaster case Of requiring the town
70 be the seat Of an internal revenue COL
hector as well rs q postmaster.
We do not know how this is with Col.
umbus; but the presidents objection to
IL public building seems to be based upon
the ground that $lOO,0O0 is too large q
sum TO spend upon such building for a
town of that size he says that 1t is much
more than would be expended for the &C.
commodation of business of similar
magnitude by private Individual and
that doubtless is true; but the United
States is not private individual, and
when 1t builds, it builes extensively.
We are quite in sympathy with the
presidents iGea that there should be no
wasteful extravaganza of the public
money in erecting public buildings. We
thought that 100000 was enough for
this city and that we should build a
handsome building here for that money.
But since the agent of the treasury de.
partment has been here, looking for a
site, we find that under the rules and
ideas of that department, a hundred
thousand dollars is not great sum for u
public building in flourishing city.
For instance, that sum peremptorily for.
bidslocstion on q principal business street.
The department requires space Of forty
feet clear on every side Of the building.
Al . consequence hundred feet frontage
at least is required, and, when a lot is not
ct the corner Of street, more is needed.
In any prosperous town we presume that
Eve hundred dollars front foot Is a low
price for ground on principal bushes s
stres t 90 that it is evident that hun
drd thousand dollar appropriation sends
public building to side street.
The president will learn from the treas
ury department that Its ideas Of the proper
style and dimensions for public build
ing In any important town call for an ex
penditure upon the structure Of about q
hundred thousand dollars. Lancaster
h advised that only about $4,000 cal
be spared from the appropriation, TO
the site. Reading, which has smalle
postofiice business than Lancaster, and !
not the seat Of an internal revenue dis
trict, is having a building 5Oxl25 fee
put on a lot of 9Ox25O, upon an appIo
priation of sls0 600; the site costin
1900 and the building sl07 900, a ba
ance being left for ground improvement
Reading does not need building {
this size now, as much as Lancaster.
may in the future for which 1t was bull
but meanwhile there will be a vast e,
panse of emptiness. The president, in az
dressing himself to the economic sid
Of the public building question
must remember that the cost come
from the feeling, all around, tina
the United States buildings should b
imposing and ornamental rs well as ust
full; and that el0O, 600 does not go ver
far In the indulgence of such fancles.
Columbus, Georgia, should have publ
building, the appropriation Of 600, ,0(
for 1t was Lot too much. A city thi
cannot economically use up that mar
dollars in a public building is too incol
siderable to need one.
The business men OF Lancaster woul
like TO have their postotiice on the mai
street; but the treasury department d
clares 1t cannot be put there on the al
pr0priation and even alot within half
block of the main street is dec ared to
costly; il the business men do not COZ
tribute to the purchase OF mora costl
site, they are notified that the huildin
will 60 off to an eligible alley III the wi
derness of side streets. 1t does not seel
altogether plain that the United Stat,
should 60 spying about for such a site f
reasons Of economy.