Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-06-14
The Federal Building Again.

OChCld al NnhNONCts Ny hAo W
keep the people OF Los Angeles informed
that an additional appropriation Tor our
Federal building could have been secured
at the last session of Congress, has got
this whole business into an almost in
extricable muddle. The Chamber of
Commerce commits the same error
charged by Vandever against the Presi-
dent OF the Board of Trade by adopting
special report to be sent to Washington
asking that work be stopped on the build
ing. In this connection we give below q
letter Just received by General E. f.
Hewett, Superintendent of the Southern
Pacific Railway, from the supervising
architect Of the Government, who seems
to be willing to suspend work upon the
building. 1t IS az follows:
TREASURY DEPARTMENT,
OFFICE OF SUPERVISING ARCHITECT,
WASHINGTON, D, U. June 3, 1889.
Mr.. E. e. HclUiH, Los angeles, Gals
SIR have to acknowledge the receipt, by
reference from the Hon. Leland Stanford. of
your letter OF the 18th alt, in relation to the
size of the courthouse, postofice, etc., building
In reply 1 have to state that It was originally
intended that this should be. a three story
building, but on making careful estimate of
the cost it was found that the appropriation
was insufficient to DO more than construct a two
story building. and afford suitable accommoda-
tions on the first floor for the postoffice. The
basement is not intended for offices or business
purposes.
If General Vandever, the officers who are to
occupy the building and other parties inter
ested, will address a formal communication TO
the Department stating the necessity for add
tional accommodations. and their intention to
endeavor TO secure an additional sppropris-
ton, will take pleasure in laying the matter
before the honorable Secretary of the Treasury
for his decision as to whether the work should
be suspended at such point it may be
necessary to stop the work in ord to provide
for an extra story or the purchase OF additional
land and building an extension, or both, until
1t shall have been determined whether the ad.
ditionai appropriation can be obtained or not.
Respectfully yours,
JAMES a. wINDRIM,
Supervising Architect.
1t is, in our opinion, a serious mistake
to take any action that will lead to the
suspension of the work now in progress.
Everybody knows that the building is
not adequate to the wants of this city
but if the work is stopped now, it is
problematical whether it will ever be
continued, either on a large or small
SCdlC. aPpiopilallOAch al hot bO easy W Sct
from Congress that we can afford to throw
away bird in the hand for two in the Con-
gressional bush. The sub-contracts are
let out for all the material and work
and if these are not carried out, the APP
preparation will be eaten up in reclams-
tons, and we will be left without any
building at all. The suggestion made by
the HERALD is the only sensible one to
pursue under the circumstances. Let
the building under way be finished &C.
cording to plans, and, if further appro-
priation can be had, let it be for Post.
Office building and site elsewhere. The
structure now under way can be made to
accommodate all the offices excepting
the postofice, and that can be accommo-
dated elsewhere until we can get an ap-
preparation to secure suitable site for a
permanent building. 1t may be two, i,
may be four years, or even longer, before
the appropriation asked for by the Cham
Der of Commerce can be had, if at all.
In the meantime, to suspend the work
leaves us without any building, and very
likely without the prospect of getting one
in years. In this case, half a loaf il
better than no bread.