Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1890-02-20
Washin gtor Letter;
From our regular correspondent

Though rot formally presented to the
Honse the majority and minority re-
ports Of the committee on rules have
been in the hands of the Journal Clerk
since Friday and have been ordered
printed, in preparation for the big de-
bate. The majority report in.creat de-
tai! explaining the differences between
the new code and the one formally IN
use, but the statement OF differences is
unaccompanied with argument, except
in the case of the rule as to ascertaining
quorum AMI that providing that ''no
dilatory motion shall be entertained by
the Speaker These and the rule that
one hundred members shall constitute a
quorum in committee Of the whole, are
the only radical changes. Against
these, the minority report signed by
Mesrss Randall and Carlisle is mainly
directed. The minority report indi-
Gates that the debate on these three
points will be protracted.
The Senate committee on public
buildings and grounds has been ordered
to report by bills, or otherwise, plans
for the erection of several public build
iuss and the purchase Of sites and for
an addition to the White House. The
debate on the question has awakened
genea.interest and the public appears
as much in favor Of the idea as do the
Senators. Only niggardly legislation
has prevented the erection eff several of
the proposed buildings long ago. By
this delay the government has lost sew
eral million dollars, for now that the
necessity can no longer be fought off
for any length Of time, land in the bus
mess portion of the city has increased
from the prices of FIVE years ago in a
startling manner. Land now sells in
the open market from three to ten times
what it brought then. What it will
bring in few years more can be faint
| iy imagined. And Uncle Sam needing
land, sits with his hands in his pockets
fall Of gold and lets opportunity drift
10y.
Senator Morrill, told the Senate in his
speech the other dag that Uncle Sam is
paving over 500, 600 per annum in this
city in renting buildings, often awkward
and intellectually unsuited to public
but.ness, sometimes badly lighted and
ventilated, and generally making no
pretension to being fre-proof. Many
Of these rents, by tricks that are dark,
are double what any other tenant would
pay. In these insufficient structures
are stored thousands Of tons of govern
rient records that could only be partial
" reproduced and that at immense
cost. The only person who derives any
benefit is the happy landlord.
The newer government buildings are
FIRE proof, but few Of the older ones
make no claim to being SO. Senator
Morrill, pronounced the government
printing ofiice mere shell, a death
trap. The government owns some OF
the finest printing machinery in tie
world, with tons Of excellent material,
and possesses the electrotypes of work
that costs thousands to produce, and all
this property is contained in crazy
shell Of building, thin walled, built
piecc-meai as urgent necessity called
for additions, racked out Of shape By
machinery, and with foors sagging
from the weight of material.
These interesting barracks are hardly
less Objectionable from sanitary stand
point, If ore considers human life Of
any value. Ventilation is wretched and
the heating apparatus, upon the con-
structiou Of which local engineers are
placing so much stress since the awful
Tracy tragedy Of last week, is Of the
most sntiduated description. There
would be no supply of water to the up
per floors in case of fire. The building
is full of dark passages and corners
where men work as in L mine and with
hardly elbow room.
THIS overcrowiing retards work and
that seriously, in seasons of great
rash of work as in December. and dur
lag the last month of each session.
And every year. as the country grows,
the z,noGut az work 10 be done increas-
es. About The oniy thing satisfactory
about the printing eifice Is its sight.
The location IS in ny,ghborhood where
workman can live at reasonable rate
and rents are low. and Il is convenient
to the CAPITOL, with which the hurried
business IL the Congressional Record
is transacted.
Or more pars's local mfortance is
the question: # a ne# city post Office
The present building is an aneien. hotel,
dark, dirty and unhealthy. The major
ity Of the clerks work under gaslight,