Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-11-27
ANNUAL ESTIMATES
BEING MADE FOR THE APPROPRIATIONS OF
TIE NEXT CONGRESS.
West Virginia Does Not Figure Very Largely in
the Maitsr-Ths Public Buildings III the
State and What They COst-The
Importance Of River In
prOyement.
Spseiai Telegram % ne Register.

officials of the executive departments
are engaged in the preparation of the
annual estimates upon which Congress
iOnal appropriations are based. These
estimates are sent to Congress on the
opening day of each Congress, and show
the necessities of the government for
the coming fiscal year. As every sec
tion and State is after something, the
Treasury recommendations are OF a
good deal of interest. 1t cannot be
said, though, that West Virginia figures
in them very largely, but even the few
items are worth reproduction.
In the public building line an estimate
OF $4,000 will be submitted for the
completion of the Court House and
postoilice at Martinsburg. This will
furnish the full limit of cost for this
Improvement, Congress having at the
last session appropriated $50, 600 for the
purchase of site and the commence
ment of the building.
There are no light houses to be built
in West Virginia, but the light house
board make provision in the general
estimate for the maintenance of post
lights on the Kanawha river to aid navi-
L
lights kept up on the kanawha over
section of Seventy-fOur miles of river.
An appropriation OF $4,000 is desired
for the purpose of constructing gravel
road from the town of Grafton to the
National Cemetery, near that place.
There has been no mention of the
river improvements for West Vir-
ginia. because none have been
made. The figures of the engineers
showing what is required for this class
of work, have been laid upon the table
of the Secretary of War, but that official
has not indicated what his action will
be. 1t is more than probable, though,
that the engineers statements will be
sent TO Congress without recommends
tion. leaving il to the Committee on
Rivers and HarbOrS to determine wheth-
er or not a'river and harbor bill shall
be prepared. As far as West Nirginia'S
rivers are concerned the engineers say
that appropriations should be made this
winter, IL the improvements are TO be
kept under way. Otherwise there Will
be a cessation of work before the Fifty
second Congress can pass river ana
| harbOr bill.
A chance now exists for some young
and eI tcrpriSing West Virginia city to
pitch in for a public building. An eX-
animation Of the calendar of both House
and Senate shows that not 4 single
place in the State is represented among
| the one hundred and fifty or more claim
ants for public buildings. The coast IS
now clear, therefore, Martinsburg hav-
ing secured one OF the prizes at the last
session.
Ii occurred TO your correspondent,
though. that perhaps the public building
industry in West Virginia is not on
boom, or that the market is fully sup
piled, and in consequence some inquiries
were made ut the treasury about what
the State has received in this line. The
The results obtained may be OF interest,
showing a. they do each public build
ing authorized in the State ana the en-
penditures involved in the Improvement.
Charleston poStoflice aud Court House
Cost Of site. s., actual cost OF
construction, $50, $40. 40; cost Of altera-
ton. extension and repairs, S53, $3.50;
total cost Of improvement, Sl42, $500.
Clarksburg Court House and poStof-
iice-COSt OF site, 3,62s.G7; actual cost
of construction. So, ,37l.33; deficiencies
covered by appropriation of last session,
5000: total cost of improvement,
$4,000
ParkerSburg Court House and poStof-
lce-CoSt of site, Sl7,S4l, 40; actual
cost of construction, S293,0j9.O3; cost of
alterations and repairs, 1l,427.5i; total
cost of improvement, S252, ,397.97.
Wheeling Custom 1ouSe-CoSt Of
site, $50, 500; actual cost of construction,
500. .6ls.6i: cost Of alterations and re-
pairs, $50, 392. 76; total cost OF improve
ment, Sl53. .571.4O.
The total cost of the public builuing
for MartnSburg is limited to S75, 900.
The total amount allowed by the gov
ernment for public buildings in West
Virginia is S7l3,752.67.
Grafton is the most prominent among
the cities of the State that are after Il
public building.
Prof Day, of the Census Bureau, says
there are several mineral springs In
West Virginia, whose waters are used
commercially, and that the sales OF all
are reported good. The latest addition
TO the springs, the waters of which are
sold, is the Triplet Spring, Peasants
county.
The chairman of the library commit
ted Hon. Charles O'Neill, when last
here said that he intended, il possible,
to secure action the coming session on
some of the bills pending for the cree
/ tion of monuments to mark the earlier
battleields of the country. Among the
number is that OF Point Pleasant, where
the Indians were defeated in the Revo-
| luton.