Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-03-06
FOR A CITY POST OFFICE.
Mr.. Milliken's Bill Reported In the
House Today.

House Today.
PROVISIONS OF THE BILL-PosTMAsTER GENERAL
wASAMAKER BEFORE THE COMMITTEE ON PUB
Lie BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS THIS MORNING
THE DISCUSSION II THE HOUSE.
Before the House met the committee on pub
lie buildings and grounds held a session. 1t
was developed that the committee were unani
nous in their adhesion to the Miliken bill for
the city post Office.
POSTMASTER GENERAL wASAMAKER
appeared before the committee and stated his
views as to the size and requirements of the
new buildings. He was decided in his express
sions as to the great need Of new post Office.
As to the question of the site he did not say
specifically whether he was in favor or was OPP
posed to the proposed site. The general idea
obtained, however, was that he thought some
other site would better fill the requirements.
IN THE HOUSE.
The committee on public buildings and
grounds as soon as the morning hour had ex-
PRED called up. through the chairman, Mr..
Milliken, the long-expected bill providing for
new city post Office for Washington.
The bill, as already stated provides that the
Secretary of the Treasury is instructed in Or
der to provide an eligible site for a city post
once 10 acquire the real estate embraced IN
the square numbered $50 of Washing
ton, bounded by Pennsylvania avenue ON
the north, G stree: ON the south. 9th street
on the east and the building of the Washington
safe deposit company On the west, at a cost,
all told, not exceeding $4,000, and for
such purpose that sum is hereby APP
propriated, and cause to be erected
| thereon a suitable, commodious and sub
| stantial building. including fre-proof vaults,
heating and ventllatng apparatus. elevators
and approaches. for the use of United States
post office IN the city of Washington District
OF Columbia, the cost of the same not to exceed
SSOO000 amounting to Sl,075, 900 in all for the
site, building, tire-proof vaults, heating and
ventilatlnS apparatus, elevators and approaches
complete.
The bill then provides for purchase and con-
domination Of the ground.
IN THE REPORT ON THE BILL
the committee on public buildings and grounds
say: That there Is no public building in
Washington for city post Office; that the post
office is now kept in a building which the
government rents which, is utterly unfit
for the purpose for which it is used; that
it is an old building, in bad condition, and con-
tains but 900 square feet of floor space, while
the present postmaster states that 80, 900 square
feet of space needed for the convenient
working of the force in his office; that
there is no protection for the records and gov
eminent property i'll said building from de-
struction by fire; that the place is unhealthy
as well as inconvenient, and that the own
ers of it now claim rental from
the government of $4,000 per year.
The committee report that the site provided in
the bill accompanying this report is bounded
on three sides by streets; that it is so shaped
that a building covering it can be lighted with
ont using any port of the ground floor for
well-room or coast; that the supervis-
ing architect OF the Treasury estimates
that the plan of a post office building
upon said lot submitted to him would afford
$4,000 square feet of floor space exclusive of
the basement, and the same can be built COM
plete for SSO0000, giving %, coo square feet
more than the present postmaster says is now
needed and so planned and built that several
stories could be added to it. if found
necessary, in future; and he further states. that
there are 327 persons employed in the present
city post office The receipts of the office for
1889 were S436, 25520, but it must be remem-
bered that the great bulk of mail matter
handled in the Washington city pos, office con-
sists of official free matter that the receipts
are not correct indication of the amount of
work done and space needed. The number of
pieces OF mail handled in 1889 was "a, sol. S48.
The site provided i'll the accompanying bill is
at the corner of PENNSYLVANIA avenue and 9th
street, where Or near which all the car lines in
the city with one exception pass. where all
the avenue herdics pass and the people pass III
going to market, and the price asked tor the
land is less than one-half of the price of land
the price OF land on the south side of the ave-
nue. in the immediate neighborhOod, and the
price OF the lot Is less than that OF any lot Of
fered to the committee"
At 80 o'clock Mr.. Milliken moved that the
House resolve itself into committee of the
whole for the consideration of public buildings
bills. The motion was agreed to and Mr..
Payson of Illinois took the chair. Mr.. Mlliken
then called up the city post office bill and pro-
ceeded to address the House.
MR.. MILLIKEN's REMARKS.
He said the bill was the unanimous report of
the committee and he moved that the general
debate be confined to forty minutes. The
above report from the committee was then
read. Unanimous consent was refused on this
Mr.. Rogers of Arkansas then asked Mr. Milliken
If the floods reached this property and Mr..
Milliken SAID they did not.
THE JUDICIARY SQUARE AMENDMENT
Mr.. Cannon proposed his amendment to the
first section making Judiciary square the
site.
Mr.. Dunneii of Tennessee took the floor in
opposition to the amendment. He said
Judiciary square should never have been
invaded in the first place and that now
to place another building there would be en-
tremely involvement. The idea that the gov
ernment could not put up build
ing at the proposed site without
danger of having it flooded each year was alb
u Inc amendment would defeat the OBJ
ject of the bill, and there was no city in the
world needed post office so much as Wash
Ington. The present building was not only a
disgrace to the nation, but was positively I'M
safe to life.
THE QUESTION OF LOCATION
had for the past twenty-three years defeated
the erection of a building and it was about
time the thing stopped. Appoint a commission
if necessary. but do not let this House adjourn
until pest office was voted.
Mr.. Rowell was recognized. He said any
location settled on was for the next hundred
years. The city was growing in every direction
but south, and business, it was well known, was
going north. and III a few years the proposed
location would be on the outskirts He there
fore fayored the amendment.
IN FAyoR OF NEITHER OF THE PROPOSED SITES
Mr.. Kennedy thought that no more of the
public squares should be used foS buildings
but he would likewise oppose the location at
Pennsylvania avenue and 9th street
He thought the location west of and facing
Judiciary square was the proper Site Part of
this ground was now being used for police
headquarters. This site. he said could be
bought for one-half what the proposed site
would cost
Mr.. Milhken asked from whom the gentle
man from Ohio had received such proposals.
Mr.. Kennedy replied that he had received
no proposals, but that it was well known that
at the last session such proposals were made
Mr.. Mllllken N mos. decided way said
that this statement was false and that the rec