Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-01-31

NECESSITIES OF THE sIruAr1oS-sEvERAL NEW
BUILDINGS RECOMMENDED.
There was no small amount Of interesting
argument in the Senate yesterday afternoon il
behalf Of new buildings and increased facilitie
for the conduct Of governmental business il
this city. Senator Spooner's resolution, Offered
heretofore, instructing the committee ON pub
lie buildings and grounds to consider the sub
ject of affording to the executive mansion. BY
alterations, additions or otherwise, Office room
and other accommodation was taken up, and il
the debate that followed, which was briefly
outlined in The STAR, there was no where the
slightest opposition to the vast Improvement
suggested by several Senators.
An amendment was offered by Senator Har
| ris instructing the committee to consider also
| the subject of the construction of such build
| lngs or of additions to existing department
buildings as will give ample room to the sew.
eral executive departments for the comfOrta
BILE and convenient dispatch of business; also a
suitable building as a government printing
| office. and especially suitable building for the
| United States Supreme Court, the Supreme
Court of the District of Columbia and the Cour,
| Of Claims. The amendment was accepted by
Senator Spooner.
MR.. MoRRILL's SPEECH.
thoroughly and carefully as follows
THE growth of this country within the last
fifty years has largely multiplied the wants as
well as the resources of both the people and
the government Of the United States. Most of
| the early structures for the accommodation OF
the different branches Of the government in
| the District Of Columbia have been found. as
| the years roll on, to be very inadequate for the
transaction OF the increased public business.
Some OF these are now 80 crowded as to require
| either extensive additions or new, much larger
| and more oOmmodious buildings. The United
States is paying large rentals for many inferior
and lnconyenlent accommodations. and these
| leased premises now number forty-six, in forty.
ut-of-the-way places. Beyond all doubt il
would be to the advantage Of the government
| to become the proprietor rather than the lessee
| OF such buildings as its public business really
requires. That this is sound economical policy
in relation to public buildings for the states no
one ventures to dispute, but the indispensable
wants Of the national capital appear to COM
mand reluctant attention and stinted appropri-
atoms,
The mail matter handled by the city post
office Is enormous, and If it were handled in
any other city Of the country would long ere
now have had an appropriation of several mil
hon dollars for a proper and decent building,
This has been often discussed, but unfortu-
nately without any agreement of the respective
committees on the part of the House and
Senate.
THE GENERAL POST OFFICE BUILDING,
still more important, was begun over fifty
years ago, when the whole number of post
offices of our country was only 1858, and was
completed in 1866, when the number had in
creased to "a, 1913; now the number is no less
than 60,335. The mail routes in 1886 were
$50, 921, while today they are 416,1 In 1874
the employees were SO crowded that the Post
master General asked for a new building and
vnt tod IA
than ever before, notwithstanding that 1913 en-
ployes have been removed to other quarters
occupying five rented buildings and Of course
all more or less remote and scattered. In 1874
the gross revenue of the department was
S26, Az, O72 but in 1888 it had about doubled
rapid growth of the business of the country
and show that before any possible relief can be
afforded the condition Of the department will
be even far worse than it is now.
The present building is good specimen of
the Corinthian order of architecture, but it is
wholly restricted to the grounds upon which it
stands, without any other margin than the sur
rounding streets. Almost from the start the
present building, however, has practically been
too small and inadequate for the wholesome
transaction OF its immense amount of business
In 1880. by lowering the grade Of the streets
around 1t, the basement story was utilized to
some extent, though unsuitable for occupancy
by clerks; but pressure for more and larger
rooms Is now greater than ever. This will be
appreciated when it is shown that the number
of deputy postmasters of the United States is
now between thirty-fve and forty times
greater than it was fifty years ago.
Clearly this building, whether il is used by
the General Post Office or the Interior depart
ment, should have an addition that would more
than double its present size, or there should be
new site and a new building provided for one
or the other without delay.
THE INTERIOR DEPARTMENT.
'The colossal Doric building occupied by the
Department of the Interior is one of the most
imposing buildings here devoted to govern
ment use, though the simplicity and beauty of
the south front was as much impaired by the
sinking Of F street to a lower grade az that of
the north front of the post Office was improved
The building was constructed for the exclusive
use of the patent office, and the funds for its
construction were wholly supplied from its in
come. The interior Of the building was spec-
tally designed for and adapted to its use and is
none too large for its present and prospective
necessities. The patent Office should lind its
permanent home IN the structure that has
arisen from its funds, and which is not only
self-sapporting, but annually puts a surplus of
$500, 600 In the treasury.
1t would seem most expedent. therefore, to
provide other quarters for the Interior depart
ment. which Is one OF the most Woodworking
branches OF the government, embracing not
only the commissioner of Patents, but the com
missoners of the land Office, of pensions, of In
dian affairs, of education and of railroads, as
well as the director of the geological survey
and the superintendent of the census.
Either large and commodious building must
be erected for the Interior department or for
the Post Office department.. If the square west
OF the Post Office department should be taken
for its enlargement, as the Senate has often
proposed, the building then would be none
too large, whether to be occupied by the Post
Office or by the Interior department.
The wants are SO pressing and immediate that
it will be false economy to postpone the ques-
ton even for another year,
ROOM NEEDED AT THE CAPITOL.
All of the room of the present Capitol il
urgently required for legislative uses. Both
the Senate and House of Representatives are
subjected to- great Inconvenience for lack of
room. When the new library shall have been
completed there will be large room upon
each side of the present library to be devoted
| to other service. 1t is also manifest that Con-
gress must soon absorb the rooms at present
occupied by the Supreme Court Certainly no
one would treat that coordinate department of
the government as an Improbable tenant and
turn it out Of doors to hunt for a cheap and
insignificant position in the national capital
| 1t Is a great court, the great American court,
worthy of its origin, and must be worthily
| treated.
The committee on public buildings and
\ grounds have reported q bill by which to &C.
quire the squares on the east side Of the Csp-
| itol so as to embrace grounds equal in extent
I'm fbx m ~. L.. l.