The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-03-08
THE PUBLIC BUILDING.
A SPECIAL AGENT COMING TO sA-
vANNAH TO SEE ABOUT IT.


Dollars of the Original Appropria-
ton Available. and the Change of
Site ard the Preparation Of New
Pla-s the Cnly Matters 70 be Dis
posed of Before Work VIII be Com
menceS Under the 100000 APP
Representative Lester
on the Speakership OF the Next
Eouse a-d on Clevelandss Chances
in 1892
Savannah is sure now Of public build
ing worthy of the city, and equal to the
demands of the city's increasing business
So Representative Lester assured MORN
ING NEWS reporter last night.
As has already been announced in the
MORNING News, the bill providing for the
increased appropriation Of s4o0, 600 for the
building passed both houses Of congress
and was signed by the President Col
Lester worked continuously in the sessions
of congress and in the committees during
the last session to secure the appropriation,
and it is due to his unceasing efforts that 1t
was obtained.
As far back as last March the bill was IA
vorably reported upon by the House com
THE REPORT TO CONGRESS.
The report stated that by an act approved
June 30, 1856, the erection Of public build
ing at Savannah for the accommodation Of
the United States courts and postofice was
authorized and SEQ 600 was appropriated
therefor A site was selected and purchased
and the erection Of q building was begun in
1889. 1t was discovered that the build
ing as planned was not adequate
for the purposes designed, and that the site
was not altogether suitable. = The Secretary
of War suspended the work on the building
in order that congress might enlarge the
limit Of appropriation, that a suitable build
ing mlght be erected, and, if practicable,
another site selected.
The report went on 10 say: THE building
as at present designed is not large enough
for the present necessities Of Savannah, not
TO speak of the continuing growth Of the
city in both population and commerce, and
il does not provide, as il should, for the
offices Of tie engineer IN charge OF the pub
lie works in Georgia and for the geodetic
survey. The government now has 70 pro-
vide these Offices by renting
CUT DOWN $4,000.
The committee recommended that the bill
be passed, with several amendments. One
of these amendments was the striking out
Of the words -four hundred and fiftyn and
inserting four hundred in the first section.
Mr.. Lester had endeavored Co secure an ap-
preparation of $4,000. This would have
given S41o. 900 for the purchase of site and
the erection Of building.
The bill as passed, increases the limit Of
cost Of the building from 5000, 600 to $780,
900, In order, Ia the language Of the bill, ito
provide for the enlargement of the building
contemplated by the present plans, and. il
found practicable, the purchase Of another
site. and the sale Of the site situated about
g. 81 A 1.
corn street.
HOW THE CHANGE WILL BE MADE.
If 1t shall be deemed practicable TO select
another site for the building, proposals for
suitable locations win be invited by adver-
tisements in the daily papers for fourteen
days or more prior TO the date specified in
the advertisements for opening the. pro-
posals The proposals in answer
TO the advertisements will be
received. opened and considered
by a commission, consisting of three per-
sons, to be appointed by the Secretary of
the Treasury, who will, within forty days
from the date named for the opening Of the
proposals. forward their repors to the Sec
rotary Of the Treasury, with maps and de-
scription of the site selected by them. Their
selection viii be final The commissioners
will be allowed their travelling expenses and
compensation not to exceed $500. in the
discretion of the secretary.
The act provides that the building shall
be unexposed TO danger from fire by an
open space of at least thirty-six feet on each
side, including streets and alleys
TO DISPOSE OF THE PRESENT SITE.
Section 8 of the bill provides that should
another site be selected the Secretary OF the
Treasury be authorized and directed to sell,
either at private or public sale, the present
site.
nna NJ thu xYaoak iuyorsanr each;oDa is +fa
last section, which provides that "the ap-
preparations heretofore made shall be avail
able for the purposes of this act" Other
wise 1t would be an indefinite length of time
before the work upon the building could
commence. The increased appropriation of
100000 will not be available until an act
of congress is passed to that effect, which,
Col. Lester says, will undoubtedly be done
at the next session.
MO NEY TO BEGIN WORK WITH.
The $500, 900 appropriated by the previous
act, however, is available, and the amount
unexpended viii be sufficient to begin and
carry forward the work until the increased
appropriation Is made available. The act
of June 30, 1886, appropriated 5000, 900 for a
public building Ia Savannah of which
amount S35, 900 was expended for the site ct
YORK and Abercorn streets, and about
sl4, OOO for work upon the foundation of the
building. This amount will be lost to the
public building fund If the site is changed,
as under tue law the money received by
the Secretary of the Treasury for the sale
OF the site and improvements thereon will
be covered into the treasury.
In case another site is selected this will
leave about $3.50, 600 20 purchase a site and
begin work upon, or, with the increased APP
preparation which will become available
later on, q total Of $350,000 for the pur-
chase of a site and the erection Of build.
ing. Allowing $4,000 for the cost of the
site, this would leave $500, 900 for the erec-
ton of the building. A handsome building
can be erected for that amount.
Col Lester said that the matter Is now in
the hands Of the treasury, and it rests with
that department almost entirely as to
whether a new site will be selected and how
soon the work will begin.
A SPECIAL AGENT COMING.
The supervising architect of the treasury
will send special agent here to inspect tht
present site and available locations Hi!
recommendation will doubtless be accepted
by the supervising architect.
Col. lester said that he had been urging
the supervising architect to send an agent
here at once, to facilitate matters, and
the architect promised to send one last
week, but did not do so. Col. Lester urged
the supervising architect himself to com,