The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1891-11-01
GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS.
New Jersey May Have to Fight to
Gets Its Share Of Them.

WASHING TON, Oct. 81. 9l.-There Is to
be lively fight in Congress for public
buildings. A number of New Jersey
cities will be in the fight, but they will
have no leading representative on the all
| important Committee on Public Build
ings. as was the case in the last Congress.
| But their chances are just as good as the
rest. The time. therefore, is opportune
! to call attention to some Of the facts and
| figures that will be presented to aid New
Jersey cities in their search for public
building.
| The advocates of Atlantic City do not
| rest their claims on the reputation the
place has attained as q summer resort,
although this goes to swell the postal
business. but upon the more solid bas is
of its growth and standing of per ma
nent city. The postal receipts, it is point
ed out, are steadily increasing, sure in
| dex of development. both in populat ion
and commerce, until now it takes rank
| in this respect. as the eighth town In New
| Jersey. 1t will also be insisted that for
| reasons of economy 1t would be sound
| policy for Congress to make early pro-
vision for this Improvement, as land at
| this place is rapidly increasing in value.
| The citizens want a structure to cost
$780, 900. but it is not probable that an ap-
| preparation in excess OF 100000 can be
| secured.
The people Of Elizabeth will also be in
| the race. Their demands. however, are a
! little immoderate--an appropriation of
S250,000. One thing will be in favor Of
| this city. Its representative. Geissenhatn
| er. will be more experienced In the way 8
| legislation, and, III consequence, better
| able to make q winning fight. AS said.
there is little probability of Congress be-
ing induced TO spend quarter of mil
| lion dollars in city where the postal re-
fceipts are barely S40.000a year.
| WORK FOR M'DONALD.
l Jersey City, too. has claim to urge in
the way of u 100000 building, and Mr..
Mcdonald is likely to have his hands full.
The sum named is by no means excess
sive, when the extent of its postal pus-
ness Is considered. These receipts have
for several years been about S130,000 and
| the net revenue paid into the Treasury
has been more than SIS. 900 annually. In
addition, Jersey City is q large man ufac-
turing and commercial city, it will be
urged, with a Posto1ice building
entirely inadequate for the transaction OF
the public business, and it Is necessary
| that immediate steps be taken to secure
for this city proper accommodations.
| The present Post Office building. with its
site, cost about $f2,0O0, but the repairs
additional expenditure OF 900.
Two cities OF the State have a public
building in prospect Congress having
made provision therefor, but unfortun-
ately, not enough money has been granted
TO provide a structure OF sufficient size
4 to accommodate the postal business. As
long ago as 1888 Congress appropriated
$50, 600 Tor such an improvement at Pater-
sou, this sum to cover the COST OF
both site and building, but 1t has been
found that q suitable site could not
be obtained for snm small enough to
allow the construction OF building
within this limit of cost. 1t is desired by
| the people of Paterson that the cost OF
the Improvement be increased to $500, 900,
but this is little higher figure probably
| than Congress can be induced to grant
The people of Camden are In the same
boat. In 1887 they secured an appropri-
alton of 500, 600 for public building, but
after paying over $50 600 for a site the
| supervising architect found that there
was not money enough left to put the
building required by the pubic service.
| AS Camden Is the commercial centre of
the southern portion of the state, he
thinks an additional appropriation of at
least $50 900 should be made to complete
this improvement In a satisfactory man
ner.
These are the representative New Jer-
| sey cities that will be in the struggle for
public buildings, but some Of the minor
towns are not without hopes OF slipping
in and carrying off prize. These places
are Bridgeton, Morrist0wn, Perth Am
boy, Washington and West Hoboken.
\ 1t is the usual custom in making
| . revision for public buildings to
| favor the place returning the heaviest
postal receipts, and under such a rule
| Morristown would have the advantage of
the competitors named. rs its postal
revenue is over $40 900 annually. The
least Is at West Hoboken, where the re-
ceipts are about $4, 600. These last named
| places, however, do not stand any show
| for legislative favors as against those
| more specifically noticed.