Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-12-31
PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
PROSPECTS NOT ENCOURAGING FOR
SPEEDY WORK IN VIRGINIA.
A Summary OF the mounts Avsiishie for
This State and North CaroiiDs--
stfii Dull at the Capital
From Our Regular cOrrespOndsn..i

From Our Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON, December 80 The Super
vising Architect OF the Treasury, does not
give much encouragement as 20 the speedy
prosecution of the work on sorne Of the
public buildings IN Virginia and North
Carolina that have been appropriated for
By Congress. and matters now stand ex-
sctly as they did more than a month
ago. when the finishing touches
were being put on the annual
report of the Supervising Afchi-
tect. The delay on the proposed building
at Norfolk was caused, so it IL stated. By
the Department of Justice. whore the title
TO the site bad to De investigated. That -
the case with great many buildings or
dered 10 be erected by acts OF Con-
gress, aud il will be of interest ut
this time 20 show Just ho~ much
money il available for structures
in the two States, and how much has
actually been expended up 10 the. present
writing. The books in the architects
Office give q detailed statement on each,
That official aud his chief assistants are
always anxious 70 90 ahead with the work
of building, but Reeds "billiOn dollars
Congress so sgamped the Treasury that the
Secretary and other Cabinet officials called
a halt during tho year on expenditures
that were plainly directed by Congress,
probably in the hope that the revenues
would increase and the spendings would
not make such a bad showing for the Ad-
minisration.
COMPLAINTS TO BE MADE.
The Virginia and North Carolina con-
gTessmen in whose districts new public
buildings have been directed 10 he con-
40 tna Iataxa
and the indications are that when the
House gets down 20 business there wall be-
| open complaint IL not resolutions. though
they are not so much disposed 10 blame
the architects Office as the higher powers
of the Government
APPROPRIATIONS AVAILABLE.
Following is a summary Of the amounts
available for buildings IN the two States.
Virginia-Norfolk, appropriated $4,000;
contracted for liabilities, -4j.25O; balance
| available, S29. .64s.S3; additional appropria-
| tion asked for. $1,000.
Roanoke-Approprlat $1,000; ex-
pended, $3.50; balance, S74.I5o.
stanton stands exactly as Roanoke, the
balance being the same. :.
North Carolina-Reidsville approprI-
ated SIS. 900; available. 81. .S05.79.
The architect has small balances on a
number Of Virginia and North Carolina
| buildings. which Appropriations were
| made for repairs. etc., and he says ne pro-
| the surplus fund of the Treasury, as
| the law requires. He has nearly 1900 OF
| the amount appropriated in lscs for the
Richmond building.
yERY FEW STATESMEN.
Owing to the presence of so few con-
| gressmen in the city the Capitol continues
| 10 present a deserted appearance, and
| there will be little Of interest until the
national Legislature reassepbles the 5th
| OF January. Not over twenty representa-
| tives visited the hall Of the House to-day.
| Colonel O'Ferrall was the only one OF
| the Virginia delegation who was on hand:
He did not go TO Harrisonourg 70 spend
| the holidays, owing 10 the fact that bis
| family came TO Washington before the
| opening OF Congress. Colonel O'FerTail
| Is getting ready for his work as chair
man of the House Committee on Elections,
| before which there viii be six contested
| cases. three of which are from Pennsyi-
yania. and the committee, as made up by
| the Speaker, has two Pennsy on
| it-a Democrat and Repuhllcan-so that
| both sides Ia the disputed cases VIII be
represented by men thoroughly acaualnt-
| ed with the laws and election machinery
| Of Pennsylvania.
| kEADA EOh hJriNEors
Chairman Springer. of the Ways aud
| Means Committee. has returned from a
| few days OF rest and recreation, and was
| busy to-day having the oommitiee-room
/ fixed up for the comfort and coa-
| yenlence of the members who are
| 10 wrestle with revenue raising measures
| for the next six months. Sir. Springer Is
enthusiastic in the belief that the policy
20 be pursued viii operate not only TO the
| benefit Of the party but 10 the whole
4 couutry. and he thinks that the best plan
1 of ali is 10 attack the Mckinley bill N It's
| weak points.
II can be stated just here that the
| Democratic leaders will endeayor 10 place
| bindlng-twine, cOtton-tieS and wire Tor
| baling hay on the free list. and that they
will do their utmost also TO heavily reduce
the duty on cOtton-bagging.
IMPROVING.
| Sneaker Crisp is slowly but steadily i'm
proving. and his physician thinks that be
will be in good condition physically when
the House meets again.
| The "kickers"--the Democratic men,
| bers of the House who want 20 make
/ trouble for Speaker Crisp--are SO few IN
number that the prevailing opinion here IS
that when Congress ge.s down 10 work
! they will ind such cold comfort
among the majority in the House that
| they will keep exceedingly quiet. A
| leading Democrat. and one OF the staunch-
est friends of the Speaker, said to-day the
trouble" seemed to be in the imagina-
| tions of Mugwump and Republican news
| paper writers, who are dresdfully dis
! tnrbed because Judge Crisp had acquitted
himself admirably In framing the standing
| committees.