Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-06-17

Of legislation in this particular have been
credi,able to the body and to the nation.
Nearly every one agrees to the wisdom of the
purchase Of the strip Of land along Rock creek
from woodley Park to the District line Of more
than 1000 acres, winch have been forever set
apart for parks. 1t is true that half the cost
was paid by the District. and although that
provision was unjust, vet the acquisition of the
land was OF vast Importance, as the future Will
demonstrate more clearly than the present.
Congress has persistentiy closed it's eyes TO
fact that its records show plainly, namely.
that the business of the government has in
creased with wonderful rapidity during the past
twenty years. and yet IN all that time no large
department building has been erected. The
last building enterprise of any great magnitude
that the government has gone into in this city
was that of the erection of the large building
for State. War and Navy Departments This
building was begun about the year 1870 and 1t
IL the last of the great department buildings.
The growth of the clerical force has probably
doubled in that period. and the pressure for
more room has been partially met by n series OF
makcshifts that are simply disgraceful Build
ings Of a cheap character have been erected
when the necessity became Imperative, but as
q rule the main dependence has been on rented
buildings
sHoRT-sIGHrED POLICY
government in this city since the last great
public building was built illustrate very COM
pletely the picayune policy that has prevailed.
There are for example. the buildings occupied
by the pension Office. the bureau OF printing
and engraving. the Army and Medical Museum
and the National Museum, all located on ground
that was stolen from the areas reserved Tor public
parks and for the breathing placesand the beauty
spots of the great capital city. Obtaining the
ground for nothing. Congress provided for the
erection of buildings of brick. with scarcely any
architectural merit. and at the least expendi-
ture of money hat was compatible with safety
to the life and the limb of the public servants
Economy. and that too. Of not a high type, is
written over these buildings from the top TO the
bottom
Buildings erected for private purposesare not.
asa rule, suitable for the use OF the government
because of the large number of employees and the
great weight of the files and the records. Yet for
years past Congress has been constantly adding
TO the number of leased buildings. overcrowd-
ing the public buildings and caring for such
structures as those occupied by the govern
ment printing Office and the pension division
Of the War Department In the most slipshod,
Cheap John manner.
The only structures WORTHY this government
that have been authorized to be erected in this
city in the past two decades are the building,
now being erected for the Library Of Congress.
the naval observatory building and the building
;,
however. is an example Of the long prevailing
congressional policy. it is to be eight stories
In height when only three were needed for post
office purposes. the only reason for the addi-
tional stories being that they were cheaper than
another new building would be. and some of the
bureaus of the general government, or perhaps
the District offices. could Be crowded i'll.
THIS Is A GOOD SPECIMEN.
The purchase of the ground where the city
post Office is being erected shows the wisdom OF
congressional fnanciering At that time. and in
fact for some years previous. Congress had been
urged to buy all the squares on the south side
Of Pennsylvania avenue from 9th street to i5th
street. The land was cheap and It was pointed
out that all the space would be needed at some
time for public buildings. Instead OF adopting
this suggestion Congress decided to buy one
square. When this transaction completed
and the improvement was an assured fact ther
the value of the adjoining squares went up. aid
now when another purchase is to be made II
this vicinity Congress will be obliged to pay the
enhanced valuation which has been created By
its own Improvement
THIS CITY AS SUMNER RESORT.
Now that the hot season NAV be said to hav,
fairly begun, people are considering plans fo
asummer outing. The schools will soon b,
closed and then the children will be free. Nat
urallv parents want to get them out of the city
although ii may be said in passing that with
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hIe; 'his cry piese'S nan' az -s u
perhaps 'ue ma % suuiIt ies.' ~ l
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,s'a Nm .-e n ~: w rs 10
nie IN 1ne oou .s, Ing. .I1 . % ~ .ns CIV.
NV ~ e nol ~
conimooahs sutie. '.,os aio 80 eupe =,
10 VIVA. was Aho"n IN tne eaLneI years Una
PeoPIe H W. ~ W t.eii .: eNay ne%
aoue, M . ~ % 'ne Peop t
wuo pui,u houses III VIC eoui.It ne@i 'Ho c.
oceupt mem .ue !e o-ii. .ioie AK . gre,
many VINO ihaih'ain a summer iesluehce as we
cry none- AZ .ii -. rs not % eA PeiisiVe :
sounas 'he pan his i's n'i" n az. n'aseS
s1ilaoie Uuo st.' cal pe pui Tn's s'. az
mouerase Hsu,e anu nouse ean pc 81 e. ,
~nicn uesu NOT pe eAPense. L. &c, can pe lur
hisnso eneaPs am ein'iy "o tue sunIlie
Ieuence Is eohpiSIo a. .t teIi' Aaois 'n'i
nmmer resort for the ayerace family represent
about the outlay such an establishment cost
IN some measure 'ne discovery OF 'nis rae an
..a S,-;n ~ -, g. go !, ,h',rha
buiIding.
s,-nrnp.x uorr,s
Al,
TOT tnose VINO nave not 'ne PiucA Ut VI
desire to be their own landlords In the summf