Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-02-21
THE PRINTING OFFICE SITE.
An Active Debate ON the Subject in the
Senate.

THE PRINTING OFFICE SITE.
An Active Debate ON the Subject in the
| Senate.
MERITS OF THE DIFFERENT SITES DISCUSSED
SENATORS MAsDERsoS. AND VEST THE PRIScI
PAL sPEAKERs-THE JOHNSON AND hAHoSI
LOIS MOST REFERRED TO.
The anticipated debate on the amendment tc
the snndry civil bill providing for the purchase
of a site and the erection OF a new government
printing Office was precipitated yesterday after
noon and the remainder of the day was devoted
to discussion of the merits on the different
sites proposed. The fight is nothing more thar
personal one between the committee Of public
buildings and grounds, which recommends the
Malone site. which is the south half of square
67S, and the joint committee on printing, which
has selected the johnson site. which is square
1l3. third proposition will probably be sub
mitted today by Mr.. Gallinger, who desires an
enlargement Of the present site.
Mr.. HENDERSON REVIEWS THE CONTROVERSY.
The debate was opened by Mr.. Henderson,
who at some length reviewed the controversy
and the history Of the attempt to obtain a site
and new government printing Office. When
| the Snow property or old base ball park imme-
diately there came that attack which seems in
cident to every attempt to purchase property
for public within the District. Mr.. Man.
derson then explained how the matter finally
narrowed down to a selection between the john
son site and the Malone site. OF the two sites
he said:
The committee very carefully examined
these lots. as they had been examined in times
past. There has been no change in the last
two or three years worth mentioning in the
surface of the johnson lot 1t has been used
for practical purposes 1t is now. as it has
been for n long time past. coal yard in which
there run the coal cars and tie coal is taken out
in carts. 1t has not been dressed up for the
purpose of exploration.
THE MALONE LOT.
''The first time / saw the Malone lot it was
very different in appearance from that it has
had for some months past. 1t had been an open
common. 1t had been the receptacle for years Of
the refuse of the neighborhood. The empty
cans and the dead cats of commons had been
thrown there. 1t was an unsightly place. True,
1t had been filled, and showed the fact that there
had been filling. But as the time for investiga-
ton and proposals came the Malone lot became
well dressed upon its surface 1t was smoothed
over. The unsightly objects were removed.
II think there vas even an effort to SOW it in
oats or grass, so as to make it present upon the
surface good appearance. and it is on the sur
face good-lo0king lot but those who look
upon 1t today do not see it as it was some time
ago. The remarkable fact exists that under
this smooth surface there is not only the course
of Tiber creek but the sewer itself crosses that
lot upon its west side
Mr.. Butterfly information is that Tiber
creek runs under one corner and that a very
small part of it. Tiber creek and the sewer do
not occupy one-third of it, l understand
Mr.. Vest-Not one-fourth.
Mr.. Butler-Not one-fourth. That is my in
formation.
BETTER INFORMATION.
Mr.. Manderson-I think have better in
formation, which will give to the Senator.
have here a map of the Malone lot, which
shows all of block 673. Now, mark the OBJ
lection urged by those who advocated the pur-
chase OF the Malone lot when the Snow lot was
proposed to be purchased was that Tiber creek
ran through it. Upon exploration we found
that through one corner, and a very small cor
ner of that lot Tiber creek did formerly run,
but when the sewer came to be placed it was
not placed across the Snow or the base ball lot
but in this block 673. which is composed Of four
parallel pieces of ground, 12l feet in width by
7s2 feet in length and through the entire south
half, from one side clear across to the other,
there ran not only Tlber creek. but the main
sewer of the city of Washington passes thers to-
day.
RAILROAD FACILITIES.
The discussion turned on the question of the
sewer and was discussed quite fully. While adj
vocating the selection Of the johnson SITE Mr.
henderson spoke OF its railroad facilities and
continued: Il think the people of this city and
those who are interested in this government
have too long stood the infection OF these two
railways of the Baltimore and Ohio system
coming into this town from the Boundary as
they do. When the present Metropolitan
branch is abandoned there will be no railroad
by the side of the Malone lot and it will be re-
moved at its east end distance of two blocks
| one block divided into two. / see it is an en-
tire block from the future road. So, if this
road is to come in on Delaware avenue by the
side of the Johnson block an elevation il must
run into the building on the Malone lot upon
an elevation just as it would run into the John
son lot on an elevation.
In either event you must go upon an ele-
waited road for there is no distance sufficient to
permit grade upon which loaded cars may be
drawn from the Malone lot to the graded sur
face Of the new line which is projected on Della
ware avenue. But Isee no obje ction to a railroad
entering upon this tract of land to be used for
the purpose OF public printing upon an elevated
line. think 1t Is decidedly better. Modern
depo.s and stations and freight depots Of the
country which are being built, particularly
through the west and in the heart of cities. are
entered upon elevated roads. and there is great
convenience and great safety in that PROPOSE
ton.
What would be the advantage here? In the
| first place. the roads entering the grounds OF
the public printing establishment would not
enter upon the surface and there would be less
danger to human life. The employees entering
| the establishment on the first floor would pass
under the elevated road rather than on the
same plane with II. Then too. SO far as the
carriage of material is concerned. the amount
Of coal consumed by the government printing
| office is a tremendous item. This could be
easily disposed Of by a chute running in any
| direction, on account of the elevation. Exper-
| fence has shown that wherever there enters n
depot, railroad tracks upon an elevation above
the ground surface it is to the economy and 10
the advantage of the traffic.
MR.. VESTS REPLY.
Mr.. Vest replied to Mr.. Henderson. He
argued that the committee on public buildings
and grounds should rightly control the choice of
this property. 1t had done SO IN the case OF
all other public buildings ill this city and else
where.
The Senator from Nebraska talks about a
donation to Gen. Malone. What is there, Mr..
President. in my political or personal relations
| with Gen. Malone that would cause me to
| squander the peoples money in order to enrich
him? l have served upon the committee on
public buildings and grounds for fourteen
| years. have repeatedly had occasion to meet
exigencies in regard to the selection of sites in
| this city createdby the demands OF the properly
| owners that Congress should consider the bids