Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-01-23
THE PRINTING OFFICE SITE
A Bill Introduced in. the House Today BY
Mr. Bankhead
Causes Which Influenced the Com.
mittee on Public Buildings and
Grounds In It's Selection.

| Following closely upon the action of the
Senate committee yesterday in the selec-
| ton of a proposed site for the new print
| ing office comes the House committee on
public buildings and grounds today with
another and a different proposition. The
committee met this morning and by a unani-
nous vote authorized Chairman Bankhead
| to report a bill providing for the purchase
| of square 6S3, between North Capitol, D.
Delaware avenue and c street, at a cost
| not to exceed $3OO.OO0, upon which is to
| be erected building to cost 81, 5OO,OOO
The bill in substance is as follows:
That the Secretary of the Treasury be
| directed to acquire for the purpose and in
! the manner hereinafter provided the real
| estate not now owned by the government
| in square number 6S3, bounded on the
north by street, on the east by Delaware
avenue. on the south by c street and on
the west by North Capitol street, and the
sum of S'OO,OOO is hereby appropriated for
the purpose of paying for the real estate
and the Secretary is instructed to cause to
/ be erected upon said square a substantial
and commodious fire-proof building. with
! fire-proof vaults, heating and ventilating
| apparatus, elevators and approaches, for
use as the government printing office, the
cost of the building not to exceed 81 ,50O, 600
| Section provides that the Secretary shall
| purchase the real estate so to be acquired
| or any part thereof as soon as pra acticable
at such prices may be fixed by agree
| ment between him and the respective own
| ers: provided that the Secretary shall not
pay in the aggregate for the real estate
more than S;OO.OO0. and it Is provided
further that no money shall be expended
| for the purchase of said real estate or for
the erection of the building until the writ
ten opinion of the Attorney General of the
| ttAI
validity of the title to the real estate.
For Condemnation Proceedings.
Section 3 provides that II the Secretary
shall be unable to purchase the whole Of
! the real estate or any part thereof he shall
cause application to be made to the Su-
preme Court of the District Of Columbia
at general special term by petition,
and upon such application the court shall
without delay. ascertain and assess the
damages occasioned by the taking of the
real estate; said proceedings to be conduct
ed in the same manner as is provided with
reference to the taking of land for high
ways in the District of Columbia.
| Section provides that the fee simple
of all premises appropriated for public
use, Of which an appraisement shall have
been made under the order and direction
of said court, shall, upon payment to the
owner or owners, or to such persons as
shall be authorized to receive the same, be
vested in the United States; or, in case the
said owner or owners refuse neglect for
| fifteen days after such appraisement by
said court to demand or receive the sum
appraised. the Secretary of the Treasury
shall cause the amount SO appraised to be
deposited in said court to the credit of such
| owner or owners. and thereupon the fee
simple title to said real estate shall be
vested in the government of the United
States.
Section ) provides that the court may di-
rect the time and manner in which possess
Stn fh.Ar
taken or delivered. and may. If necessary,
enforce any order issue any process for
giving such possession. The cost of said
legal proceedings shall be paid by the
! United States. unless the court shall other
wise adjudge; that no delay in said legal
proceedings or in taking possession of the
real estate condemned shall be caused by
any doubt as to the ownership of the prop
erty or any part thereof or as to the in
terests of the respective owners; in such
case the court shall require deposit of
the money adjudged as compensation for
the whole property or the part in dispute,
and soon this shall be done possess
sion Of the property may be taken by the
United States. This appropriation and all
appropriations hereafter made for the pur-
pose hereinbefore named shall be expended
under the direction and supervision of the
chief of engineers of the army. who shall
have the control and management Of all Of
said work and the employment of all per-
| sons connected Herewith; he shall make
| all contracts for the construction of said
building or any part thereof, and shall an
nually report to Congress at the commence
ment of each session q detailed statement
Of all his proceedings under the provisions
of this act.
What Chairman Bankhead Says.
| Speaking of the matter to a Star reporter,
Chairman Bankhead said:
| Among the reasons which induced the
committee to select this site are the follow
ing: First it's accessibility to all depart
/
pal street lines, the Metropolitan and
the cable line, furnishing easy access to
every department doing business with the
| printing office. Next, its location near the
Baltimore and Ohio railroad depot, permit
ting the laying of a switch from the main
| line right into the basement of the building
This will be of advantage in erecting the
building by permitting the delivery of the
heavy materials direct upon the spot and
saving the expense of hauling. After the
building is erected it will save $4,000 a
year in the transportation of crude material
and finished product to and from the bull l.
ing. Another point in favor of the location
is its close proximity to the Capitol, ena-
| bling communication by pneumatic tube or a
| tunnel
The main opposition of this committee to
the plan proposed by the Senate. and 1t will
| continue to be urged in opposition. is shat
the building of a printing office on the pres
ent site will recessitate the work being done
| by patchwork. They will put the building
| up III SecllOUS, uttle DV little, the cOnSe-
| quence being that the work will extend ever
long period of time and will finally be a
| job that the government should be ashamed
| of.
| In the meantime no relief will be afforded
the present overcrowded and dangerous con-
dition of the quarters; the employees will be
| crowded worse than ever. The only way to
relieve the condition of that structure is to
| rent an annex somewhere and move into It
while another building is being put up. We
| believe that 1t would be the poorest economy
| in the world to erect building in this way
| Why, we have the largest printing Office in
the world and 1t should be perfect. The idea
Of this committee is to have a building of
steel, iron and glass, furnishing the best
| facilities for light and ventila ton. II Gen.
| Casey is given the money l believe he can
go ahead and put that building up within a
| year.
| IF it Is argued that the government can
not now afford to put up such q building
all right; then rent another place and walt
| until we can afford II, but don't go to work
and erect structure that will be a re-
| proach for all time to come II we can't