Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-08-04
The Money Available by the New
Appropriation Bill.
WHAT WAS PAID FOR TIE MINT SITE
Assessment Values in Philadelphia
and in This City.
S o Me ROVEMENTs

s>ow that congress mas gotten through
with the District appropriation bill IL will
be possible for those in charge OF the vari-
GUS interests affected by this bill to make
their plans for the new year. To some ex-
| tent the Senate made amends for the heavy
cut in the estimates which appeared in the
bill as II came from the House. The upper
| body did not go as far In that direction as
| many would have liked, and as, perhaps,
| the real Interests OF tie District require.
However, the bill csme out of conference
| with an increase In the total amount OF
about $4,000. AS compared with the az
| preparations Of last year. the new bill shows
an increase Of about sl3l, go. There is con-
| siderable disparity between this amount and
| the addition to revenues which was pro-
| duced by the late advance made in the as
sessed valuation of property. The ,ontea-
| ton that the appropriations should bear a
| more equitable relation to the annual reve-
| rues Of the District is considered by citi-
zens generally tc be entirely just. and sur
Prise is expressed that Congress does not
look at the matter In the same light
Although there might have been and, as Il
may be expressed, there should have been
a larger sum total OF appropriations than
is provided for in this measure stin there
is available for public expenses during the
coming year the large sum OF over five mil
lions and half Of dollars. OF this amount
about a million goes TO the payment OF the
interest upon the debt and the charges Of
the sinking fund. There is nearly a million
dollars devoted TO school purposes, and then
the fire and police departments come In for
| q good round sum. There IS, Of course great
interest In improv.n.t nts, especially those
| relating to the payment and maintenance OF
our streets and highways and in the new
| bill. not including the sum of slC5,0p which
is provided for assessment and permit
work; there is about $4,000 for work on
streets and avenues, and a somewhat larger
amount for the Improvement and extension
OF our sewer system.
Didn't Get Ii for Nothing.
The recent purchase by the government
Of quite a large tract OF land in Philadel-
phia, amounting to some 5000 square feet.
as a ste for the proposed Few mint build
ing has some features which are Of special
concern here. The government OCCASION
ally buys Land for building sites in this
city, and 1t is probable that In the next
few years such purchases will be more fire.
ouent. The statement is often made IN
Congress and elsewhere that Uncle sam is
obliged 10 pay an excessive price for land
which is acquired in this city. The recent
land purchase In Philadelphia, however,
shows that the government paid a pretty
good price for that property. The iaLd
selected is in what is known as the manu-
mer tracks Of the Pennsylvania railroad
and the present tracks OF the Philadelphia
and Reading. 1t is not therefore either a
residence or a commercial business section
CT the city. The price paid. however. was
$Soo.Vvo which Is at the rate Of $3.50 per
square foot
According to the Philadelphia newspa-
pers the assessed value of the ground is
$4,000. and therefore in this instance the
market price or rather what the government
paid for the property was nearly three
times the assessed valuation. 1t is UNDER
Stood however, that there was included In
this amount a consideration for the loss
and Inconvenience to the owner in remoy-
Ing his business plant now the site to
another location. IL is estimated that inde-
pendent OF this consideration a good fair
market price for the property would be
about $2Jo,V0. At any rate IL Is quite eyi-
dent that the government did not get this
site for nothing, and that the Philadelphia
owner received full compensation for his
property. Ii is not likely, however that
any member Of Congress will rise up in his
place and denounce the owner as well as
the entire body of citizens OF Philadelphia
FOR trying TO rob the government III the
transaction had occurred in this city such
comments would probably not have been
lacking.
The Building Record.
The record Of building operations for the
past week shows that eighteen permits were
issued for the erection % new buildings al
a total aggregate cost of sGsoOo. OF this
amount $4,000 came from the northwe stern
section Of the city. with two new buildings;
the northeast had three permits, amounting
to $3.50; southwest one permit, costing
sl,2oo. and the county twelve re-nsits for
new buildings. aggregating S4G,3o0.
building permit was issued yesterday
TO VIM. l.. Patterson, architect, for "A two
story and cellar abattoir to be erected at
Benning Station, Benning. ID. c. IL is to.
l,sax~ fNIw,
foundation. The building will be lao feet
deep, 50 feet high and 140 feet front ana
will not be placed within 300 feet Of a dwell
ing Henry Smith & Sons OF Baltimore
have been awarded the contract
Plans have been completed and the bun6
ing permit issued, TO II. +. Lukei for the
erection of a three-story and cellar pressed
brick dwelling at 1906 2lst street northwest
TO cost 5000. The building will be 81 feet
deep, 30 feet high and q feet front liz viii
be built by Il. F. Grimes
The Inspector of buildings issued n per-
nit yesterday to George w. Lewis who.
will coon build six three-story red brick
dwellings on NJ street extended. Trinidad
at an estimated cost of s. 200 ] NJ Iewt.
is the builder. Each of these dwellings will
be AZ feet deep and Ia feet front
Samuel J. Prescott has planned the erec-
ton of three handsome dwellings az num-
bers IBIS. 100 and l222 NJ street north
east. They will be three stories him. built
OF red brick. 80 feet deep and 10 feel front
each. Samuel J. Prescott VIII be the
builder.
Charles Ruoff viii shortly build n three-
story and cellar brick dwelling at ri 6
street extended. The building is TO he a.
feet deep and 20 feet front. of pressed brick
and heated throughout by hot air " O.
Morrison is the builder and a. Stanley
Simmons is the architect. Ii is 10 have
mont OF brick ana stone, with circular
tower. tiled Roof, oak and pine trim.
The New building Regulations.
The two amendments 20 the building
regulations promulgated last vice.: by tho
Commissioners TO he effect that here
after the rtablng of horses on the second
floor OF livery stables WAS prohibited end
the one regulating the height Of buildings,
came in for 4 gooGly share Of comment
during the week from architects and build
ers.
Mr.. F. T. Schneider appeared before the
Commissioners and protested against the
amendment regulating the height of build
ings. He said he was about to erect an
other apartment house in rhe northwest
crn section of the city AM dsl rot think
its height should be limited IS the Com
missioners. The Commissioners Informed
him that the regulation would not be en-
forced for thirty days, during wh'c. time
permits would be issued usual