Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-06-28
The Bill Argued This Afternoon in
the House.
TO PROTECT VALUABLE PAPERS
Urgent Necessity for the Building
Claimed by the Committee.
s O Me OPPO ON

In the House this afternoon at o'clock
Mr. Bankhead called up the bill for the
erection Of a hall Of records In this city.
Inc bill which was presented was the House
substitute for the Senate bill.
The Senate bill, as amended by the House
committee on public buildings and grounds.
authorizes the Secretary OF the Treasury to
acquire lots to 13 inclusive and ~ and Il,
IN square 635, containing 1858 square feet,
being bounded on the north by B street
south and on the west by LIST street west.
This Is the property lying just south of
the Capitol grounds and upon which are
located the former stables Of the Washing
ton and Georgetown Railroad Company.
An appropriation Of 100000 Is provided for
the purchase Of the lots and S2OOOOO for
the erection thereon, under the supervision
OF the chief of engineers Of the army, of a.
suitable fireproof building for the safekeep-
ing Of valuable government records. The
secretary is authorized to acquire the prop
erty by negotiation or condemnation pro-
ceedlngs: 1t Is provided that lots q, Z, and
~ may be used as a storage room for the
House of Representatives.
Inc report OF the committee on the bill
calls attention to the urgent need Of build
Ing where valuable records can be stored
In safety and says:
Ihis lot will furnish all the room the
government VIII ever require for storage
and folding purposes. and on that portion
OF IL situated next TO the cable car line the
nail OF records will be constructed The lot
contains 92,65S square feet altogether, and
about 10000 feet Of which will be used for
the nall OF records. 1t Is excellently well
located for the purposes for which 1t will
be used. 1t can be directly reached by
street railroads from each one Of the gov
eminent departments and Is conveniently
near to the Capitol. The price named,
$4,000. is reasonable"
Urgent Necessity.
Mr.. Bankhead caused the report to be
read. and explained that the necessity for a
nall OF records Is SO pressing that the Sem
ate made a bill during the extra session la st
summer and sent 1t to the House. This
bill Is substitute for the Senate bill
urged the reporting Of this bill. The House
of Representatives has experienced great
diffculty in finding storage room for its
documents. Every branch Of the govern
ment complains of lack OF ADEQUATE and
safe storage rooms.
1t would be matter Of economy, he said
purely business proposition, that the gov
eminent instead Of renting quarters should
buy this property and erect building suit
able for its purposes. There Is already
found on the lot a building which IL used
by the document room Of the House. and
the improvements on the property are
The price OF the property Is considered
to be very reasonable. The property can
easily be connected with the Capitol by an
underground tunnel
Mr. Coombs OF New York said the govern.
ment Is now paying rent at rates from 10
to ~ per cent year upon the value of the
property He realized the necessity for a
hall OF records. but said that the proposed
site Is too remote from the great depart
ments. The proper place for such a build.
ing IL on Pennsylvania avenue, near the de-
partments. and Congress will finally have 10
provide a building more conveniently To-
Gated. He would not oppose the bill, how
ever.
Mr.. Baker OF New Hampshire said that
the proposed site was not a suitable one,
and the price was excessive. Some of the
81 ound. he said, has been offered within a
year for w cents a foot. and this bill con-
tains over - a foot for II.
Mr.. Cannon Opposes.
Mr.. Cannon would not favor the spending
Of money for any public building in Wash.
ington except for government printing
office. There is far more necessity for pub
TIC buildings In some other cities than for
this hall OF records. he said. and this bill
should wait until the government finances
are in better shape.
Sob. Mr.. Grains Opposition.
Mr.. Grain of Texas opposed the bill. The
committee have designed public buildings
for other cities throughout the country, and
whenever a member has endeavored TO
get up such bill he IL met with the state
ment that the treasury Is deficient Mr.
Grain intimated that Washington Is well
treated by the appropriation for the Con-
gressional Library and the Post Office build