Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-02-19
A NEW CITY HALL
A Bill Providing for a Municipal
Building Drawn Up.
THE CENTER MARKET RESERVATION
A Question About the Rights of
the Market Company.
MR.. THOMAS SUGGESTIONS

The Commissioners believe a new munich
pal building is in sight Today in accord
ance with the suggestion of Chairman
Bankhead Of the committee on public build
ings and grounds. they submitted a bill
providing for an appropriation Of $50 900
for the commencement of a new municipal
building.
The bill was drawn by the attorney for
the district. and provides as follows: That
the Commissioners of the District of Column
bia be and they are hereby authorized
and required to cause to be erected on that
part of the public reservation fronting the
south side of Pennsylvania avenue between
7th and 9th streets in the city Of Washing
ton not occupied by the Washington
Market Company a municipal building,
according to plans and specifications there
for to be approved by said Commissioners
and the architect in charge of the Capitol
and the supervising architect of the
treasury, who are hereby constituted a
commission to decide upon plans and
specifications therefor. The cost of said
building when completed not to exceed
one million two hundred and fifty thousand
dollars, one-half thereof to be charged
against the revenues of the District OF
Columbia.
Sec. . That the sum of $25OOO0 is hereby
appropriated out of any money in the treas
Try not otherwise appropriated, for the
commencement of said building. PROVIDED,
that 5000 of said sum, which is hereby
made Immediately available. or so much
thereof as may be necessary, may be ex-
pended by the commission hereby constitut-
ed. in premiums for the best designs and
plans for the building hereby authorized,
and in expenses incident to procuring such
designs and plans. And said commission Is
hereby directed to advertise for such de-
signs and plans In some newspaper of gen.
N WaQhfnU-
ton. New York and Chicago.
Sec g. That said commission Is hereby
authorized to pay for the design and plans
accepted by it the sum of 5000, for the
next best design and plans. the sum of
$1,000, and for the next the sum of 800,
provided. that all of said designs and plans
when paid for as herein provided, shall be-
come the property of the District Of Co
lumbia.
Sec. 4. The said building shall be erected
by contract with the Commissioners of the
District of Columbia, after advertisement
for proposals in some newspaper of general
circulation in the cities of Washington.
New York and Chicago, and shall be let
to the lowest responsible bidder on s,.ch
terms and conditions as may be prescribed
by said Commissioners.
The Market Company's Rights.
In this connection Attorney Thomas sub
mitted the following explanatory letter, the
substance of which will be Incorporated in
the letter Of the Commissioners to Con-
gress:
''At your request I have drafted and here
With hand to you bill to be submitted to
Congress authorizing the erection of a mu-
nicipal building in this. city. 1t may not be
improper at this time to call your atten-
tion TO the relation of the Washington Mar
ket Company to the reservation on a por-
tion OF which it Is proposed to erect this
pullding- This company was chartered by
act of Congress approved May 20. 1870, tc
puild market, &C. By the eleventh sec.
tion OF this act the company was author.
lied to occupy this reservation for ninety.
nine years, with buildings for stores, halls
market buildings, market stands, &C.
The company took possession of the
ground December. 1870, and at once begar
work on its buildings. The Market Com.
pany. soon after beginning the work. sough
TO make notifications In the plans. A Joint
resolution of Congress. approved pecem
Der 20. 1870. provided for certain changes
and such arrangements with said com
pany as shall be calculated to secure q
speedy erection of the buildings" &C. II
the Act making appropriation to suppl,
denciencies. approved March 3. 1873. there
was an item authorizing the purchase b,
the United States of the interest of the Dis
trict in the City Hall building at a price no
exceeding $4,000. which was to be expeadet
In the erection Of District building, and
the governor and board of public work.
were authorized. If they deemed 1t advisable
Tor that purpose, to make ARRANGEMENT.
with the Market Company to secure suffi
cient land for that purpose fronting OF
Pennsylvania avenue between 1th and Jtf
streets. Under this authority the Marke
Company two weeks later by formal dec
quit claim to the District the portion of tn,
reservation now inclosed with an iron fence
1t might be well In the same connection I,
consider the right of the Market Co,npan,
to maintain the bridge across the part o
the reservation quit claimed to the Dis
trict as this structure would be IN the wa,
Of the proposed building. / understand
the Market Company claims the right t,
maintain the bridge by virtue of some con
tract with the District. This contract o.
copy of it is, perhaps, to be found anon;
the District archives, and 1t should be ex
amined before the bill is submitted to Con
gress."