Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-05-15
LIABLE TO COLLAPSE.
Yet Congress Delays Providing a New
Printing Office.
Uncertainty Regarding ihs Siie Tor the Pro.
pessd New Building.

WASHINGTON. May Especial -
Chairman Bankhead OF the house commit
tee on public buildings and grounds, after
long wrestling with the subject and get
ting pretty hard fall, gives it as his opin-
ion that the uncertainty about the new
government printing office is greater than
ever. Others assert that senate and house,
to say nothing Of other contestants, are no
nearer an agreement than when tho dis
cussion began years ago. just at present
the matter is so tangled up with politics
and local interests, railroads and real cs-
tate spectators, that it Is not easy to get
at the merits Of it, but out Of the mud
die several facts can be picked Of interest
to the public and among them these:
Looking For Site.
The senate committee, after what it con-
sidercd an exhaustive study of the situa-
ton selected what Is called the Kurtz-
johnson lot, which contains 106 900 square
feet and could be got at 81 foot This Is
the lot which was once recommended by
joint committee OF the senate and house
and is the one favored by Mr. Richardson
OF Tennessee and his supporters in the re-
cent debate. About the time, however,
when an agreement seemed very near Gen
eral and ex-senator Malone appeared upon
the scene. There was delay. The senate
overruled its committee and voted for the
Malone lot which Is at the corner OF
North Capitol and l. streets, three squares
north Of the present government printing
Office. 1t contains 213, S15 square feet. Fa-
voritism and corruption were charged, of
course. Senator Vest succeeded in get
ting reconsideration of the vote, and so
the matter rests in that body.
Tho house committee, after long and
careful examination, brought in q bill for
purchasing the square just north of tho
Baltimore and Ohio station on which the
senate stables and q government engine
house now are. II would cost $500, 900, and
to grade the lot and locate the stables else
where would probably cost 500, 900 more.
Its great advantages are its ncarness to
the capitol and the fact that the Baltimore
and Ohio railroad could easily put a switch
into the basement, which is quite an item
when one considers that the office receives
5000 tons of freight yearly. On the other
hand, this would give that road sort of
monopoly, and this with the cost, caused
the house to fall on the Bankhead bill
with unrelcnting fury. Another lot which
has its advocates Is the so called baseball
ground, which contains 40, GAS feet and
would cost $2i2, 600, and this is advocated
by Mr. Livingston of Georgia. The MA
hone lot, by the way, is offered for $780,
600, and the sale of it would, it is said,
make quite q snug fortune for the why
little general and enable him to retire from
politics once more. Indeed it is charged
by advocates of other sites that part of the
agreement between the general and certain
senators Is that If he sells this lot to the
government he is to meddlc no more in
Virginia. But then you cannot believe
half you hear in Washington.
A Shutticcock For Both Houses.
After knocking all around the field the
conservatives in both houses settled down
to tho proposition to extend the present
building, paying $175, 900 for an addition
al 55,0 square feet of ground, but the
engineers answered with ono voice that the
present building is liable to collapse ut
any minute, and that an addition would
render q calamity certain. The conserva
tives then turned to another lot not far
south of the capitol, where 212, 900 square
feet could be bought for 5000, 900, but the
other follows succeeded in proving the site
SO unhCalthful that 1t would be murder to
place government employees there. The
present noiiuihg III 'he corner OF North
tapi'o' ana II strec's Is also prohouhced
very unheai'hlui' SO thcrc you are AGAIN
~" 'h's n "cii worm inc STUDY o, Amer
leans as showing What SLOW clumsy ma
ehihc this thihg calied government Is ana
no" 'hosc VINO Waio on congress lor pettcr
INNS WIZ eat 'he ofVau VI pi..erhess ana
u'ioh INV waters VI oeSPair' Inc matter
mas oovii snu''i'oooh oc'"ech inc TWO
houses ,or years
Mr bryah au'oca'eu the use OF tne gov
etn'icn' hsio 'y'ns n,ween oiH,h ana
''''ii'" s'rc..s '"s' nor'h vi 'hc ash COM
ia, ;.,,,.a.,i,,..,'' -, ~. -,
was n ouaumirc cxbal,nv tho vanors of
death. that no snrc foundation could be
made there. that II was sometimes over.
flowed nv Potomac bnckwatcr. and that
flsh had been caught swimming In the
Pennsylvania depotl Others rronosef MS
ing one of the parks. especiallv n part of
Judiciary square. which WIS met with an
INDIGNANT protest against robbipp the peo
plo of thor r,crcation grounds. When IL
was pruposcd TO take that part of Garfield
mark not far south If tho rapitol which is