The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-06-21
sAvANXAH's PUBLIC BUILDING.
The Real Reason why Work on 1t
Is Delayed.

Is Delayed.
Washington, June 2O.-Savannahs new
public building appears to be one of the nu-
merous victims of a depleted treasury and
an inadequate clerical force in the treas
ury department. For the past two months
the officials Of the supervising architects
office have been telling the citizens of Sa-
vannah and their representatives that the
bids for the superstructure would be adver-
tised within ten days. First it was said
that the plans were not completed. Then
It was stated at the department that the
Specifications were not quite ready. Later
it was announced semi-officiallY that the
specifications were finished and signed,
but few alterations in the drawings, cal
culated to improve the general appearance
Of the building would further delay the
work about a week or ten days. Now 1t Is
given out by the treasury officials that the
plans and specifications viii not be ready
Tor advertisement until two, and perhaps,
three weeks have elapsed. These contra
oictory statements are both annoying and
confusing, and it is intimated that they
are made purpOsely to conceal the fact
mat there is a general understanding in
the treasury department, with the sanction
Of Secretary Carlisle, that the appropria-
tons for work upon new public buildings
shall be kept down to the lowest figure.
This not only applies to new
buildings. in the course of
construction, but it also includes
the work of repairs on buildings already
completed. Sufficient money has been APP
lropriated by congress to enable the work
OF the Savannah building to be pushed
along with all diligence, but there APP
pears to be hesitancy on
lie part of Secretary Carlisle about eX
lending the money so provided. This spirit
OF ratrenehment or economy, whatever it
may be called by the treasury officials, is
not confined to Savannah, but I under
stand it is being applied in every direction,
ana it win continue to be the policy of the
secretary of the Treasury until after the
peslnnlng of the new fiscal year, on July l.
The backwardness of the Secretary of the
treasury in expanding the money already
appropriated is not the only cause for COM
paint. The reduction Of the force of en-
ployes in the supervising architects Office
also retards the work Of getting the plans
ana Specifications ready. There appears to
De very unbusiness-lke practice of
slaftlng in upon one set of plans, and
"len that work is under way, to suspend
operations IN that direction and proceed
WIN another piece of work. In that way
'Ae work on a number of new plans are
q, 'e.'' anu as the employees are cOHlIH-
1dlly being shifted around, but little pro-
sress issmade on any of the work which
may be said to be in hand For instance,
representative Lester and his constitu-
Jus IN savannah are urging the work on
mat building to be expedited. Immediately
q squirt is ordered on the Savannah plan.
y lew days later a request OF a similar
A1ture comes from some other city where
public building is going up. The work
on savannah is stopped and the force is
assigned to duty on the other building.
90 1t goes and the result is that the work
az along the line is languishing.