The morning times., 1896-04-15
MR.. CARLISLE PERSISTS
DispIeased at House Action On
New Post0ffice.
LIMIT OF COST NOT FIXED
Secretary Writes u Letter to the
President OF the Senate and De-
plores That the House Committee
Ignored His Suggestions-CostL Limit
Should Be Increased, He Says.

Secretary Carlisle is apparently not sat
| lsiled with the action OF the House Com
mlttee on Appropriations in reducing the
present appropriation for the completion
OF the new Postoffice building without
increasing the limit OF cost.
The impression prevails from the state
ment made by Chairman Cannon during
the passage OF the sundry civil bill, aud he
was intcrrogated at length on the subject,
that the committee had acted precisely in
compliance with the wishes of the Treasury
Department officials
1t now appears from letter by Sec
retary Carlisle TO the President of the
Senate, that the House Committee on Ap-
propriations entirely ignored his sugges-
tons, aud he, therefore. appeals TO the
Senate IN order that an amendment may
be added to the bill. The letter OF the
Secretary in full is as follows.
Under date of February 15, 1896, this
department addressed a communicat ton to
the Speaker Of the House of Representa-
tives i'll connection with the United States
postoff building being erected in this
city in which it was stated tn at u deficiency
appropriation Of 1856 900 was impera-
lively needed TO complete The building as
at present designed, and that deficiency
appropriation OF $l15,0 900 additional to
would be required for the completion OF
the building, IT, besides completing the
same as at present designed, an inde-
pendent light and power plant were 10 be
supplied therein, and if the plan of the six
upper stories were 10 be changed from the
present design TO d modified design which
would make available office rooms for
the Railway Mail Service, the Bureau of
Statistics, the Department of Labor, the
offices OF Education, Indian Affairs, Ge-
oiogiCal Survey, the United States Civil
Service Commiss ion, the Bureau Of Eth
nology, and the various other government
offices now occupying rented quarters
IN this city; and in the same letter this be-
partment requested that the total amount
OF S47o,o0o be appropriated for she pur
pose na med above.
REPEATS HIS REQUEST.
In the annual estimates for approprIa-
tions for public buildings submitted TO
Congress by this Department there was
Included an item of $4,000. this being
the balance to be appropriated under the
present limit for the continuation of the
building during the fiscal year ending
June so, 1897.
At the request of the chairman OF the
House Committee on Appropriations, this
department ascertained that for the con-
tinuation OF work on the building until
be reduced to S275000. with the result
that the latter amount was reported by
the said committee in the sundry civil bill,
and the appropriation made By the House
or Representatives, but no increase OF limit
OF cost was included.
Although the Secretary of the Treasury
has the right to contract in advance of ap-
prOpr ations made available for this
building, he can not exceed the limit OF
cost fixed, and il is imperative To the sue
cessful completion OF the building that the
limit he extended at this session OF Con
gress, In order that the department may be
able to make the contracts necessary to
prosecute the work uninterruptedly.
l therefore have the honor to repeat to
the Senate my recommendation made to
the House of Representatives. as above
stated, or in case this is not approved, that
the limit Of cost of this building be increased
by the sum of S470 coo, which amount,
however, need not necessarily be appro-
priated at this session of Congress.