The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-01-14
,rhe Public lluiIaings.

Washington, Jan. 13.-Secretary Car
!isle communication to-day In response
10 q resolution Of enquiry adopted De-
cember 9Th Ia regard t., the delay In
erecting public buildings in Oregon
covers the whole ground us to the delay
IN constructing public Buildings all over
the country. The Secretary says:
At the date of the convening of the
t1ity-nrst Congress Uhe C-ngrtss which
authorized the public building ;pt Port
iand, Ore) there were upon the books
OF this department appropriations for
1GS buildings. all of which were In VA.
rious stages OF construction. That
same Congress authorized the constluc-
ton of seventy additional buildings
and provided for the extension OF seven
marine hospitals at an aggregate limit
OF cost OF Sl2,9tG,9S0. The Fifty-second
and Fifty-third Congresses authorized
altogether the construction of twelve ad.
ditional public buildings and improve
ments to five marine hospitals and
usher structures at q limit of cost Of
$5,Sl300o, making aggregates OF ninety
fcur buildings authorized and improved
at cost cf slS.I59,S ,S90 which addition
to the lG3 buildings above referred to
make a total OF 257 buildings upon which
construction opera tionS have been In
progress since December, 1889, Of which
number there arc at this time twenty
ilVe buildings for which no drawings
have been prepared.
1t has been the general practice OF the
department to begin work Upon the
various PUBLIC buildings in the order
OF their authorization by Congress-
notwithstanding the large number of
public buildings authorized by C-ngress
no increase in the force OF the Office of
the supervising architect has Been pro-
Fldeu icF although specific request
70 the Committee on Appropriations #
tne House of Representatives was made
DN t11S dGD1rtm mpnt a t.1-
tnat the amount allotted for that Office
Tor the fiscal year ending june 30 1896
should be increased from 5000, COO to $780,
0oo, the reason given being that such an
increase was necessary in order to en-
able the department to employ a suiIi-
cient technical force to bring the worl,
up 10 date This request however, wa;
not complied with. and the usual allow
ance Cd 100000 was made.
Since the 9th of March. 1893, this de-
partment has made every effort possl-
Die with the limited approximation al
lowed by Congress for the sI,pnnrt NJ
the ofilce of supervising architect to ey-
pedite the preparation OF drawings and
specifications for the various public
buildings under its control and TO take
up new work as rapidly as possible ana
10 proceed with the construction of
buildings with all possible expedition. )
me sum of S20O.G00, which the Secre.
tary is authorized by Congress 10 ,Isn
during each fiscal year for the public
buildings, does not exceed the amount
or usual charges of II competent archl-
tect for the preparation OF DESIGNS
psanS and specifications and superln-
tending the construction of a single
pubic building of the iirst-class. ana
IT must be evident that the Office of
the supervising architect mnst he re-
lleVed from a very considerable part OF
the labor now imposed upon it or adc-
quate provision must b. made for the
pay of sufficient number of skilled
employees. or that the work upon tho
many public buildings must continue
to be delayed as heretofore.
JOHN G. CARLISLE,
Secretary