Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-23

The item relating to the new city post
office at Washington was discussed by Mr..
Cannon and MIR. Sayars. The latter said
: in this conneo ton: NOV, Mr. Speaker in
reference to the new post office building
i'll this city, if it be completed in accord
ance with the terms Of the Senate amend
ment, within twelve or eighteen months Of
this time, there will be room provided not
only for the city post office, but for 5000
clerks or whereabouts for whose accom-
mediation the government is paying today
about 100000 a year N rent of private
buildings in this city. If the Senate amend
nlent in reference TO this building be agreed
to- shall move to recede from diSa-
greement to that item-gentlemen can rest
assured that in eighteen months at the
farthest the city post office will be moved
into the building, and 1900 government EN-
ployeS or more will also find Office there
and there will be clear saving to the gov
eminent every year of fully $lO0,DOU."
The Government Printing Office.
Another item related to additional ac-
commodations for the government printing
office, and upon this Mr.. Cannon said:
Now, there is matter of very consid-
cradle interest ana Importance to which
wish to direct the attention of the House
for few moments. l refer to amendment
numbered 1870, on page l26 of the bill. This
is provision to enable the public printer
with the approval of the Secretary of the
Treasury, to purchase two lots of lanI i'm
mediately adjoining the present site of TIE
government printing office, containing in
all about 10000 square feet, for the pur-
pose of erecting a boiler house and coal
shed in connection with the government
printing office, and also to give light and
ventilation to the new building belonging
10 that office now approaching compile ton
The provision is also made IN the amend
ment for condemnation proceedings in the
cN ent that satisfactory arrangement can
not be made for the purchase.
will r4la in I,a
sent of the House, letter from the public
printer touching this matter. l think l can
state the substance of it perhaps more
quickly than 1t can be read. Gentlemen
know that last year we made an appropria-
ton for the purpose of constructing Il new
addition adjacent to the present public
printing office. and it will be completed
within month or two-the 1st of July. 1
am informed, to he accurate.
Now. the heating plant is - situated N
connection with the old office that there is
constant danger of fire. and it is insufficient
to heat this new building. 1t is absolutely
necessary, if that building is occupied be-
yond November next, that there should be
an additional plant for heating and for
power. 1t Is estimated that this will cost
about 100000 to purchase the LOT of ground
and the requisite power house and fixtures.
Now, it seems to ME that this ought to be
done. 1t cannot be done unless the House
does it. This is a Senate amendment. IT
would have been subjec. to a point Of order
if it had been offered in the House I think
it ought to be done without reference 20
what eventually may be done touching the
printing office. You know that has been an
old matter of contention between the HouS,
and the Senate and it ought to be solved
but in the meantime the printing office Is
down there, and from sheer necessity an
appropriation was made to put up a new
additional building. Now, even if We com
mence, as l think we ought to commence
in the near future, to construct an entire
new printing office, that viii meet the de-
mands of the public service yet regard II
absolute necessity that this ground
should be pNrchased or condemned and
that the heating plant should be erected so
as to utilize, with safety to life and limb
and efficiency to the public service, the
buildings that we now have there and must
occupy. pending the time that provision is
made for new office.
RunninE Debate.
Mr.. Mountaineering Is new legisla-
ton, is 1t not?"
Mr.. Cannon-"Yes; will state it fairly.
We have not agreed to it. 1t is for the
House to further insist on it's disagreement
or to recede; but 1 am stating what the
facts are, so that the House may act ac-
ccrding to its best judgment, with such in
formation as l give it,"
Mr.. Hicks-"Does not the chairman Of tho
committee think that il we should make
this large appropriation now it will prac-
tically settle the printing office ques ton ~
large appropriation. 1t is 100000, ana I
regard it as an absolute necessity, even If
we get new printing office within the
next four years. l think this is absolutely
necessary in the meantime. l do not regard
1t as settling the matter Of a printing Of
flee permanently
Mr.. Hicks-'Is it not fact that the puh-
lie printing Office where it is now ia con-
condition.
Mr.. Cannon-"And very largely unsafe
because of the location of the heating plant
and the boilers, which are absolutely insuf1i-
just been erected as an addition
Mr.. Walker Mass.)-"What will the cost
of the new building be?"
Mr. Cannon-"One hundred and twenty
one thousand dollars"
Mr.. Walker tMass)-"And the heating
plant is to cost s1OO,OOO?"
Mr.. Cannon-"You have to buy land On
which to erect the building for the heating
of ground adjacent to the present building.
and then to erect the boiler plant The
estimate for the whole thing is 10000"
Mr.. Hicks-"W Would it not be sufficient to
for the heating plant?'
Mr.. Cannon-"Oh, we'll, ground is quite
cheap now. and my Judgment is that the
proposed plan Is better. However that is
matter or administration that could be con-
stdered hereafter. do not want to 90 into
the merits of the public printing office oues-
ton. l am only giving the House such
Information as have. and my opinion in
this matter. after Investigation"
Mr.. Milliken's Objections.
Mr.. Milliken of Maine objected to the pub
lie buildings provided in the sundry civil
bill and said
L say. Mr.. Speaker, that when a gentle
man proposes bill that will not bear the
investigation of committee, a bill that
comes into this House without fnvestiga-
ton In regard to its merits, bill that will
not bear investigation by committee of
this House. and that cannot get a report
from a committee of this House, it should
never be considered here because it is put
on as an amendment in the Senate loud
applause)
Some of the most vicious legislation has
been carried through in that way. How
was 1t. when the appropriation was made
and this penitentiary wall was built up
around this Capitol at cost Of more than
81 900, defacing the Capitol and making
it'worse than before? Did that come from
the committee on public buildings and
grounds? No; it was stuck on an appro-