The times., 1897-04-12
PROPERTY OWNERS OBJECT
The Source of Opposition to Re-
moving the General PostOfiiee.
WHAT MIR. CANNON SUPPOSES
Rents That Would Be Lost to Local
Landlords by Moving Into the
New City Postoffice-Str Out
side Opposition to the Removal
Clause Said TO Exist.

When the sundry civil appropriation bill
passed both houses at the last session of
Congress it contained a clause providing for
the removal of the General Postoffice TO
the new city postoffice building when
completed This included the SIX audi
tors and all the bureaus except that of the
supply department. The clause further
provided that the General Land OFFICE,
Indian Office and such other offices of the
Interior Department as could be aCcommo-
dated, should remove to the building now
occupied by the General Postoffice.
President Cleveland refused to sign this
bill and makei it law and ii became neces
sary for the present Congress to pass 1T
again.
The section that related to tie removal
of the general offices met with practically
no opposition in the House and Senate of
the last Congress, aud recently 1T was
passed 10y the present House without the
slightest difficulty, but there are strong
rumurS abroad that IL viii not have such
an easy time i'll the Senate In other
words, it is said that strong outside III
fluence would be brought to bear to ore
vent the new post office building from
being used for any purpose other than
city poStoffice.
The building / 5 nearing completion, and
when finished viii have cost the Govern
ment in round figures S2,00o,o00. 1t is
large enough, authorities say, to furnish
ample acconlmo odations, not only for the
CITY postoflice, but also for the general
postoffice and all its bureaus, several of
which are now housed in outside buildings,
the average rental Of which amounts to
more than S35, 600 year.
The Government pays about 100000
year as rent for buildings in this city,
Notwithstanding the fact that it owns so
many grand structures. Some OF these
buildings are not only unsuitable for the
uses to which they are put, but are over
crowded 10 a degree, which endangerS the
health of the officials and clerks who
OCCUPY them. The latter remark is aii-
plicable also TO several Government build
ings
The fine building known as the Patent
Office, but occupied as well by the Secre-
tary Of the Interior Department, is over
crowded TO a disgraceful as well as a
dangerous degree, and some OF the Officers
and clerks Of the Bureau of Patents are
compelled TO work in rooms which, packed
as they are, become a constant and serious
menace not only to health, but life Itself.
1t is said that certain proper ty-owners
in this city contemplate the crowded con-
dition with as much delight as they do
alarm at the ciause'i in the sundry civil ap-
preparation providing for the removal OF
the General PostoffiCe to the new build
ing and the transfer of the Land and
other departments to the old General Post
Office If this clause should not become
a law, these property-owners mayin course
of time have the Government for ten
ant. for more room must be had for the
transac ction of public business. Should the
clause become law, not only would these
prospects be dashed to pieces, but the
S35,0 900 a year now paid for rent by the
General Post Office would be lost Rumor
has 1t that these property-owners are
bringing much pressureto bear to have the
clause stricken~out by the Senate.
Congressman Cannon, the father of the
new postoffice building, said last night
to q reporter of The Times, that he had
heard more or less about the opposition
in the Senate to the postoffice clause Of
the sundry civil appropriations, and added:
''If 1 were to suppose where this oppo-
sition comes from, would say suppose
mind you, say supposc-that it's brought
about by property owners. am nc
prophet, but will say l have no doubt
but that the postoffice clause will pass
the Senate. The bill passed both houses
at the last session with scarcely any
opposition, and would now be law
but for the action of Mr. Cleveland. The
clause ought to become a law, for the new
building is large enough to afford the
accommodation, and the Interior Depart
ment requires more room.