Evening star., 1897-06-05
N EW POST OFFICE
Paragraph in the Sundy Civil Appropriation
Bill.
II the General Post once is Moved 1t
Will Delay the Building's
Completion.

One of the most interesting local features
OF the sundry civil appropriation which be-
came law on receiving the Presidents ap-
proval yesterday afternoon is that which
provides for the transfer of the General
Post Office Department to the building de-
signed and constructed for the use of the
Washington city post office. The same
clause also provides for the transfer Of the
land office. the Indian Office and other Of
fees under the Interior Department to the
general post Office building.
The Text of the Provixo.
The provision in question is as follows
New post office building, Washington,
District Of Columbia-For electric light
plant. new post office building, Washington,
District Of Columbia, wiring Of building,
engines. dynamos, &C.. to be Immediately
available, $65, 600
THE Secretary of the Treasury shall mott.
fy the Postmaster General as soon as the
pest office building in the city of Washing
ton Is completed and ready for OCCUPANCY
and thereupon the Post Office Department,
including the money order office and the
office Of the auditor for the Post Office De-
partment, including the records of said Of
fee now in the Union building, and the Of
nee OF the topographer. shall be removed
10 said post office building, and shall &C.
cupy therein. together with the city post
ONCE, such rooms and other space as shall
be assigned by the Postmaster General.
and thereafter said building shall be under
tne controi OF the Post Office Department.
AS soon as the present Post Office De.
partment building is vacated, as herein
provided, the same shall be turned over 10
and thereafter be under the control of the
INFERIOR department to be occupied by the
inalan once. general land Office and such
other offices or parts of Offices or bureaus
OF the department as the Secretary of fhe
Interior shall direct.
FOR expense OF removal OF the Post Of
nee department, including the money order
once, office Of the auditor for the Post or
nee Department and topographer's office to
the new post office building as herein pro-
sloeo ., Ior, ten thousand dollars or so mucn
thereof as may be necessary"
DeiaS the Completion of the Building.
II Is said at the Treasury Department
that the execution of this provision of law
VIII naturally delay the completion OF the
building beyond the date fixed for its COM
pletion under the original plans contem-
plating its use for altogether different pur-
poses. When officially notified of the
enacment of the new law the Secretary of
the treasury will open a correspondence
with the Postmaster General to Learn
What changes he desires made in the plan
Of the building as at present constructed in
order to meet the new purposes for which
It Is to be used. Until the Postmaster
General has been heard from on this point
work on the building will have to be sus-
pended, and the date of its ultimate COM
pletion will depend altogether upon the
extent and character of the changes de-
sired by the Postmaster General
Although the building was built for the
city post office, Its occupancy by that office
Will he entirely subordinated to the pur-
poses of the general post office. Under the
original plan the city post Office was as
signed the entire basement and mezza-
nine floors, but 1t is probable that in order
to make room for the Post Office Depart
ment 1t will have to give up the mez-
canine floor and confine itself to the base
ment floor.
The New Superintendent.
Mr.. Thomas c. Steward, who has been
appointed superintendent Of construction
of the building, vice Mr.. J. w. Kinsey,
transferred to duty at Buffalo, as stated
exclusively in yesterdays Star, was at the
Treasury Department today arranging to
give bond, in order to assume his new
duties at once. Mr.. Stewart had charge Of
the work upon the building from the in
ception Of the work up to June, 1893, when
he was superseded by Mr.. Kinsey. He de-
clined to be interviewed today in regard
to the changes in the building necessitated
by the action of Congress.